Slow Burn.

Single Wide's Crock-Pot Cook-Off Was An Event That Was Fit To Be Shared.

Aside from a small assortment of chips and the relatively recent addition of locally-pickled veggies, there's really not much on hand for soaking up the alcohol during a night of boozing at the kitchen-less Single Wide bar on Lower Greenville. Well, in the watering holes own confines, at least.

Obviously, the neighborhood at large boasts its fair share of dining options these days.

But, last night at least, there was no need to venture out into the harsh reality to satiate your hunger pangs, as the bar hosted a Crock-Pot Cook-Off.

The setup of the affair was quite simple: Two tables boasted 10 fully-cooked crock-pot dishes — complete with appropriate serving wear and dressings — that were each supplied by a contestants confident that their slow-cook know-how was above that of their peers.

Those contestants represented a wide range of backgrounds, skillsets and tastes, too. Among them? A teacher who lovingly tended to chicken Tetrazzini underneath her desk at work before bringing it here and a modern-day cowboy whose beef stew was so tender you could cut it with a plastic spoon.

There were simple plays on classics among the offerings, like an apple fennel French onion soup There were familiar comfort foods such as chili verde and rice, too. Hell, there was even a lone dessert — a sauce made of chocolate, whiskey, bacon and cayenne that was simply called The American Dream.

As they dished out and ate their offerings, the slow-cookers also shared the stories of their crock-pots themselves, which ranged from top-of-the-line newer models belonging to passionate epicureans to vintage models passed on like family heirlooms.

After the final votes were tallied, the winner would be a stew called The 505 — a rich tomato-based offering that was thickened by hominy. Two other beef stews placed in second and third.

Despite just being fun in nature, the night revealed something often overlooked about the bar experience — that the real enjoyment isn't just about the drinking, but rather about coming together as a community.