((PKG)) BBQ AND LOVE
((Banner: BBQ and Love))
((Reporter/Camera: Gabrielle Weiss))
((Map: United States / Lexington, Texas))
((Banner: Norma Frances “Tootsie” Tomanetz was a 2018 James Beard award semi-finalist for “Best Chef of the Southwest”))
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ))
Barbeque is a hard work. It’s a hard job. It’s a dirty job. Oh, you could come out here all painted up and makeup but how long is that going to last? If you’re going to want to keep your face nice, don’t get into the barbeque business. You don’t have that many women that are pitmasters. You definitely don’t have that many at my age (83 years old) that are pitmasters. Some of them may be pretty close to my age.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
It ain’t no big deal for her. That’s just normal working for her.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) I’m Norma Frances Tomanetz, pitmaster at Snow’s BBQ in Lexington, Texas. But you just call me Tootsie.
My alarm went off this morning at 1:15. So I get up, dress and drive 17 miles and I’m here at 2 am every Saturday morning. We’ll be firing up the pits, turning the meat, mopping the meat, moving meat around. Whatever we need to be ready by 8 o’clock. In this pit, we have our chickens. Over here, we have our pork steaks. I’ve turned those and mopped them already. We’ll have sausage on this far pit. The first big pit on the right is our spare ribs. The big pit on the left is the briskets.
((Man waiting in line))
I got here at 5:11. You eat this barbeque, there’s no chance you’ll become a vegan anytime the rest of your life. This barbeque could bring world peace, it is that good.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ))
Do they need more heat?
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I turned these back over. And I think if we don’t put no heat on them, they’ll be good.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) I can tell when they’re done because I can tell how tender they are. Over the years I’ve learned the feel of the cook of meat. Water, onion, and I boil that down. Then I add dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. But I don’t measure any of it. I just pour and hope it turns out good.
((Man outside in line))
We got here at 6:45. We’re here for Tootsie, I mean, you know, she kicks ass. So, I want her barbeque, that’s why I’m here. We are ordering absolutely everything. So, I’m really excited about obviously the brisket, we’ve heard great things, but I know, pork steak, jalapeno sausage, smoked chicken, all of it. We’re going to get a full spread.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
Y’all ready?
((Woman working behind the counter))
We are ready. I’m ready.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
Alright, we’re going to go ahead and open up. I appreciate everybody coming. We’ll take 4 or 5 at a time in there. We’ll run everybody through the inside. Thank y’all.
((Man ordering food))
Little bit of everything. Half pound of brisket, half pound of ribs, half pound of pork shoulder and half a chicken.
((Woman in line))
It smells unbelievable in here. Words can’t describe it.
((Woman working behind the counter))
Good luck.
((Man with tray))
Thank you.
((Woman working behind the counter))
You don’t need luck. I have all kinds of faith in y’all.
((Man eating))
Well worth getting up at 4 o’clock in the morning for. That’s for sure.
((Men sitting at table))
It’s 8 am right now.
((Man sitting at table))
Is it really 8 am?
((Men sitting at table))
8:30 maybe?
((Men sitting at table))
Holy cow.
((Men sitting at table))
The pork shoulder is out of this world. I’ve never had pork shoulder like this anywhere else.
((Man sitting at table))
I’ve lost 50 pounds in the last, like, six months. So this is like my first real good outing since having chicken broth for breakfast and smoothies for lunch. This is what I come do it for. So, it’s worth it to just binge on the good stuff every now and then.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We just got the same work habits. If there’s something to be done, we’re going to do it and take a break later. Everybody don’t think that way.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) We’re both in the workaholic condition.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
That’s kind of our enjoyment is working. Today’s young’uns don’t realize that at all. It’s hard to find somebody that wants to work. If she was about forty-five years younger, I’d be chasing her.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) If I was forty-five years younger, I’d run like hell.
((Man pushing coolers, works at Snow’s BBQ))
I’m sending in twelve and I’ve got twelve left.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) We’ll run out of meat. I don’t know how many briskets we got.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I hate it this time of the morning when you’ve got so many in line and there’s some of them that are not going to get anything. Telling them that you’re, you know, possibly going to be sold out by the time they get there. Just kind of inform them that it’s not a sure shot.
I’m not bringing bad news. I’m just telling you it’s getting, it’s going to be real slim back here I’m thinking. Just a good exact count right now is like 27 briskets and there’s about 7 ribs. Pork’s going to be close but I don’t want y’all to be disappointed when there’s nothing. I try to keep you informed as well as we can. And I’ve got cold beer. Anybody?
((Man from crowd))
You selling beer?
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
I don’t want no money.
((People from crowd))
Thank you sir. Thank you.
((Young boy waiting in line))
If they run out of food, I would cry.
((Man waiting in line))
Yeah, I will cry if I don’t get any barbeque. Drove 200 miles to try this place. Yeah, I’m going to be in tears. Big crocodile tears.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We’ll keep you posted.
((Kerry Bexley, Owner, Snow’s BBQ))
We are totally out except for the vacuum sealed ribs.
((Man from crowd))
We got to the door.
((Man inside shop))
They ran out. But they have some vacuum sealed stuff. So, we’ll go with that one. We’ll go that route. I’m not coming away empty handed.
((Norma Frances Tomanetz, “Tootsie”, Pitmaster, Snow’s BBQ)) Everything’s washed up and ready for next Saturday. So now I’ll rest ‘till I’m ready to go home. Most people at this age want to sit down in a rocking chair and take it easy and I’m still cooking. I pray that God continues to give me good health and a clear mind that I can cook for a long time yet..