OUR SMOKE AIN'T NO JOKE

The phone rang one day as I sat in my sisters home relaxing and chatting with Family. I don’t normally respond to unknown  numbers, but it was Mom’s hometown area code. So I picked up and lo and behold, it was my cousin Ramon Ellis. We hadn’t spoken to  each other in years, and it was refreshing to hear his voice. Ramon had worked with me some 20 years ago in New York when I operated Tasteful Touch Caterers / Event Planners. The conversation stimulated some memories of the good old days. Deep into the conversation, Cuz pauses and said, "Yo Tone I have a hook up to get pigs". I went silent, and then responded, "Pigs! Pigs, Ramon. I can’t sell pigs in Palm Beach Florida. This ain’t Virginia, nor is it New York". Ramon seemed very adamant about selling these pigs, and it threw me for a loop, had me puzzled. I responded "Ramon I don’t know where this is going but give me a few days to digest this conversation".

So I get of the phone and looked at Mom, she said "Tony who was that"? I responded, "Mom that was Ramon your God-Son". Mom, Ramon asked me if I can sell pigs, because he can get them at a great price. I told him I don’t know where to go with this  but I will put some thought to it. Sitting there pondering the conversation, suddenly a light bulb goes off. I recalled years ago in New York we smoked turkey breast for a Calvin Klein event. It was amazing so we added it to our menu as a signature item of Tasteful Touch Caterers. It was such a huge success, we had always thought about marketing it more extensively. After a follow up phone call, the vision of Surry Co Smoke House was created. 

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