When I started this blog, I said I intended the share tales of the boundless generosity of my friends, but nothing prepared me for the extraordinary gift I received this past week from my old college pal, Bill Norton.

It turns out, that while I wasn't paying attention, Bill became an astounding and renowned pit master, charming his many friends in Charlottesville and beyond with the sumptuous bounty from his smoker.  I've looked on, positively drooling, to photos on Facebook of his backyard exploits until I could take it no longer.  When he showed pictures of the tasso ham he'd produced, I could no longer stifle my longings and just let out a resounding, "I want some!"