by Kieran Carobine

Created on: May 24, 2008

Summer is right around the corner and that means it is almost time for the beach, water parks and most important; outdoor grilling. Outdoor grilling can be one of the most fun and sociable ways to spend weekends and afternoons. It is a fairly simple concept of blending foods and friends together to enjoy the wonderful weather summer brings us.
Now for some of us, this summer right of passage is a piece of cake (no pun intended). You grab the grill, grab some protein and some veggies and go to work. However, for others or for the first time outdoor griller it can be a difficult and frustrating time. And when you are preparing to feed a handful of your closest friends or family members it can be a huge nightmare. Here are some tips to keep your cookout simple but still delicious.

I think the first and most important thing you need to look at is who is coming over. Now obviously you are not inviting strangers over to your house so I am assuming that at some point you have dined and socialized with these guests. You have seen what they eat and what they like. You need to know what they like and what they don't like. You are not going to serve ribs and wings if one of your guests is a vegetarian. So have a variety. Not only will this make you look very skilled on the grill but it will also satisfy more palettes. There is nothing wrong with having a tapas style cookout. It will give your guests more to talk about after they leave. Also with having more than one dish, it gives the appearance that there is more food than there really is. It lets your guests think you were slaving all day just for them.
Next, it is important to understand the region you live in. You need to know what is seasonal to your area and what's fresh. There is nothing worse than eating soggy vegetables off the grill. You want to go find the freshest foods in your area to cook. Some very good veggies that are usually available in the summer months are things like tomatoes, summer squash and didn't variations of peppers. Towards the late summer months like August corn and cucumber should be fairly easy to find. And what is a cookout without corn on the cob, right? Check with your local butcher to get a fresh cut of flank or rib eye, which both go perfectly on the grill. Also, no matter where you live, you can usually find a fresh tuna steak.
The main thing to remember when doing your summer grilling is to have good food, good friends and a good time!

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