Entertainment Extra

18 TV ENCORE Boardwalk 2 x 3" Wilkenson Heating & Plumbing 2 x 3" Construction Unlimited 2 x 3" Royal Center Locker 1 x 9" By Andrew Warren TV Media B arbecue is serious business. That's no exaggeration: it really is. And it's not exactly small potatoes, either. Barbecue is taken seriously across the continent, and nowhere more so than in the south. That's where Travel Channel's "BBQ Crawl" comes in. Its latest season premieres Wednesday, July 1, and, like seasons past, it features Danielle Dimovski — better known as Diva Q — traveling up and down and all across the continent, trying out the best barbecue at every stop, and even battling on the competi- tive circuit along the way. That right there is what real- ly makes both "BBQ Crawl" and Diva Q herself so compel- ling. This lady isn't your typical competitive barbecuer, and she stands out from the crowd for a whole bunch of reasons. First up are her awards: she's won far too many to list here, but needless to say that Dimovski isn't just on the com- petitive circuit for fun — she's in it to win. Secondly, and kind of obvi- ously, is the fact that she stands out for being a woman. Granted, there are plenty of other ladies competing to make the best briskets and ribs, but their numbers are still absolutely swamped by all of the men. She's also Canadian. In a sport whose home and soul are in the American south, it's prac- tically unheard of for a middle- aged woman from the suburbs of Toronto to come in and beat lifelong pros on their home turf. Add in the fact that she's a mom of three, a loyal wife and a former human resources manager and you have a para- dox of a barbecuer on screen. Maybe, though, barbecue should just be looked at in a different light. While its heart and soul live in the American south, maybe the long, slow cooking of succulent cuts of meat, the sweet, spicy and sticky sauces and the rustic smell of a wood smoker transcend cultures and draw in anyone who just loves good food. Because at the end of the day, isn't that what barbecue is all about? It's just amazing food that hasn't been hurried, but it's well worth the wait. Diva Q is back on the road trying out the best that barbe- cue has to offer in "BBQ Crawl" premiering Wednesday, July 1, on Travel Channel. Diva Q is back on the road in 'BBQ Crawl' Bigmista's Barbecue owner Neil Strawder and host Danielle Dimovski in "BBQ Crawl" -ALWAYS LOGANLAND FRESH- ROYAL CENTER LOCKER 104 N. CHICAGO ST. ROYAL CENTER, IN (574) 643-3275 CAJUN BRATS...... $ 3 39 LB LEMON PEPPER MARINATED CHICKEN BREAST ..... $ 3 49 LB BABYBACK RIBS ... $ 4 29 LB CUBE STEAK ........ $ 5 39 LB CHUCK ROAST..... $ 4 29 LB PORK CUTLETS .... $ 2 79 LB SWEET CHERRY BRATS .................. $ 3 39 LB ITALIAN SAUSAGE ............. $ 3 39 LB GROUND BEEF/HAMBURGER PATTIES .................. $ 4 09 LB SWISS STEAK ....... $ 5 39 LB

• Cover