Saucy Stuff Stars at Farmer's Market

The 6th annual Battle of the Sauces was under way, with thousands ofdevoted Tar Heels showing up to enjoy their favorite bottled barbecuesauces and sample new blends.

For some aficionados, this is Southern gourmet at its best. The brightred sauces -- compounded of tomatoes, vinegar, spices, and specialblending and simmering -- beckon most emphatically to lovers of NorthCarolina barbecue. To many, these fiery sauces top off the chopped porkbarbecue juuuussst right.

Barbecue sauce, however, is not limited in its range -- it is also usedas a dip for meatballs, slathered over hot dogs and set alongside ribs,chicken, beef kabobs and even ostrich.

There are all levels of hot, catering to what the diner's tastebuds cantolerate.

Names of the sauces are imaginative, too. There's Tongue Tinglin'Sauce, Grandma Lou Ella's Sauce, Bone Suckin' Sauce -- and one resplendentwith race driver Richard Petty's image and his car number, 43.

A contest was held for best-in-taste. For each vote, people had to buyone or more jars of their favorite.

This year's winner was Willie Reese's Big K's Barbecue Sauce -- whichReese promoted as "So good, it will make your tongue slap your brainsout."

So there.