, the head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said Thursday, as trans groups
At the front of her songbook, a handwritten note dated Aug. 6, 2017, reminds her of that.Riley, who likes how “everybody comes together and they can just sing Godly songs for God,” has attended Sacred Harp singing events since she was a baby. For a few years now, she’s served as a song leader, taking her turn guiding the group and keeping time.
Riley’s mother, Lisa Webb, said her daughter has always loved to sing, and it was important to have her share in the family tradition.Oscar McGuire poses for a portrait with his copy of “The Sacred Harp” songbook. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)Oscar McGuire poses for a portrait with his copy of “The Sacred Harp” songbook. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)
Specific hymns in “The Sacred Harp” remind Oscar McGuire of singers in his life, including those no longer living. He’ll often lead those songs at singing events.“I’ll get hung up on two or three songs and lead the same songs every Sunday,” he said. “I’ll sing them kind of in their memory.”
There’s No. 485 “New Agatite” and No. 573 “Harpeth Valley” that remind him of the late Hugh McGraw, an influential Sacred Harp singer, and several that make him think of the late Charlene Wallace, another stalwart singer. No. 515 “Joyful” is his wife’s favorite.
“I get a message out of the songs. Most all of them come from verses in the Bible,” he said. “I would rather go and sing all day, rather than going to church and listening to a preacher for 30 minutes.”If you are cooking food by the direct method (hamburgers, hot dogs, boneless chicken breasts, small steaks, vegetables, etc.), flip only once halfway through the cooking time. All protein will stick to the grates as soon as it makes contact with the hot grill grates. As it cooks, it will naturally release itself, and that is when you can turn it over with a pair of tongs. Just remember to oil the food, not the grates!
One of the most common mistakes backyard cooks make is using the same tongs for raw and cooked foods. This creates cross-contamination and can result in food-borne illness. It’s easy to fix this problem. I have been color-coding my 12-inch locking chef tongs with red and green duct tape for as long as I have been grilling. The different colors help me to remember which pair of tongs I used for raw food (red), like chicken, and which are safe to use for the cooked food (green). And remember to use a separate clean platter for your cooked food, too.If I had a dime for every time I saw someone pour thick sweet barbecue sauce on bone-in-chicken pieces or a whole rack of ribs while they were raw, I would be a very wealthy griller! All barbecue sauces have a lot of sugar in them and sugar burns quickly, almost always burning the outside of the food before the inside cooks. Generally I only brush food with sauce during the final 10-15 minutes of cooking time. With ribs that cook 2-3 hours, I will brush with a diluted sauce (1/2 beer and 1/2 sauce) for the final 30 minutes of cooking time.
Cutting your food to test for doneness is another common way people bungle their food. When you cut any protein, you are letting the precious juices escape, and if the food is under-cooked, the area where it was cut will be over-cooked when you put it back on the grill. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to test for doneness, and always let your food rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it.EDITOR’S NOTE: Elizabeth Karmel is grilling, barbecue and Southern foods expert, a media personality and the author of four cookbooks, including “