A famous local barbecue joint represented Mississippi on Monday when President Joe Biden pardoned a pair of turkeys as part of the White House tradition to allow a bird or two to “gobble on” ahead of Thanksgiving.
Brooke Lewis and Brad Orrison, owners of The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, were invited by the National Turkey Federation to participate in the pardoning ceremony. Throughout the festivities, the grill masters cataloged their journey on social media for followers to enjoy.
Upon arriving in Washington on Sunday, Orrison and Lewis had a chance to help name and meet the turkeys. Peach and Blossom, weighing 41 and 40 pounds, welcomed visitors to their suite at the Willard InterContinental hotel before their big day on Monday.
From the third row outside the White House, the brother-sister duo of Lewis and Orrison watched as Biden pardoned the birds in front of a crowd of around 2,500.
“Hey, everybody. We are here on the South Lawn of the White House. We have made it to the 2024 pardon of the turkeys. You have to look at this view. It’s magnificent,” Lewis said on a Facebook story before the camera panned to where the ceremony took place minutes later. “Thank you so much to the National Turkey Federation for inviting us. This is so special.”
While folklore points to Abraham Lincoln being the first president to spare a turkey at the request of his son, Tad, the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation did not become official until 1947 under Harry Truman. Since then, the National Turkey Federation has played a vital role in not only presenting the lucky birds, but also inviting worthy turkey lovers to the event which has captured the public’s imagination through 14 successive administrations.
Lewis and Orrison, whose restaurant has become a staple in providing Thanksgiving turkeys across the Mississippi Gulf Coast, have won the grand title at the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest three times.
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