Food, Flavors, Life & Passion

We can all tell our stories of fire and flame.
The flame conjures memories of cook outs, camp fires, bonfires and assorted meats basking in a world of oak, mesquite and hickory. Fire and flames are etched in my mind of old fashioned camp outs where the amber’s soared to the stars and the heavens shined below. We would sit around bonfires to gather warmth, build friendships, rekindle memories of days long gone and thorough the night, you would constantly feed the beast with as much wood as one could bear so that the deep darkness of the night, would be kept away by the glow of the earthbound fire.
Fire evokes the senses just as much as foods and flavors. In life, nothing tastes as great as a fire roasted hotdog on a stick. Taking a marshmallow and watch it become engulfed in flames and then blowing it out in time to save it – priceless.
A man, it seems, is judged today by the size of his grill, rather than the power in which it is powered by. I say man, because the majority of my experiences involving the territorial rights of man vs. woman, the grill is left for the man to dominate of his own free will. Most women could care less about a grill. But ask a man about his grill and you get “Hey! Guess how many Btu’s this baby can push out!” Come on, feel that stainless steel finish”, “I just got the S600 with a heat censored probe, 2 burners, an automatic temperature gauge and a built in wok!” and the beer jacket was free!” Sound like a car- well I’ve come to call them that. I get asked all the time which grill to buy, especially now. Well just like our buddies in the auto section, I’m very fortunate to have cooked on almost every kind of model. I’ve cruised in the Ferrari and Lamborghini’s of grills-as I have come to call them- that start in the thousands. I recommend you shop around first, test drive one and break it in slowly. They have their own covers you know.
Outdoor grilling of today has evolved into two entities, Propane & Charcoal.
I’m a charcoal/wood man. A bag of charcoal, a match, some wood chips and I’m having the greatest time of my life. To lift the lid of my grill and become engulfed in smoke, aromas and the vision of perfectly grilled pieces of meat makes my mouth water. My inexpensive charcoal grill has lasted four years and has seen an endless array of meats, fowl and vegetables. At Thanksgiving I gave it such a hard work out, the paint peeled right off!
Now you can talk to me about propane all you want, but it just doesn’t sit well me. I know about the electric starter. I know how easy it is with propane, well- when the tank is full. But guess what, you still need to clean it! I mean, how long are you going to keep that bratwurst in there that fell between the grates last year. You know it can’t become petrified for a few thousand more years – right? Now is the time, to fill the tank, buy some new tools, oh yeah, you do know that you need to wash your outdoor utensils-right? No really, how many chicken breasts, ribs and hamburgers have you prodded, poked and squashed with the fork and spatula? Get out the instructions, see what cleansers you can use and wash it down. And for god sake, PLEASE! Clean the grates! If I lift one more grill with last years ribs still stuck to the grates, I’m going to lose it. Well, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest.
Men, it is your responsibility to maintain a clean and operational grill at all times. Check your hoses, gas lines, ignition switches, grates, tools, and if you need to buy a new grill. Check out a charcoal grill for me- please.
And as Bob Seagar once said”
Call me a relic, call me what you will, so I’m old fashioned, say I’m over the hill, today’s propane ain’t got the same soul, I like my old time charcoal grill.

Lake Nona YMCA was built inside an elementary school and is the only one in the US! Promoting education and health at the same time-brilliant idea! Created 150 PB & J reduced fat smoothies for young campers. Talk about pressure!

Organic Quinoa!
Quinoa 101: The Quick Skinny By MindBodyGreen

What is organic quinoa? What are the health benefits?

…Called “the mother of all grains” by the Incas (they considered quinoa to be a sacred food) and a “super-crop” by the United Nations because of its protein content, quinoa (pronounced “KEE-nwah”) is definitely a favorite of many.

It’s considered a grain but is part of the leafy family of vegetables. It’s crunchy and chewy and makes for a great nutty snack.

Are there health benefits? Quinoa is a great source of protein and is a “complete protein” — i.e., it has all nine essential amino acids. It’s also gluten-free.