I just came back from Selma, Alabama. It will definitely be one of the unforgettable memories of 2019. My older brother passed away almost two weeks ago. So my entire family flew down to Selma this past Thursday for his funeral. It was a beautiful home-going, lots of family and friends. Some of whom I haven’t seen in many years.
The weather was calm and fair while we were there. Cool enough to need long sleeves on, but warm enough for light sleeves and no extra layers. The sun was softly casting its rays. Enough for us Northerners to feel like we had struck gold as winter brutally belabored back home.
It was late afternoon on Friday (after the funeral). “Take me over to Lannie’s,” my dad said to my cousin, Michael T. After Michael T’s sister, Felicia, convinced my dad that he would get the same food from the second location of Lannie’s as his favorite Lannie’s BBQ spot on Minter road, just a more accommodating seating situation for a party our size, we all followed each other down US-80. We pulled up to this unassuming spot on Medical Center Parkway and the rest is history.
I sat down next to Michael T. He looked over at me and said something to the effect of, “You are about to eat some real barbecue today.” I ordered a bbq pulled pork sandwich (which my cousin instructed me to order with crispy pork skins), macaroni and cheese and fries (for Ash). Brian ordered the same except for baked beans instead of fries. My sister and mom added okra and fried green tomatoes. Our table was filled with southern goodness. After taking a bite of the mac n cheese and my pulled pork sandwich I couldn’t get Ash to eat a fry. He was sold. He may be a southern boy at heart.
The food was good. No that is an understatement. The food was soul warming. And so was the culture of the restaurant. Walking past complete strangers (waiting to be served) who smiled, nodded and spoke to you with that light, kind, air made it all feel so much like home. I ate so much. You know how you feel so stuffed but you still try to keep eating because it is just so good? That was me. I had to summon Brian to loosen my belt for me (the snaps of my belt were in the back so I couldn’t easily reach them.)
When we got back to Michigan I was sad Lannie’s was so far from me. Why had my dad not told me about this place before?! I did a google search on the restaurant just to make sure there were no knock off Michigan locations I didn’t know about. There weren’t. But I did find a couple of articles that made me fall more in love with the restaurant. The late Lannie and Will Travis started barbecuing hogs in a cinder-block pit next to their house back in 1944. Three subsequent generations, from the children to the grandchildren and great-grand-kids, have kept the fire burning since. Here’s a great article for you about the Lannie’s story.
If you are ever in Selma and looking for some delicious food, make your way to Lannie’s. Heck if you are anywhere in the world and you’re craving a life changing pulled pork sandwich, with a delicious sauce, topped with crispy pork skins, on a brioche type bun, you need to book a flight, gas up the car, hop on the Greyhound, do what you gotta do and make your way to Lannie’s. ‘Til next time Selma. Thanks for feeding me well. Xo
