Atmore Native Serving Up Authentic Air Force BBQ
January 12, 2014
When some people think of barbecue, they may imagine a simple hamburger thrown on a grill slathered in sauce on the Fourth of July. But for others, authentic barbecue is an extensive process that involves imported wood, secret ingredients, exact temperatures and up to 20 hours – all in hopes of perfecting the combined flavors of smoke, meat juices, spices and rub.
For Tech. Sgt. Sheldon Mason, 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron mechanical pneudraulics section assistant NCO in charge, perfecting barbecue is what the Atmore native does best.
“I started cooking when I was really young because my grandmother was a chef,” Mason said. “She didn’t really do barbecue as opposed to other cuisines, but I took to cooking at a young age.”
Mason has always been accustomed to large family gatherings of more than 100 people. But it wasn’t until his teenage years during these get-togethers when he learned “whole hog cooking,” that his love for barbecue took off.
“It’s just one of those things I’ve always wanted to do,” Mason said. “Within the past five years I’ve been able to get all the equipment I need to actually pursue this one day because barbecuing is really where my heart lies.”
Although Mason hails from the south in a place where barbecued pork is the food of choice, his specialty is beef brisket.
“It’s funny because I’m a southern guy and I cook brisket, which is very popular in Texas,” he said. “It’s a little different to cook something that’s not from where you’re from, but I figured once I mastered brisket, which is one of the hardest things to cook, I felt like I could take on anything.”
Today, Mason uses a gravity-fed smoker for low and slow cooking, which can cook up to 200 pounds of meat. Through trial and error, he has perfected his sauces, cooking time and wood type in the past decade.
“Length [to cook] depends on what the meat is and the size,” Mason said. “Ribs can take anywhere from four to six hours and pulled pork and brisket can take upwards of 12 to 16 hours; but each one is temperamental so I just have to go by the feel and the color. It’s not an exact science – it’s something I’ve learned based on experienced.”
Mason says he aims to satisfy the taste buds of all barbecue lovers from various regions in the U.S.
“I try to cater to everyone,” Mason said. “I don’t have one particular style of barbecue but I put my own spin on it to try to hit all the regions. From the east coast, to the west coast, to the Carolinas and Kansas City, every region has a different flavor of barbecue sauce and specialty meat.”
As an NCO who’s spent 14 years at Montana’s Malmstrom Air Force Base in various maintenance sections, Mason is accustomed to working with and supervising Airmen of different backgrounds. Mason’s vision to stay true to regional barbecue calls for importing wood directly from various states.
“The wood infuses different flavors into the meat,” Mason said. “Wood reacts with the different types of rubs and the different meat used. In order to cook true barbecue, I import all of the wood – from California to Georgia to Washington to stay true to that type of barbecue.”
For hopeful or avid lovers of making their own barbecue, Mason has a few suggestions.
“As far as wood, never use pine,” he said. “Fruit woods add a sweet flavor to the meat; whereas woods like hickory and oak infuse strong flavors, so it’s important to be careful. Mixing those with sugars can create a very robust flavor. Some people don’t know that they don’t need as much smoke as they may think they need. Although [the meat] is smoked, it doesn’t need 12 to 15 hours of straight smoke because it’ll darken the meat too much. Depending on the kind of meat – pork, ribs or brisket – it needs just enough smoke to give it that smoked flavor because the heat is what gives it the true smoke flavor.”
Although Mason typically barbecues for 10 to 50 people, he hopes to one days cook for the masses.
“I’ve done squadron functions, going-aways, retirements – I’ve done a little bit of everything,” he said. “Anyone that requests barbecue usually comes to me. It doesn’t really matter what the occasion is; the more the merrier.”
While Mason intends to pursue barbecuing as a full-time career in the future, his current life as an active-duty Airman continues to be his number one priority.
“I currently plan on retiring at 20 years to pursue this venture, but anything could happen,” Mason said, adding that he plans to open a barbecue place in Great Falls, Montana.
