Pork is a basic fare, and Tar Heel cooks can prepare it in many delicious ways: sausage biscuits with grits, country ham with red eye gravy, livermush (in a sandwich or with eggs) and of course barbecue, or, as it is commonly spelled, BBQ. BBQ is chopped pork slowly cooked so the hickory flavor is just right. But the key ingredient is the sauce, and the debate over which kind is best is intense and heated. Eastern Carolina BBQ features a vinegar-based sauce, while western North Carolinians use a tomato-based sauce. The city of Lexington��which features a Western variation��is considered the BBQ capital of the state. The 21st century has seen the transformation of North Carolina from a predominately agricultural state to a major industrial center, with about 17% of the workforce now employed in manufacturing. Although North Carolina is the eleventh-most-populous state, it ranks eighth largest in the country in manufacturing. Textiles are the top industry in the state, and its presence dates back to 1813 when North Carolina�s first cotton mill was built near Lincolnton. Today, North Carolina is the foremost textile manufacturer in the U.S., producing cotton and synthetic fabrics, yarns, threads, knitted goods, apparel and hosiery. The Tar Heel State is also a leader in the production of wooden furniture. Some 60% of the furniture manufactured in the U.S. is made within a 200-mile radius of Hickory, home of a nationally known furniture outlet center and a furniture museum. - Content comes from VisitNC.com