Good Things for Grilling

Rosemary Coals

Instead of making a marinade with rosemary for grilling, place the herb right on the coals. The smoke enhances food in the same way burning wood chips does. Once the coals are uniformly gray and ashy, loosely cover them with fresh rosemary branches (be careful not to burn your hands). Almost any meat or vegetable will benefit from this savory smoking.

Good Things for Grilling

Father's Day Barbecue Sauce

A perfect -- and delectable -- gift for the grilling enthusiast in your family.

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Good Things for Grilling

Burger Basics

One of the secrets to perfectly grilled hamburgers is making each patty symmetrical. Using a measuring cup, shape meat into 1-inch-thick rounds. Tap back of cup to remove; then indent patties with your hand to prevent doming (which causes condiments to slip).

Good Things for Grilling

Striped Tray

Dress a serving tray or two in jaunty stripes. All-purpose galvanized trays from garden centers make great candidates for outdoor entertaining -- they're inexpensive and sturdy enough to withstand years of use. Bands of bright enamel paint show up against their shiny metal surfaces and won't be damaged by the moisture given off by cold drinks. Decorate a few trays to make a set.

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Good Things for Grilling

Grilled Corn Disks

Enjoy sweet summer corn in a new way -- as an hors d'oeuvre for a casual party. Cut ears of corn into rounds about 1 inch thick, brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Cook on a medium-hot grill, cut sides down, about 2 minutes per side.

Good Things for Grilling

A Better Bird

Grilling chicken whole keeps it tender and moist; if you butterfly it, the parts will cook evenly. Use kitchen or poultry shears to cut down either side of backbone; remove it. Spread chicken flat, skin-side up; tuck wings behind shoulders. Make a small slit in skin with knife at tip of breast near thigh; insert end of drumstick; repeat. If desired, rub with lemon and herbs. Grill chicken over medium heat, turning occasionally, until juices run clear when breast is poked with a fork, 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the bird.

Good Things for Grilling

Grilled Peaches

Grilling doesn't only have to be for the main course -- follow up your burgers or steaks with an easy dessert of grilled peaches.

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Good Things for Grilling

Flash Freeze

Here's a great way to chill beverages in time for an impromptu backyard barbecue. Place wine or other bottles in a bucket; add a layer of ice, followed by a layer of salt (coarse or table); repeat until you almost reach the top. Fill the bucket with cold water to just below the ice line. The water in the ice bucket will be colder than normal, chilling the libations in less than 10 minutes.

Good Things for Grilling

Hold the Napkins

Breezy afternoons are ideal for lunching outdoors, but they can make a mess of stacked napkins. Keep them under control with this windproof holder.

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Good Things for Grilling

Cups of Plenty

A few easy folds is all it takes to turn plain paper into cheery cups for servings of fresh fruit salad and more. Use sheets of glassine and parchment paper for moist food, like these balls of honeydew melon, cantaloupe, and watermelon. You could also serve assorted nuts, cookies, popcorn, and other treats in the colorful paper containers.

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Good Things for Grilling

Citrus Grilled Fish

Strewing citrus slices over a grill keeps fish from sticking to the rack and infuses it with flavor at the same time. Slice oranges, lemons, and limes about 1/4 inch thick, then spread the fruit generously over a hot grill. Place the whole fish, skin on, on top of the citrus. Cooking times will vary according to the thickness of the fish.

Good Things for Grilling

Grilled Cheese on the Grill

The tastiest crisp-on-the-outside-and-gooey-on-the-inside grilled-cheese sandwiches aren't prepared in the kitchen in a frying pan. They're made on a grill. Serve some at your next cookout. Preheat grill until hot. Cook several strips of bacon in an oven. Slice bread, cheese (we made ours with New York cheddar), and tomatoes -- the juiciest ones of the season. Lightly butter one side of each of two pieces of bread. Lay bread slices, buttered sides down, on a plate. Top both with cheese, and add tomatoes to one. Place bread on the grill, buttered side down; cover. Grill until the cheese has melted; remove and add bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Put the sandwich halves together, and serve.

Good Things for Grilling

Keeping Bees at Bay: Food Guards

Turn away picnic-table pests with inexpensive sewing supplies: embroidery hoops and muslin. Buy hoops that are slightly larger than the rims of your pitchers and serving bowls. With pinking shears, cut cloth squares two to three inches wider than each hoop. Position a piece of fabric in each hoop to create handy covers.

Good Things for Grilling

Grilled Vegetable Rack

Grilled vegetable slices add color and flavor to cookouts, but the small pieces are prone to dropping through grill grates. To give them a safety net, put slices of summer squash and other produce on a stainless steel cooling rack placed directly on the grill. The tight metal grid will keep vegetables from falling through the cracks.

Good Things for Grilling

Fruit Spritzers

Enjoy the essence of summer in a glass with cubes left over from fruit salad and a simple syrup made from sugar and water. Pour 1/2 cup of the puree into a glass filled with ice; top off with chilled sparkling water. You can also freeze the fruit-syrup mixture to savor the season even after it's gone.

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Good Things for Grilling

River Rock Paperweights

Pretty paper goods are no match for an unruly summer breeze at an outdoor party. River rocks (available by the bag at garden centers) help keep plates and napkins where they belong, even after they've left the serving table. Pile them in a bucket on the buffet table for guests to grab along with their utensils; you'll avoid having to chase flyaways.

Good Things for Grilling

Flavorful Skewers

With its sturdy stalk, rosemary makes a great skewer, infusing grilled food with its garden-fresh flavor. Soak stalks for a half hour before adding meat, fish, or vegetables. You may need to poke through the food first with a metal skewer.

Good Things for Grilling

Raffia Tablecloth Weights

Come your next backyard dinner, these tassels will keep the wind from blowing your tablecloth into the neighbor's pool.

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