St. Louis: Wins First-Place in "Top 10 Grilling Cities"

[Rik Brown]

ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), May 14, 2006 - Just in time for the warm weather, Kingsford(R) Charcoal has revealed its second annual list of the country's "Top 10 Grilling Cities."

After settling for second place last year, the Show Me State's St. Louis leapt into first place, overtaking Jackson, Miss. Four new cities, Tampa and Jacksonville, Fla., Grand Rapids, Mich. and Des Moines, Iowa, joined the Top 10 list this year, out-grilling the competition.

"With more than 300 barbecue restaurants in a city of 350,000, St. Louis obviously prides itself on its love of charcoal-grilled foods," said Earline Walker, co-owner of Smoki O's restaurant. "Whether we're using dry rubs or barbecue sauce, we've got the grills going year round!"

Top 10 Grilling Cities

From north to south, Americans everywhere are firing up the grill. Rain or shine, snow or sun, the one thing these cities all have in common is their enthusiasm for grilling!

1. St. Louis
2. Des Moines, Iowa
3. Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fla.
4. Grand Rapids, Mich.
5. New Orleans/Mobile, Ala.
6. Jacksonville, Fla.
7. Jackson, Miss.
8. Memphis, Tenn.
9. Atlanta
10. Charlotte, N.C.
Survey Measurement

This year, Kingsford ranked 60 cities across the nation to name the grilling capital. Each city is measured on annual sales of charcoal, barbecue sauce, grills and picnic ware, among other criteria. Bringing up the rear in the 60th place is Harrisburg, Pa.

"For the second year in a row, we're seeing a growing trend of cities with colder climates cooking out," said Kingsford Charcoal expert Kelly Burke. "Places with bitter winters like Grand Rapids, Mich. and Des Moines, Iowa have catapulted from the lower 20 grilling cities to the top 10 in just one year, showing us that Americans are grilling out year round no matter what the weather."

Recipes with Top Honors

Every city has its own grilling style made up of local taste and techniques. To showcase local flavor, Kingsford asked chefs in each city to share one of their favorite recipes. Now Americans can enjoy the "taste" of victory, no matter what city they're in!

Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich with Spicy Ranch Aioli: (Charlotte, N.C.) Enjoy North Carolina's catch of the day! Crunchy coated soft shell crab served on a toasted baguette topped with a spicy aioli sauce made with Hidden Valley(R) Spicy Ranch dressing.

Grilled Steelhead Trout and Morrell Mushroom Risotto: (Grand Rapids, Mich.) This popular Michigan trout is flavored with butter, onion and Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, grilled and served over homemade risotto made with local Morrell mushrooms.

Georgia Peach Barbecue Chicken Salad: (Atlanta, Ga.) This salad combines classic Southern flavors: peaches, honey and Georgia's famous pecans.

[Rik Brown]

I guess that the above information is of no surprise to St. Louis natives.

-- Rik