NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk resident recently released a new bourbon BBQ sauce to honor veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, along with the families that were left behind.
James McCombs spent 33 years in the military, having served in the Army and Navy. He has always considered the military his family.
“Individuals who didn’t have families or anybody around would come over to the house, and I would cook,” he said.
What's on the menu most days? Ribs, brisket, or chicken, always slathered with his homemade BBQ sauce. It was a hit with his military family and friends, so he started giving it away.
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But everything changed when the folks at Dockside Restaurant in Virginia Beach got a taste of the special sauce.
“I came to Dockside one day, and some individuals tasted it and were like, ‘Wow, if you bottled it, we would sell it,’” he recalled.
Now the restaurant uses it on their wings and sells it by the bottle. He named it Daddy James after his grandfather, who loved to have the family over for BBQs.
“So good! What does it taste like? Tangy, sweet, I taste the spice,” one patron said.
“Mmm, delicious, sweet, yummy,” another added.
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But for James, it wasn’t enough just to make a good sauce that people liked. He wanted to use his business to give back to the extended family he has known most of his life: military members.
“Last year, we honored Aaron Vine, who was killed in action. We put his dog tags on the bourbon glass, and we had a bottle with his picture on it and his story,” he explained.
The story is not just about the soldier’s rank in the military but who he was as a person.
“Families just want you to remember them. That’s all they want. They don’t want anything else out of it,” he said.
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One dollar from every bottle sold goes to a local charity called Frog Dogs, which provides K-9 therapy to veterans who are struggling.
You can pick up Daddy James sauce at several restaurants and businesses around town or at the Ocean View Farmers Market. You can also order online.
“It's still about family — it's about eating and having fun and enjoying your food,” he said.
And remembering those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. James McCombs and all the veterans who served, we thank you for your service. You are positively Hampton Roads.
