I like food.  You do to.  I’ve eaten at some really, really good restaurants.  I’ve eaten at some high end places with high end prices and high end quality.   And I’ve eaten at some crap-holes that served high end food.   And some of my favorites were right at home.

Sure, I like eating at St. Elmo’s in Indy.  I love Cooper’s BBQ in Llano, Tx .  The lobster mac & cheese at SW in Vegas is really good.  And of course, I’m all in on a Pappadeaux’s.  As good as those places are….I’ve had better.

I’ve got a long list of gastric experiences.  As do you.

The best brisket that I’ve eaten was cooked by my friend Tyke Greer.  The best pork ribs that I’ve ever had…..well, I will be cooking more of them this summer.  The best steak that I’ve ever eaten…..John Q raised & fed the beef and Tammy cooked it.  (this is a regular occurrence)  The best chex mix EVER…Brandon Bruce makes it.  The best pastrami comes from Usinger’s.

One of my all time favorite foody experiences happened off the coast of Costa Rica.  We had been out catching sailfish.  Awesome experience.  We were 50 miles off the coast,  heading back.  I was on the deck, drinking a beer when the deck hand asked me if I wanted some pineapple.  RUSM?  Pineapple, grown right there in Costa Rica.  YES!!   He used the same knife that he cut bait with earlier, sliced the outsides of the pineapple off, cut a chunk of that fruit and tossed it to me.  I took a bite.   OOOOOOHHHHH!!!   Juices everywhere.  Down my chin and into my chest air.  So, so good!!

There are stories that involve a fresh peach and others that involve plates of bacon and others that have me burning my mouth on HOT turkey pot pie.

Yet, about once a month, I have to retreat and just make a PB&J.  White bread, WITH THE CRUST STILL ON, Smucker’s grape jelly with Peter Pan crunchy peanut butter.  Both smeared liberally on that bread.  I can eat that and be powered up.  Tasty, yet energizing.

Why does every species of stock show winners have to have a winner that checks all the boxes, have the extra bells and whistles, have the extra price tag?  Why?  When some of our best experiences were simple.

It was simply the best dang piece of pineapple that I have ever eaten.  Sure, I was on a crappy boat, on the Pacific but he used a dirty knife.  And I don’t care.  It was so good.

I’m not whining.  I saw some really good animals today.  They were good, well presented and well shown.  I’m just thinking while typing.  And sometimes, we look towards the more complex when the simple might have been better.

I get caught up looking at these things from different angles.  I’ve been a stock show parent that wants his kids to win.  I’ve been a breeder.  I’ve been an ag educator.  I’ve been a judge.  I’ve been a jock.  I’ve been a stock show addict.  I’ve done it.  And sometimes, a lot of times, what looks good at the backdrop doesn’t look good for the parent, breeder or ag teacher.

I should probably re-read this before I post.  What I think that I am trying to say without getting things twisted up, but should make sense to you and maybe me.

How come we can’t just have a damn good PB&J for a grand animal?  One, where we all agree that the crusts have good lines, and all parts are done to the right.  How come it has to be a PB & not jelly served with a side of a garlic aioli  sauce and a slice of lime on a wheat nut bread?

This isn’t bashing anyone.   Probably one of those deals best explained in person.  Peace out.