(l-to-r: Aaron, Jason, SIDE)

SmokeInDaEye asks:  Obviously you two are best know for creating the Bacon Explosion and for fueling the media firestorm that followed shortly there after.  What've you all been up to since then?  

Aaron and Jason reply:  Pretty much immediately after the Bacon Explosion media blitz, we landed a book deal with Scribner Publishing.  Since that time we've been working countless hours developing, writing, and editing content "BBQ Makes Everything Better".  Now that the book has been officially released, we're spending a good amount time doing promotional activities like cooking demonstrations, tastings, and book signings.  On top of that, this year we've also released commercial versions of our Burnt Finger BBQ sauce and rub, created two new flavors of Bacon Explosion (jalapeno and cheese), developed the Pig-Porter carrying case for the Bacon Explosion, and also spent time working on our brand new soon-to-be-released product that we're calling "Bacon Explosion Pig Sticks".  Needless to say that we don't sleep much!

SIDE: One thing that I loved about the book was the creativity when it came to naming certain dishes and even the title itself is a great nod to all things bacon.  Who came up with most of the creative stuff for the book?

A&J: Both of us are creative minds, but we each contributed to the book in our own unique way.  Jason's stong point is the funny/witty titles and tone, while Aaron's is the strategic marketing and alcohol pairings.  We're both aware of each other's strengths, and were able to come together to produce a really fun, appealing, and unique cookbook.

SIDE: Speaking of which, you two seem to have created very defined roles for yourselves in the empire that is Burnt Finger BBQ.  Can you explain to everyone who does what?  Aaron seems to be the silent but deadly one.

A&J: Each of us has fallen into our roles rather naturally.  Aaron is a technology guy by trade, so he had the experience to successfully build the website from scratch and establish channels for us to deliver our content to as many readers as possible.  Jason's background in graphic design and writing brought to the table a unique voice and a keen eye for detail.  Pair both of those skillsets with a shared passion for barbecue, and you've got a recipe for success!

SIDE: Now I'm the lucky owner of the first ever dual signature copy of BBQ Makes Everything Better.  Has it been weird going from dirty barbecue dude to the Today show and in-store book signings?

A&J:  Not at all.  We started BBQAddicts.com because we wanted to show people how easy and fun it is to make mouth-watering meals on the grill or barbecue.  Being able to tell people our story and show them that "BBQ Makes Everything Better" is exactly what we want to be doing!

SIDE: I forget when you all signed the deal for this book but it was probably nine months or so.  How'd you come up with so many great recipes so quickly?

A&J: Coming up with the recipes was actually the easy part.  What proved to be most time consuming portion was actually nailing down exact measurements and times.  We've always gone the route of cooking by taste and touch, so we had to shift of way our thinking in order to layout each recipe.  

SIDE: As I mentioned to you all, there's one recipe in the book that I instantly feel in love with but we won't share that because I'm saving it for my next grilling contest.  What is your favorite recipe (Bacon Explosion excluded) Jason?  Aaron?  

Jason: One of my favorites to make is Hobo Monkey Bread.  I've always LOVED monkey bread, so it's a fun and delicious way to use the leftover hot coals to cook dessert while you're eating dinner.

 

Aaron: Those that really know me, know that I love ribs and Captain Morgan.  So for me, Captain Morgan's Pirate Bones is the one....with a side of Bacon Mac & Cheese.

 

A&J: When we first set out to write a book proposal, we sat down to brainstorm various ideas and concepts that would set us apart from other bbq books on the market.  One of the first ideas that we tossed around was developing fun ways to incorporate liquor into our recipes.  We've both read our fair share of bbq books, and this was something that we hadn't ever seen before.  So we decided to the run with the concept, and it actually ended up being the chapter we used in our official proposal that was used to sell the rights to the books.

A&J: Burnt Finger BBQ will be making the rounds on the competition circuit and promoting the art/sport of barbecue all summer long.  You can keep up on all of our happenings by following our blog at www.bbqaddicts.com/blog/.