Although creating a business is Mason’s ultimate goal, he finds satisfaction in simply bringing friends, family and Airmen together on the principles he was raised on.
“Honestly, I think food is what brings people together,” he said. “Food, to me, is something everyone can relate to because everyone has to eat. The time it takes to barbecue is something a lot of people don’t understand because it takes such a long time to make this sort of food. It’s a simple food, but it’s not a simple science. Not a lot of people do this because it’s very time consuming and I’m very particular about how I make it. But I really enjoy doing it and that’s why I truly do it; that’s the passion I have.”
Pictured top: Tech. Sgt. Sheldon Mason of Atmore, 341st Maintenance Operations Squadron, pours barbecue sauce on ribs during an office lunch on Montanta’s Malmstrom Air Force Base. Pictured inset: Mason seasons his barbecue ribs. Photos by Senior Airman Katrina Heikkinen for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
ECUA Sewer Averaging Period Continues
January 12, 2014
The ECUA’s sewer averaging period is continuing. The time period begins with each residential customer’s first meter reading on or after November 15, (including ECUA sewer customers whose water service is from another water provider such as Peoples Water Co.). The length of each customer’s sewer averaging period is 90 days.
Annual sewer charges are based on the average number of gallons of water used in a household during the sewer averaging period. Conserving water usage during this time helps residential wastewater customers impact their sewer rates for the coming year in a positive way. It is important to check all indoor and outdoor plumbing fixtures for leaks. Leaks will end up affecting your monthly water and sewer charges.
Most leaks are easy to identify, but there are many areas around the home where a plumbing leak can be found. Check common areas such as dishwasher (connections to the sink), sinks (examine pipes for wear and loose connections), bathtubs (check the caulking and seals), and toilets (if you hear a “toilet running” sound, but your toilet isn’t running). Following these simple measures can lower the monthly sewer charge for the next twelve months
For more information on ways to conserve, visit the ECUA website at www.ecua.fl.gov or call Customer Service (850) 476-0480.
High School Seniors: EREC To Award Two $4K Scholarships
January 12, 2014
This April, EREC will award scholarships to graduating seniors in Escambia County and Santa Rosa County whose parent or guardian is a member of the cooperative. Two $4,000 scholarships, one in each county, will be offered.
Seniors in EREC’s service area should check with their high school guidance counselors or click here to download an application. Deadline to submit scholarship application is March 3. Winners will be announced at EREC’s Annual Meeting on April 26.
The students must show proof of enrollment and maintain a GPA of 2.5 to continue to receive the funds each year.
This is EREC’s 17th year of offering scholarships to high school seniors. In the past, those capital credits issued by EREC that were unclaimed had to be turned over to the state. But state legislation now allows such funds to be deposited into a qualified, educational charity fund. The EREC membership voted to use these funds in the form of scholarships for graduating seniors in EREC’s service area.
300 Gulf Power Customers Spend Morning Without Power
January 12, 2014
About 300 Gulf Power customers spent Saturday morning without power in the Molino area. The outage, according to the company, was due to an equipment problem.
Residents of Molino Road near Highway 95A, “Old Molino” to the river, including River Bend, and out Fairground and Cedartown roads lost power about 8:30 a.m. Power was restored to all customers by just after noon.
Escambia Man Gets 18 Years After Retail Burglary, Shooting Tree
January 11, 2014
An Escambia County man was sentenced to prison after a retail store burglary and shooting a tree.
Robert Clifton Young, Jr., was sentenced by Judge Linda Nobles to 18 years state prison with a minimum mandatory of 13 years. Young plead to the charges of possession of firearm by convicted felon, burglary of structure armed with explosives or dangerous weapon, grand theft of a firearm, and grand theft of $300 or more but less than $5,000.
