Put on your boots, hat and spurs. There’s going to be a “Southwestern Bar-B-Que” at Francis de Sales Roman Catholic Church in Mathews on Aug. 18. And when I say Southwestern, I mean real Southwestern.

The executive chef for the evening is Christopher Hale who knows what the term Southwestern really means. He grew up as a child in a small town in southwest Texas. “My mother is from Texas. We selected this theme because it is something different and it is comprised of good ‘cowboy foods.’”

Assisting Chris will be two sous chefs, his wife Claudia Hale whom you remember as a great baker when she ran Grandma’s Bakery (Gazette-Journal, November 2007) and Neil D’Amato who has cooked professionally and is well known in the parish for his outstanding cooking abilities.

Other members of Francis de Sales will prep foods, hosting, serving attired in their best cowboy outfits, and of course there are the ticket...