Loyd McIntosh

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Posts tagged with "St. Clair County"

Nov 1

Barbe-friggin-que!

The Shack Ribs

I’m working on a piece on barbecue in St. Clair County for Discover St. Clair Magazine and have had the opportunity to visit a few really good barbecue spots in the last couple of weeks. First up on my barbecue tour was an awesome little joint in Springville, Alabama, called The Shack.

Owned and operated by James “Sticky Fingers” Grigsby, his Louisiana-native wife Chauntelle, and mother-in-law Donna, The Shack is one of those places real barbecue fans should be willing to burn a tank of gas to check out. The shack is located on Alabama Highway 174 just off Interstate 59 in a small, green building with a gravel parking lot.

Don’t be fooled by the lack of decor. The food here is fantastic, and not just the barbecue. Mondays are po-boy days, a culinary tip-of-the-hat to Louisiana, where Grigsby worked for many years in the oil business. His ribs are amazing, having placed in 9th place at the Texas State Barbecue Championships a couple of years ago and has won Grand Champion titled in Florida and Alabama.

Perfectly smoked and topped with a sweet & spicy sauce, these may be the best ribs I’ve ever had.The Shack’s ribs are available only on Saturday from 11 a.m. until the last rack is sold, so make sure you wake up early and get your butt to Springville if you want to give them a shot.

Click the picture of James and a slab of ribs for a photo album of my recent visit to The Shack.

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Posted 1 year ago

28 notes

St. Clair County, Food, Meat, Barbecue, Recreation, Alabama, Sticky Fingers, Shack, United States, Saturday,

Aug 25
Rising From The Rubble I was given the opportunity to write about the recovery efforts from the tornadoes of April 27 in this, my second story of two in the inaugural issue of Discover St. Clair magazine. I focused primarily on the Shoal Creek Community and Alpha Ranch, a Christ-centered, residential facility for young men facing difficulties transitioning into adulthood, that was destroyed in the storm. The ranch’s founder, Gary Liverett, talks about the experience of seeing his ranch for the first time after the storm and about his vow to rebuild despite the financial and emotional toll the events of April 27 caused.There are also some quotes from a handful people from around St. Clair County helping to rebuild a home in Ragland, Alabama, including some teenagers from a nearby church in Moody. Gary, his family and those that have offered their time, money and prayers are truly an inspiration and an example of how God’s people rise up and help each other in the midst of tragedy. So if you need an uplifting story today, take a few minutes to read the piece. Also, if you’d like to help in the ranch’s recovery or just want to learn more about the Alpha Ranch and its ministry, click here to make a donation.

Rising From The Rubble

I was given the opportunity to write about the recovery efforts from the tornadoes of April 27 in this, my second story of two in the inaugural issue of Discover St. Clair magazine. I focused primarily on the Shoal Creek Community and Alpha Ranch, a Christ-centered, residential facility for young men facing difficulties transitioning into adulthood, that was destroyed in the storm.

The ranch’s founder, Gary Liverett, talks about the experience of seeing his ranch for the first time after the storm and about his vow to rebuild despite the financial and emotional toll the events of April 27 caused.There are also some quotes from a handful people from around St. Clair County helping to rebuild a home in Ragland, Alabama, including some teenagers from a nearby church in Moody.

Gary, his family and those that have offered their time, money and prayers are truly an inspiration and an example of how God’s people rise up and help each other in the midst of tragedy. So if you need an uplifting story today, take a few minutes to read the piece. Also, if you’d like to help in the ranch’s recovery or just want to learn more about the Alpha Ranch and its ministry, click here to make a donation.

Posted 1 year ago

1 note

alpha ranch, april 27 tornadoes, st. clair county, alabama, discover st. clair,

Aug 16
Catfist Noodlin’: It Ain’t A Pasta Dish Check out my article on the weirdo sport of catfish nooding, which came out last week a new magazine in my neck of the woods. Discover St. Clair is a new magazine covering St. Clair County, Alabama, where I live and an area blessed with some incredible natural resources and great people. While you’re at it, click here to read the whole magazine. As for the noodlin’ I didn’t get a chance to try this out for myself, but I don’t know if I could ever willingly stick my arm in the mouth of a 30-plus pound catfish, even if presented with the best possible circumstances. I think you have to be wired a little differently to do this. Looks like a lot of fun though, and it makes for a great magazine article. Maybe next time.

Catfist Noodlin’: It Ain’t A Pasta Dish

Check out my article on the weirdo sport of catfish nooding, which came out last week a new magazine in my neck of the woods. Discover St. Clair is a new magazine covering St. Clair County, Alabama, where I live and an area blessed with some incredible natural resources and great people. While you’re at it, click here to read the whole magazine.

As for the noodlin’ I didn’t get a chance to try this out for myself, but I don’t know if I could ever willingly stick my arm in the mouth of a 30-plus pound catfish, even if presented with the best possible circumstances. I think you have to be wired a little differently to do this. Looks like a lot of fun though, and it makes for a great magazine article. Maybe next time.

Posted 1 year ago

8 notes

noodling, catfish, fishing, outdoors, southe culture, pell city, alabama, south, st. clair county, discover st. clair, weird, humor, Loyd McIntosh,