On May 16, 2013, Young broke into the Foot Locker store on Navy Boulevard. He stole two firearms and various small items, but tripped the alarm on the way out. As the Pensacola Police Department was investigating and processing the scene, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 3003 West Cervantes in reference to shots fired. Upon searching the house, Escambia County Sheriff’s Office found the items reported stolen by Pensacola Police Department. Additionally, the defendant had fired two rounds into a large tree in the front yard.
Young has a long arrest record and extensive criminal history, including battery and assault on a law enforcement officer, DUI, possession of a controlled substance and several driving charges.
Make A 2014 Calendar During Craft Time At The Molino Library
January 11, 2014
During Children’s Craft Time at 6 p.m. Monday at the Molino Branch Library, children will have the opportunity to make their very own 2014 calendar.
Materials will be provided; children just need to bring their imagination. Space is limited, preregister by calling (850) 435-1760 or signing up at the Molino Branch Library on Molino Road.
Cantonment Teacher Is Finalist For Trip To Mars
January 11, 2014
A Cantonment teacher is among 1,058 hopefuls that have been selected from 200,000 applicants as candidates to begin human life on Mars in 2025.
Louis O’Rear, a 49-year old science teacher at Ransom Middle School, is hoping for that ticket to ride from the Mars One program.
“I want my students to know that it’s important not what your dream is but to have a dream. And I’ve always wanted to explore space, always,” the father of two said.
“After all, the universe is the best classroom,” the teacher of 20-plus years said.
“The next several selection phases in 2014 and 2015 will include rigorous simulations, many in team settings, with focus on testing the physical and emotional capabilities of our remaining candidates. We expect to begin understanding what is motivating our candidates to take this giant leap for humankind. This is where it really gets exciting for Mars One, our applicants, and the communities they’re a part of,” said Norbert Kraft, M.D.
Details of the 2014 selection phases have not been agreed upon due to ongoing negotiations with media companies for the rights to televise the selection processes. Expect further information to be released in early 2014. Lansdorp says, “We fully anticipate our remaining candidates to become celebrities in their towns, cities, and in many cases, countries. It’s about to get very interesting.”
O’Rear’s application video for the Mars One program is below.
Gulf Power Warns Customers About Telephone Scams
January 11, 2014
Gulf Power Company is warning customers to continue to be aware of scam artists who are calling residents and businesses in Northwest Florida and impersonating utility company employees.
The company has received an increasing number of calls from customers reporting fraudulent calls in December and early in January. Customers are being told their electric bill is past due and that their electricity will be cut off if the customer does not provide a credit card payment or other forms of immediate payment.
Gulf Power is warning customers that:
- Gulf Power employees will never call a customer at home seeking any personal information, including credit card numbers.
- Gulf Power representatives will never ask a customer for money when they visit a residence.
- All Gulf Power representatives carry badges with picture identification that includes the employee’s name and the company’s name and logo.
Customers should call Gulf Power at (800) 225-5797 if they have any questions about the identity of anyone representing Gulf Power.
Gulf Power is working with local law enforcement agencies to identify the perpetrators. If anyone has been victimized by one of these schemes, or has any information about suspects, they are asked to call local law enforcement and to contact Gulf Power at (800) 225-5797.
Northview Boys Beat Jay
January 11, 2014
The Northview Chiefs beat Jay Friday night 71-40 in Bratt. The Northview varsity boys will be in action again Monday on the road at Escambia Charter before returning to Bratt Thursday at 5:30 to host Holmes County in a district game. The Jay Royals will travel to Bonifay on Tuesday.
For a photo gallery from boys and girls Northview versus Jay games, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Jay Downs Northview’s Girls
January 11, 2014
The Jay Royals downed the Northview Chiefs 38-17 in girls basketball Friday night in Bratt. The Northview Chief girls will be in action next at 4:00 next Thursday as they host Holmes County. The Jay Royals will travel to Bonifay on Tuesday.
For a photo gallery from boys and girls Northview versus Jay games, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
