Memorial Day kicks off beach weekends and what better way to begin the celebrations than to drop by for some of the best eastern NC barbecue there is? There are two BBQ joints just off the Interstate you'll find well worth a side-trip. Could the barbecue be that good? Oh yeah!!

The Jones family of Ayden, NC have been cooking whole hogs over oak wood since 1949. The Skylight Inn, known to the locals of Ayden as 'Pete Jones' BBQ' is known for its rich family history and unwavering dedication to cooking barbecue the old fashion way with oak wood. And they continue to stay true to their roots.

At the age of 17, Pete Jones opened Skylight Inn. Since that time it's become a standard in eastern NC barbecue. The Skylight Inn smokes pigs the same way since time began explains Sam Jones, grandson of Pete, "Whole hog cooked over wood, the way my ancestors and my family did it years and years ago. I don't want our style of barbecue to be one of them things where you read about it in the history books. I want it to be one of them things where you can go get it and taste it and see it. Where you don't have to imagine it; you can experience it."

Skylight's pigs simmer with success as local and national media continue to write about this place in Ayden, NC.

In 1979 National Geographic published a book entitled Back Roads America and basically proclaimed Pete Jones' Skylight Inn to be some of the best Barbecue in the country.

In 1982 Pete's barbecue got the attention of some politicians and he was invited to serve his barbecue at a congressional bowl. President Regan and Vice President Bush delighted in the wonderful smoke flavored Pork and followed up with a letter to Pete and son Bruce stating how great the barbecue was.

In 2012 Southern Living magazine named Pete's Grandson, Sam as "one of the top ten Pitmasters in the South".

In 2003 the Skylight Inn received its most prestigious award, revered to as many as "the Oscars for culinary arts" the James Beard award for "Americas Classics".

Family Traditions - Although Pete passed away in 2006, his legacy and mark in barbecue is still going strong. Skylight Inn BBQ is now operated by Pete's son Bruce, nephew Jeff, and grandson Sam Jones who are very proud and dedicated to carrying on the legacy that Pete Jones left. The pits still smoke, and the fire burns brighter than ever.

Restaurant Expansion - Sam Jones has sparked a new fire in Eastern NC BBQ. While honoring his family heritage, you'll find a few new spin on dishes with smoked meats. At Sam Jones BBQ in Winterville, NC  the restaurant is still rooted in the principles of his traditional BBQ. You'll find a detached smokehouse pumping out fresh food cooked over wood every single day. There are No Freezers. Everything is made fresh daily.

Sam Jones BBQ serves Raleigh, Wilmington, Greenville and the surrounding areas for catering services. Feel free to browse their menu to see some of the mouth watering dishes that they can serve you. Then give them a call.

Skylight Inn BBQ -  4618 Lee St.  Ayden, NC 28513, Ph (252) 746-4113
Hours: Monday - Saturday 10am - 7pm. Website.

Sam Jones BBQ - 715 W Fire Tower Rd.  Winterville, NC 28590. Ph (252) 689-7946  
Hours: Monday - Saturday 11am - 9pm, Sunday 11am - 8:30pm.
Call for Catering - serving Wilmington, Greenville, Raleigh and more. Website.

Elements of the widespread passion for Mason jars are a little puzzling. A Mason jar is clunky  and somewhat cumbersome; versatile, but also limiting. They can't be stacked to save space. They are heavier and wider than the average wineglass. How did this container once integral to farming culture come to be the hipster vessel of choice?

The Mason jar was created in 1858 by John Landis Mason, a New Jersey native, with the idea of "heat-based canning". Mason's design, which possessed a ribbed neck and a screw-on cap that created an airtight seal, helped to refine a canning process that had been prone to error. The transparency of the glass that Mason used also made the contents appealingly visible.

If you really want to know what people are up to with Mason jars, venture onto Pinterest, the DIY epicenter of the Internet. In the right hands, Mason jars become citronella candles. Strapped to sticks and with the addition of votive candles, they're lanterns. Mason jars can be sewing kits, snow globes, terrariums. And then there's this: You can bake palm-size pies right in the screw tops. Which negates a favorite activity involving Mason jar tops: banging it on the kitchen floor to hear the pop of the breaking seal. Click here for Pie to Go Recipes.