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The Best Tar Heel Barbecue:
Jim Early Shares the Finest Places to "Pig Out"
On North Carolina Bookwatch, Sunday, August 1, at 5 PM

North Carolina native Jim Early traveled to over 200 restaurants, from Murphy to Manteo, to find the best barbecue that the Tar Heel State has to offer. His journey to all 100 North Carolina counties in search of the pinnacle of pork perfection is documented in his all-new book The Best Tar Heel Barbecue: From Manteo to Murphy.

OnSunday, August 1, at 5 PM, the author shares his behind-the-scenes look at Tar Heel barbecue with host D.G. Martin on the latest edition of UNC-TV'sliterary series, North Carolina Bookwatch. In this mouth-watering episode, Early explains how an attorney from Winston-Salem turned his passion for all things pig into what musician David Holt has called "the barbecue bible for country gourmets."

Why would a trial lawyer from Winston-Salem, NC, take off a summer to travel from one end of the state to the other to share the best North Carolina barbecue restaurants?

"I had always had an interest in cooking and being from Henderson, NC, there was little need for an excuse to cook a pig. It was as easy as, 'Had a good day? You have! Well, Honey, let's cook a pig!,'" muses Early. "Barbecue has always had a special place for me and I wanted to make a gift to the Special Olympics."

Proceeds generated from the sale of The Best Tar Heel Barbecue: From Manteo to Murphy will be donated to Special Olympics North Carolina, enabling the program to continue providing year-round sports training and competition opportunities that benefit the state's Special Olympians. For Early, the Special Olympics organization is as close to his heart as is the heart of North Carolina culinary culture.

"The place where I stabled my horses also provided riding lessons for the young athletes who participated in the equestrian events for the Special Olympics," reveals Early. "When I saw the young athletes out there, trying so hard to ride a horse, and to see their expressions when they accomplished that.I knew I wanted to give something back."

But Jim Early readily admits that his endeavor to find the state's best barbeque wasn't completely selfless. Traveling to and fro to pick the meat off the bones of this North Carolina custom, Early was able to sample the state's most savory slow-roasted pork and Southern sides, well seasoned with the spirit of this Tar Heel-flavored tradition.

"To be in this book, the restaurant's meat had to appeal to my palate-not over-cooked, not over-sauced-the slaw had to be crisp, green, and fresh, and the hushpuppies couldn't be too greasy, says Early.  "Every place in this book is good!"

Jim Early is a native North Carolinian and longtime resident of Winston-Salem. A graduate of law from Wake Forest University, he continues a limited civil law practice, he is certified as a superior court mediator and speaks nationally and internationally on balance and quality of life to Bar Associations, Medical Associations and businesses.

Early has taught cooking courses at the Stocked Pot in Winston-Salem, Serves You Right in Blowing Rock, Yahoo's in the Bahamas and in various states and countries where he has guided hunting parties. Recently he has conducted a series of successful cooking courses for Salem College hosted by the well-known specialty wine and food shop, The Golden Apple in Winston-Salem.

During this season of North Carolina Bookwatch, guests will also include: J. Peder Zane (Remarkable Reads), Sharyn McCrumb (Ghost Riders), Clyde Edgerton (Lunch at the Piccadilly), Lynn York (The Piano Teacher), John Dalton (Heaven Lake), Chuck Stone (Squizzy the Black Squirrel), Bart Ehrman (Lost Christianities), Sheila Kay Adams (My Old True Love), Bill Thompson (Sweet Tea, Fried Chicken, and Lazy Dogs), Joe May (Poe & Fanny), Orin Starn (Ishi's Brain), Karen Barker (Sweet Stuff), Dr. Gerald Bell (The Carolina Way), B.J. Mountford (Bloodlines of Shackleford Banks), John Shelton Reed (Minding the South), Steven Sherrill (Visits from the Drowned Girl), Carl Ernst (Following Muhammad) and Orrin Pilkey (How to Read a North Carolina Beach).

For information about individual episode airdates and times, visit www.unctv.org/ncbookwatch.

Funding for North  Carolina  Bookwatch is  provided  by UNC-TV members and by Quail  Ridge  Books  and  Music,  Raleigh's  independent,  full  service  bookstore,  bringing  readers  and  writers  together  since  1984.

North Carolina Bookwatch is part of UNC-TV's ongoing commitment to produce programs for and about North Carolina. UNC-TV is the statewide 11-station broadcast network of the University of North Carolina. For more information about North Carolina Bookwatch and UNC-TV's other local productions, visit www.unctv.org.

-UNC-TV-