Perfect BBQ ribs . . . and a wad of cash, too!

I’ve long had this fantasy that The Bossman strolls over to my desk, smiles and says, “Lorraine, we’d like for you to take the rest of the day off. Just go and relax and enjoy yourself.

“And when you get back tomorrow, we’ll give you a raise.”

Over at The Meridian Group, a Virginia Beach advertising agency, The Bossman kinda does that. Each year, Joe Takach invites his staff to take a certain summer day off – with pay – and join him over at his place, poolside, for a barbecue cook-off with actual cash prizes, and a margarita machine, too!

I was honored to be a judge for Friday’s “Eighth Annual Q,” and I can vouch that pool and margarita machine aside, these people are not slackers.

Five teams competed and they rolled out fondue, crab cakes, Brussels sprouts with bacon and cranberries, slaw, sliders, bison and succulent pork bbq ribs. Team Sugar Coated even concocted a bacon martini, mixed with home-made bacon-infused vodka.

Like at any great party, it wasn’t enough to serve memorable food. Participants also imagineered presentations – the judges favorite were these “Mad (Wo)Men,” a play on the “Mad Men” series, dressed in their best hostess aprons. And the prizes? Up to 500 bucks, plus a copper pig trophy for the grand prize winners.

Now that’s a party!

Anyway, if you’d like some of the recipes, click here for The Meridian Group’s website and blog. And you might want to forward the link to this blog post to your own bossman or bosslady to give them some ideas.

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