| Autumn is the one time of year the weather is nice | | | | you as well. Buy whole fish like trout, insert thin |
| in most parts of the country at the same time. In | | | | lemon slices into the cavity, and cook them on a low, |
| the warm southern and southwest regions, people | | | | smoky heat. If you have a smoker unit, you'll be |
| who have been kept inside by the blazing summer | | | | surprised all the great food you can prepare-duck, |
| temperatures start to enjoy the outdoors more. In | | | | goose, game birds, turkey, and chicken are all tasty |
| the northern regions, the nights start to get crisp but | | | | candidates. You can even make your own smoked |
| the daytime temperatures are very pleasant. And | | | | ham or smoked sausage. |
| pleasant weather means an ideal time for grilling and | | | | 4. Take a culinary vacation in the backyard. Maybe |
| barbecue. | | | | the cost and hassle of international travel these days |
| 1. We all tend to have a few recipes that are our | | | | has kept you from visiting those places you've |
| favorites to prepare on the grill, the dishes we know | | | | always dreamed of. There's no reason you can't |
| are going to turn out nearly perfect every time. The | | | | enjoy those countries' cuisine. How about grilling some |
| old reliables. But part of the fun of grilling is | | | | delicious, tender ribeye steaks and preparing several |
| experimenting, finding new dishes, flavors and | | | | different dipping sauces for your guests to sample, |
| cooking techniques to use with the grill or the | | | | maybe Asian teriyaki-style; a South American |
| smoker unit. | | | | "Gaucho" sauce with lime juice, roasted peppers, red |
| 2. A new take on an old favorite. Is steak your | | | | onions and cilantro; and a Caribbean "jerk"-style |
| favorite meat to grill? Well, steak is incredibly | | | | sauce. Sort of like one of those "five countries in one |
| versatile. You could try making spicy southwest | | | | and a half days" tour packages you see advertised |
| steak, by adding a chile powder such as chipotle to | | | | on TV. |
| the normal salt, pepper, and garlic you put on the | | | | Don't be afraid to expand you grilling repertoire. And |
| steak before grilling. Adding a few tablespoons of | | | | keep a record of your grilling experiments, the |
| ground coffee beans gives you the classic "cowboy" | | | | variations you tried on recipes you use. Write down |
| steak. Have you ever added brown sugar to the | | | | what worked so well you would like to try it again. |
| spice mix you use? Try it. You'll find it gives the | | | | You may find out your family has a high tolerance for |
| steak a unique glaze, and it is one of the secrets | | | | spicier foods, so you may want to enhance the |
| expensive steakhouses employ. | | | | recipes with additional chiles. You might find a grilled |
| 3. And now for something completely different. Don't | | | | shrimp recipe that works equally well with scallops. |
| limit yourself to the old standards: steaks, chops, | | | | Who knows, you might come up with a totally unique |
| burgers, ribs. Grilled fish is delicious, and is good for | | | | recipe that ends up in a cooking magazine. |