We took a walk back through our archives of grilling goodness and came back with an armful of good ideas, helpful tips, and inspirational recipes. From cinnamon stick skewers to when (and why) to leave the lid on while grilling, here are 21 of the more intriguing posts to help you grill out on the 4th.
Grill Out! 21 Good Grilling Tips, Recipes, and Ideas
My Great Outdoors: Melissa's Garden Challenge
Name: Melissa
Location: Greenbelt, MD
Type of space: Balcony
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I love to garden and produce my own food but I live in a condo. The space is small (11x6ft) and only receives direct sunlight until noon... I do love a challenge.
My Great Outdoors: Lauren's Middle Eastern BBQ
Name: Lauren
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Type of space: Backyard garden
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: My family hosted a backyard BBQ to celebrate my recent graduation. Since my Dad is Arabic, our menu was mostly Middle Eastern, including a huge batch of lemony homemade hummous, tabbouleh, lentil salad, olives, feta, falafel, kifta kabob (spiced meat), and turkey sausages. Our family is used to this kind of food but we knew it would be a treat for my friends.
My Great Outdoors: Amelia's Community Garden Plot
Name: Amelia
Location: Washington, D.C.
Type of space: Community garden plot
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I am a foodie and a longtime container gardener, so I was thrilled to be assigned a fourteen by fourteen foot plot at a community garden here in Washington, DC. Over the course of the last six months, I have filled the beds with many of my favorite vegetables, including tomatoes, peppers, salad greens, onions, beets, chard, potatoes, peas, carrots, squash, eggplants, and lots of herbs. Having this space has also allowed me to try out some eclectic and alluring seed catalog items, like my Mexican Sour Gherkins and Chocolate Cherry tomatoes.
My Great Outdoors: Erin's Edible Balcony
Name: Erin
Location: Ames, IA
Type of space: Balcony
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: I wish I could live out here constantly! Most of the balcony taken up by the plants, but we squeezed in a couple chairs and the grill, which gets fired up almost every night during the summer. The planters are overflowing with vegetables, edible flowers and herbs. I use something from out here with almost every meal I cook. I love tending the plants, trying new arrangements, and watching them grow. It takes a bit of time to keep it all maintained – on average, a couple hours per day – but it’s very meditative and therapeutic. Sometimes I just sit and stare; even from inside the apartment the view is stunning.
My Great Outdoors: Maria's Companion Planted Patch
Name: Maria
Location: Edmonton, AB
Type of space: Garden
Tell us about your outdoor project and how you enjoy it: This is my second year trying out this thing called gardening. I have switched from having one huge bed to having 3 boxed beds and what I like to refer to as the Free Range potato patch. It is a strictly vegetable/edible garden that I have planted using Companion Planting strategies.
I love going out in the morning over the weekend and just picking weeds, smelling the tomato plants, and making sure my babies are healthy and strong. I can't wait for our first harvest! We have 46 potato plants growing so I see a lot of potato dishes in our future. Yum!
Happy Independence Day from The Kitchn!
Happy 4th of July! Is the grill fired up yet? Well, we do realize that it's only July 3rd, but since the 4th falls on a Saturday, we're observing the holiday today here on the blog. But we're not leaving you with just yesterday's posts! We're running a final marathon of entries in our My Great Outdoors event, which is just wrapping up. Look for rich inspiration on balcony and container gardening for food, plus lots of outdoor eating. We'll also offer up a few good ideas from the archives on grilling, outdoor eating, and great eats for the 4th of July.
So whether you're working or already kicking back at home, come get ready for the 4th of July with us here at The Kitchn.
Summer Entertaining: How to Build a Basic Bar
Straight Up Cocktails and Spirits
Maybe you’ve been known to make the occasional Gin and Tonic at home, but leave the Mojitos, Caipirinhas, and Margaritas to the pro bartenders to mix up. Or maybe you’re already a master of half a dozen recipes, but haven’t yet tried that incredibly refreshing-looking one that just caught your eye because you’re short a bar staple or two.
Here’s how, by stocking up on some basic ingredients and a minimum of specialized tools, you can start building your own home bar for entertaining this Fourth of July weekend - and keep things shaking and stirring for months to come.
Tasteful Red, White, and Blue Food for the Fourth
We don't often venture into kitschy territory with food (bad childhood memories of green milk on St. Patrick's Day), but there are a lot of dishes you can make that are red, white, and blue without feeling forced. And if you don't like our suggestions, you can always stick to a flag cake (or the more modern fruit flag!)...
Recipe Recommendation: Hot Boiled Peanuts
I'm originally from Georgia, and recently returned from a month-long visit with my relatives. As soon as I get my feet back on some red clay, I immediately start seeking out my favorite Southern delicacies that I can't find in San Francisco. Among these are hot boiled peanuts. One of my cherished past times is driving along winding country roads and stopping at "HOT BOILED P-NUT" stands along the way, and purchasing a paper bag full of addictive, salty, soft peanut snacks. But when I am not in Georgia, I make these tasty treats at home. It's quite easy!
Recipe: Che Dau Xanh (Vietnamese Dessert Soup With Mung Beans)
Earlier this week, a reader inquired about more uses for mung beans. Like several of you, my thoughts turned to Asian-style sweet mung bean soup.
Store Review: Savenor's Market
If you're throwing a swanky dinner and want a spread that will really impress your guests, Savenor's in Boston is the place to go. We had just such a party in the works, so we decided to indulge our curiosity about the famous Boston landmark and go on a shopping spree.
Fruit Flag for the 4th of July
We'll show you a few more good ideas for tasteful red, white, and blue food later today, but here's a first look: a patriotically-arranged fruit platter.
Recipe Riff: Golden Beet and Barley Salad with Rainbow Chard
Now that summer is officially here and the weather is indeed getting hotter, we're putting a lot of cool pasta and grain salads on the menu for lunch and dinner! This recipe is a variation on the Roasted Beet and Barley Salad we enjoyed so much last summer. It uses sweet golden beets and adds a little green for good measure.
How To Marinate Kangaroo Steaks
Delicious links for 7.2.09
How to cook a marsupial, plus some fun and tasty links for a yummy 4th of July.
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