When you ask a waitress how a dish is, and she claims it sent her to the hospital ... well, that's not generally the way to make a sale.

"Right here," she said, pointing toward her cheek. "It was this blister on the inside of my mouth. A huge thing. What do you call it? A lesion. The doctor said, 'Why did you do that to yourself?' And I said that I couldn't stop eating those ribs. I don't even like spicy food that much."

JOHN KESSLER ON FOOD AND MORE E-mail Kessler Related: • More on food and drink • Restaurant reviews and search More Kessler Start with basics at three Buford Highway eateries  Salted cod gives kids whiff of new world (and they like it)  Colorful pumpkins have multiple uses  An iffy food approach: There's a joke in here somewhere  In the end, a bit too much wing think going on  Nibble by nibble, great meal at fancy restaurant redefined  A little midcentury classic we'd hate to be without  Grandfather's old-world life remains a mystery

Ah, yes, those ribs.

We are at the Woodlands Barbecue & Pickin' Parlor in Blowing Rock, N.C., on the last day of a family vacation. The house specialty, Ollie's Ribs, starts with an innocuous order of barbecued spareribs. Then the cooks turn them into something that could melt Kevlar.

They dredge the ribs in blackening seasoning, throw them on the grill and baste them with a house-made North Carolina-style hot sauce until the ribs singe and crust.

The greasy, smoky flavor of the meat strikes a soft, comforting note before the spices kick in with a rush of red and black pepper, garlic, onion and a vague feeling of impending doom.

"I can't eat that!" said my sister of the proffered rib from my plate. She gulped beer, pushed the barbecue on her plate around and then went back to the rib. "OK, maybe I can eat it."

This rib presented a quandary of mixed signals to the brain. It was easy on the teeth, with its crackled crust and soft meat. Appealing to chew and swallow. And then it slapped you smack across the jaw line.

After dinner (half of my ribs, a third of a pitcher of beer and five glasses of water), I began to consider how I could reproduce these ribs at home. Surely, smoked ribs from any old barbecue joint could be sliced, dredged, blackened and turned into dynamite sticks.

Once back in Atlanta, I picked up a rack of baby backs from a local branch of Shane's Rib Shack. Next stop: Kroger for a jar of blackening seasoning. Nothing on the store shelf looked remotely like the North Carolina vinegar hot sauce I'd need for basting, so I decided to make a quickie version of my own. Though the following statement may render me Public Enemy No. 1 in the Tarheel State, a four-ingredient version tasted just right.

It was too hot to consider firing up the grill, so I blackened the ribs in a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet. Thankfully, no one in my family suffers from respiratory ailments, but I see how the fumes — peppers, vinegar — could pose a health threat.

So, yum. I can't wait to repeat this experiment with a rack of cheap supermarket ribs. I think I've found my favorite new nursty appetizer. Uncle John's smokin' hot ribs and a pitcher of margaritas. You know it's going to be summer until, like, November this year. Might as well sweat it all out now.

Ollie's Ribs (with apologies to Ollie)
2 entree servings or 6 appetizer servings

Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 15 minutes

This recipe may be prepared on a hot grill or in a cast-iron skillet. If cooking inside, you'll need to turn on the fan and open windows.

1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 rack smoked baby back ribs or 6 spareribs, at room temperature or cold
About 3 tablespoons prepared blackening seasoning

Prepare the grill, if using.

Mix vinegar, ketchup and both peppers in a small bowl. Set aside.

Cut the ribs into individual bones, if using baby backs. Dredge liberally on all sides with blackening seasoning. The ribs should look dusty with seasoning.

If using a skillet: Heat pan over a high flame until any residual oil begins to smoke. Do not add any oil to the pan. Cook the ribs in batches, pressing the surface onto the pan and brushing repeatedly with the vinegar sauce. Cook until ribs are crusty and dotted with black spots — about 8 minutes.

If using a grill: Cook ribs on all sides, brushing repeatedly with the vinegar sauce until crusty and dotted with black spots — about 5 minutes.

Per serving (based on 2): 257 calories (percent of calories from fat, 57), 17 grams protein, 12 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, 16 grams fat (6 grams saturated), 50 milligrams cholesterol, 552 milligrams sodium.