Page Two

Welcome to our summer fun issue. This time out we talk about riding horses, offer opinions on a few dozen barbecue places in Central Texas and Austin, take a look at the season's upcoming movies, and visit lakeshore music spots. This is not to imply that every other issue for the next few months won't be filled with fun, and it doesn't imply there isn't a serious side to this issue, as to all our issues. But mostly, this issue offers suggestions about a lot of ways to have a good time.

Summer fun issues shouldn't be controversial, but any discussion of barbecue in Central Texas is sure to take on most of the aspects of heated debate. Statements of opinion masquerading as fact rebutted by profoundly held beliefs passed off as indisputable truth. For example, now, I like Laird's in Llano. If I lived there I would eat there regularly. Actually, I wouldn't (that low-cholesterol diet), but I'd think about eating there all the time. If I were only visiting Llano and I were only going to eat at one joint, let's get down to basics: Cooper's offers the most flavorful meat in Central Texas. This statement isn't open to debate. But there in our section, we offer Laird's right alongside Cooper's. Is this a good call? Perhaps we should eat some more ribs and discuss it. I mean, you should eat some more ribs while we talk.

As great as Kreuz is, I find it best as part of a two-stop visit culminating at the Luling City Market with a surprising sauce just made for pork ribs (not that I eat pork ribs any longer). So as a barbecue lover, I look askance at some of this issue's suggestions. As an editor, I'm filled with admiration at the job Virginia Wood and her staff have done. They went out, they stoically and heroically sampled, they came back and reported. I hope you enjoy this issue as much as the writers enjoyed working on it.