On Aug. 5, Cedar Park Mayor Matt Powell began preparing a conciliatory package of Texas barbecue for Dennis O'Keefe, mayor of St. John's in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

During the American Hockey League's Calder Cup Championship finals which ended in June, Powell bet O'Keefe that the Texas Stars would win the Calder Cup Championship against the St. John's IceCaps. On June 17 the Stars defeated the IceCaps and secured the cup with four wins in the seven-game playoff series.

The prize from O'Keefe is a selection of beer and seafood from Newfoundland and Labrador.

"[St. John's city leaders] notified me last week that they're getting their shipment boxed up to send out here as well, so I look forward to trying the Canadian bounty," Powell said.

Despite winning the bet, Powell opted to send a package for St. John's city leaders that includes Texas barbecue sauces, rubs and meats courtesy of Smokey Mo's Bar-B-Q.

"This is pretty good for [St. John's] losing a bet," Powell said at Smokey Mo's on East Whitestone Boulevard.

Smokey Mo's employees and Powell arranged the items inside a temporary box. Powell said he hopes to find a method to ship fresh barbecue, but one shipping company objected to sending perishable items packed in dry ice across international boundaries.

"If we can find a way to do it, then we will," he said.

Leaders of Cedar Park and St. John's could explore formalizing the cities' relationship, perhaps with an official sister cities affiliation, Powell said.

"Their mayor comes to Texas once a year for a conference," Powell said. "The hockey season's over, but the friendship is really continuing. We're staying in regular contact and I hope they enjoy the barbecue."