1776 (c) Warner Bros
Happy 4th of July!
as they say, "there's no coincidence." after the biggest concert on july 2nd (did i mention i was on WB 17??), here we are again, celebrating "the most memorable epocha in the history of America." pomp, parades, [more] concerts i.e. peter nero, bryan adams, rufus wainwright, elton john..., grillin' and chillin' highlight 4th of july. as i'm typing this, fireworks are making me jump off the chair... uh-huh, quite an early start for the big event later. anyway, i thought of posting a backyard BBQ recipe but decided against it, why? because traditional peeps (or grill masters) use their 'own' recipes, and i don't want to mess with that. who knows if theirs were even passed down from generation to generation... hmm... food for thought, eh? but take heart, i still have a couple of tricks up my sleeves, nothing fancy (i don't want to upstage the grill masters), just grilling tips & tricks and a holiday drink recipe appropriate for the occassion.
Top 5 Grilling Tips & Tricks
1 A hot grill is your best defense against sticky situations. Be sure that grates are piping hot before laying down your food -- or be prepared to clean it later!
2 When cooking anything skewered, like kebabs, soak the wooden sticks in water first to prevent them from burning.
3 Try a dry rub on chicken instead of traditional barbecue sauce. BBQ sauces contain sugars that caramelize and then quickly burn. Cook your chicken almost all the way through and then baste with a thin coating of sauce.
4 Keep a spray bottle of water closely by to tame any flare-ups.
5 A great way to oil up your grill without creating a wild fire: fold up a cotton kitchen towel, lightly dip in vegetable oil, and use your tongs to glide a coat onto the grates.
Peach Bellini
Courtesy Food Network Kitchens
The famous Harry's Bar of Venice, Italy, began serving this drink in 1934. Named after the Venetian painter Giovanni Bellini, fresh grated peaches are mixed with sugar and then topped off with sparkling Prosecco for a truly decadent drink.
6 peaches, (about 1 pound, 8 ounces), halved and pitted
1/4 cup superfine sugar, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup water
1 bottle Prosecco (750 ml or 3 1/3 cups), chilled
With a box grater grate peaches into a pitcher. Add the sugar and water to the peaches and place pitcher in refrigerator until chilled and sugar has dissolved, or until needed.
When ready to serve pour the superfine sugar on a plate and invert a chilled Champagne glass in the sugar to coat rim. Pour about a 1/8th of the peach mixture into the prepared glass and top off with Prosecco. Stir gently and serve.
Have Fun!
The second day of July, 1776, ... will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore.
since 2004.10