As someone born and raised in the American South, I’ve never understood why people consider barbecue a summertime food.

If you do it right, barbecue is cooked outdoors over a wood fire. It’s frequently eaten outdoors, too, whether at a friend’s backyard gathering or at barbecue joints with picnic tables outside. Barbecue isn’t exactly the lightest food, with all the well-marbled brisket and thick slabs of ribs – not to mention hearty sides such as mac ’n’ cheese. Just thinking about eating a big barbecue platter on an August afternoon makes me want to lie down in a cool room to nap.

Still, in the minds of magazine editors and television producers, at least, “barbecue season” starts with Memorial Day and runs through Labor Day. Those happen to be the same months I hide indoors with cooling beverages and the air conditioning cranked to an unconscionable level.

Recently, though, I’ve found a way to eat barbecue in the heat of the summer and still actually enjoy it: do it in a bar. Specifically, perched on a tall stool at a long counter where they serve cold beer and perhaps something a little stronger, too.

Recently, I’ve found a way to eat barbecue in the heat of the summer and actually enjoy it

Recently, I’ve found a way to eat barbecue in the........

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