Smokestack Lightning

By Lolis Eric Elie

Categories: Cookbooks, Food & Wine, History

Smokestack Lightning (1996) by New Orleans journalist Lolis Eric Elie follows a road trip through the barbecue country of the American South and beyond. Traveling with photographer Frank Stewart, Elie visits pitmasters, family joints and roadside stands, recording how barbecue is cooked, served and argued over from region to region. He treats barbecue as a way into Black and Southern history, community and identity.

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• Anthony Bourdain: “Get Lolis Elie's book on BBQ history, Smokestack Lightning”