A-fucking-men. And I'd be lying if I didn't say part of my affinity for Snow's is the friendship that I've been blessed to make with Tootsie over the seven or years she's been coming up to Dallas every spring to be a celebrity judge at our BBQ cook-off. She loves the Ashford Rise School of Dallas (which is what all of our events benefit 100%) and she keeps coming back every year -- without fail. The one year she missed was the year Kerry had a stroke and she felt like she had to be at the restaurant on that Saturday. (I almost feel sorry for those that to go Snow's the weekend of our event because I'm sure they're totally bummed that she ain't there. But I digress.)
Each time I make it to Snow's, she comes out to say hello and visit with me and my group (whoever it might be) -- if we don't have an arrangement to jump the line and sit in the back room. One Father's Day weekend I was with my parents and son and we decided to make a run over from Lost Pines where we were spending the weekend. I texted Tootsie and she said, "C'mon." We waited for several hours. She came out and asked if there was anything we wanted. I was quick to tell her I was looking forward to getting a pork steak. She said they were getting low and pulled one aside for us. Of course everybody around us in line were whispering and asking who the fuck I was to get such an audience with the grand dame of Texas BBQ. Once we made it through the line, she sat with my family and I for nearly an hour while we ate and visited.
Another time, a group of buddies and I drove down in a 1980 tour bus that one of them owns and spent the night next to Snow's. We were the first ones there but were the third group in line because we went next door to the pool hall to drink beers that evening. I was able to greet Tootsie when she came in to work at like 4AM. She told me I should really go get some sleep before they started serving food. I was pretty shit-faced still. LOL.
That woman is a Texas treasure.