Last weekend I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Anheuser Busch plant in Merrimack, NH, to attend the 6th annual Rock’n Ribfest. Hosted by the Nashua West Rotary, the Ribfest has grown into a huge festival. It is also the home of the New Hampshire BBQ Competition! With tons of things to do such as eat, drink, listen to music, and more, the Ribfest is a ton of fun! Even big bounce houses were available for the children and DCU and Re/max had tethered hot air balloon rides. There was a main stage that featured a Teen Band competition and bands such as Project Mess, The Risen , Brickyard Blues, James Montgomery Band, and more.

I had ribs from Stickyfingers and T-Roy’s. I’d have to say that I liked the way Stickyfingers used the wood grill and I liked their sauce better; however, T-Roy’s meat was grilled better.

It’s so hard to put everything about the Ribfest in this short article, but if you have never been, you should really think about going next year! Everything that goes towards the Rotary West club goes to charity, so you’ll be having fun while supporting a great cause.

When we think of barbecuing, we usually imagine steaks, burgers, and hotdogs lining the barbecue grill, but what if you’re a vegetarian? Even if meat is not part of your diet, you can enjoy many tasty foods hot off the grill.

Veggie Burgers: You can find veggie burgers in the freezer section of your supermarket or health food store, but the best ones are usually the ones you make from scratch. There are many recipes for veggie burgers on the web or in vegetarian cookbooks. Experiment with different recipes until you find one that you like.

Veggie Kabobs: Kabobs are a great way to customize your meal to each person’s particular tastes. Put out a variety of ingredients in different bowls. Some good ones to try include: mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, summer squash, bell peppers, tofu, and onions. Hand out skewers, and let everyone make his or her own kabob.

Teriyaki Eggplant: Slice eggplant thinly and marinate in teriyaki sauce. Grill on each side until tender. You can add green onions and peppers and serve over a bed of rice.

Grilled Pizza: You don’t need to heat up the kitchen to get a great homemade pizza – grill it! Brush your grill with olive oil and put your dough right on the grate. Watch it carefully and when one side is brown, flip it over to brown the other side. After you turn it, brush your crust with olive oil and add pizza sauce, chopped vegetables, and cheese. Lower the barbecue lid, and cook until done.

Grilled Corn on the Cob: You don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy grilled corn on the cob. Take off outer husks, leaving a few inner husks. Melt butter, carefully pull back the remaining husks, and brush each cob with butter, then cover again with the husks. Wrap the corn in aluminum foil, and cook on a heated grill until tender, about 20 minutes.

If you are ever in Portland, you must visit Voodoo Doughnuts.

Located downtown just off the corner of 3^rd and Burnside (on the southwest corner of the intersection), Voodoo Doughnuts is a Portland landmark! More than that, Voodoo Doughnuts is a Portland tradition—you must stop in and have a doughnut if you are in the Portland area.

What makes Voodoo Doughnuts so special? Is it the voodoo juice the owners claim to have shipped when they began their business? Maybe. Maybe it is their in-your-face personality and refusal to conform to the likes of chains like Krispy Kreme and Dunkin’ Donuts. You’ll find more than simple glazed confections here. You can get a maple bar with bacon on it, a doughnut topped with fruit loops, a doughnut in the shape of a voodoo doll, or their infamous pastry shaped like *ahem* certain parts of the male anatomy (one of their best sellers- go figure).

Portland’s motto is “Keep Portland Weird,” and Voodoo Doughnuts takes that very seriously. Not only can you get any kind of doughnut you want (if they don’t have it, you can call ahead and request that a special doughnut be made) but you can buy a variety of apparel and take Swahili lessons! For the extremely Voodoo Doughnut enamored, the eatery offers one hundred percent legal weddings!

Pricewise, Voodoo Doughnuts is more than reasonable. Prices start at eighty five cents and go up to five dollars, depending on the doughnut you want!

Situated between the Paris Theater and Berbati’s Pan, Voodoo Doughnuts can be easy to miss if you aren’t sure what you are looking for. Look for the red door in the brick wall and the small sign that says, simply, “Voodoo Doughnuts” above the door.