Welcome back to Table Talk, where Daily Memphian food and dining editor Jennifer Biggs sends the latest food news, along with a dash of this and that, to your inbox every Wednesday.

The longtime and loyal customers of Charlie’s Meat Market may be in for a surprise when they find out it’s been renamed Triangle Meat Market. No worries, though — it’s just a name change.

“My dad and I are the only two from our family still working here,” said Charlie Hogan, the third generation of Hogans to run the market that’s been on Summer Avenue at Avon Road since 1971.

But before it was on Summer, founder Charlie Hogan (grandfather of the Charlie we’re talking about above) opened the first store on Lamar Avenue in 1967, and it was in a triangular building. That led to the name — Triangle Meat.

Chuck Hogan and his brother Dale Hogan ended up with the Summer Avenue store after their father died, and Dale died over a year ago.

The father and son team running it now did a bit of paperwork reorganization, but they want you to know it’s still them; the products are the same; and if the stars align, they’ll have more than the one store someday.

“Hopefully, one day down the road, we’ll have another location, but for right now, we’re going to be sure to keep this one open,” Charlie Hogan said.

“All the window signs will change as soon as they come in, and we’re officially doing business as Triangle, but one thing that won’t change here is ‘Charlie’s’ painted on the brick. We’re not painting over that, that’s been our name for more than 50 years.”

B.R. Distilling won double golds in the recent 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for both its Blue Note Crossroads straight bourbon and its Blue Note Juke Joint straight bourbon. (Mark Weber/The Daily Memphian file)

Let’s do some quick housekeeping about some of the other news I know: Memphis-based B.R. Distilling won two double golds in the recent 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one for Blue Note Crossroads straight bourbon and one for Blue Note Juke Joint straight bourbon.

Also, congratulations to Amanda Thompson, who started working at Wiseacre Brewing Co. seven years ago to ease back into the workplace after having two children. She’s just been named chief operating officer, so a big attagirl to her. And Wiseacre just keeps growing; now it’s headed for central and south Florida.

Last week we were all about the barbecue. The big news there was that for the first time since 2002, a ribs team took home the grand championship. Since then, it’s been shoulder and whole hog, but they changed it up a bit this year, and Holly Whitfield was there to catch the excitement when Ribdiculous Bar-Krewe took the stage. 

Melissa Cookston announced that it was her last year to compete, and I was there to talk to her about that, what these 25+ years of competing has done for “the winningest woman in barbecue.” In short, she’s built a brand around it and just because she’s done with competition definitely doesn’t mean she’s retiring. Her Netflix show, “Barbecue Showdown,” launches its second season on Friday, so be sure to catch that and read the story to find out what else she’s got going. 

Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson taste test ribs made with their new line of BBQ sauces and seasonings at the VIPit tent at Tom Lee Park May 18, 2023. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)

Now this was fun, the highlight of the festival for me this year: I spent part of the day with the VIPit crew, and one year you need to splurge on a VIP Pass and do the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest this way. You get a hospitality tent where you’re fed and watered (and with plenty more than water), you get to take tours of the big hog’s tents, and you also get to sit in the shade of your waterfront tent while they come to talk to you. 

This year there was a special treat. Cedric the Entertainer and Anthony Anderson showed up at MIM to test their new line of barbecue rubs and sauces on folks who know barbecue: Those VIPs. The two, who are best friends, launch AC Barbeque in Walmart stores in June. They were funny, as expected, but they’re taking this business seriously. 

Stepping away from barbecue, Phillip Ashley Rix has a new cookbook deal with a division of HarperCollins and says the book, which he’s pondered for some years, will be the “quintessential book on chocolate.” And don’t worry — there will be something in the book for everyone, beginners to experts. 

Amanda Martelli, who was general manager and managing partner of Buffalo Wild Wings in the Wolfchase area for 13 years, will run the day-to-day operations of The Owner’s Box. (Brad Vest/Special to The Daily Memphian)

Michael Waddell brought us news of The Owners Box, a soon-to-open upscale sports bar in Lakeland that will seat a whopping 350 people, have two patios and 36 big televisions so you watch all the games. 

Joshua Carlucci, a relative newcomer to Memphis, discovered the muffuletta at Yang’s Deli and gives us his take on it for a $10 Deal. 

And Chris Herrington brings us the oh-happy-day news that Kinfolk will no longer be a pop-up but will get a real address in Harbor Town in August, which in theory means you could eat those fabulous biscuits six days a week. But all things in moderation, friends. 

Also this week, I shared my recipe for barbecue spaghetti. And while I admit it’s not the Bar-B-Q Shop’s, which is in the vault, it’s my attempt to recreate it, and it’s not bad. You can start with it and make it even better.

Have a great week and a relaxing long weekend. I know it’s not officially summer yet, but Memorial Day is one of my favorite holidays because it’s the de facto beginning of the season.

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