The Food Week

Life with my Dad and brother has a rhythm. Thursday is Frozen Pizza Night. Friday is Burger King Night. Saturday is Jack’s (for the uninitiated, Jack’s is a regional McDonald’s knock-off) Special Breakfast Morning. Sunday is Supper at Tinker’s. The flow of the week is set by eating; more specifically, by cheap eating. When going to Burger King, for instance, don’t go without a stack of discount coupons. The frozen pizza featured on Thursday is Wal-Mart’s “most affordable” even though it has little relation to its Pizza Hut or Pizza Inn cousins. And, there is a reason it is called a “special” breakfast at Jack’s – less than two bucks for eggs, hash browns, grits, and bacon. What a deal!

I have to figure how I will fit into the grand cycle. At first, I considered a Sushi Tuesday but questioned if The Old Goat and Tinker would think they had to fish for their dinner. I thought about a Vegan Wednesday but even I thought that was foolish. Vegans make less sense to me than Flat Earthers or conspiracy theorists who assume the government acts with stealth, cunning, and intelligence. The idea I like most is Grilled Monday. The plan is to stick with the crowd-pleasers at first – burgers and chicken – before moving onto real cooking. The bible of all things proper and delicious and Dixie -- Southern Living – is full of great grilling recipes this time of year. Saw a picture with write-up on grilled peaches. How clever is that? Plus, grilling is just so elemental. Fire. Meat. Stick. Throw in a salad and you have an instant party.

If grilling is the decision, next is the grill. I’ve had my eye on one of those Green Egg grills but haven’t convinced myself that I want to pay more for a grill than I will for food in a year. As Hamilton once observed, men divide themselves into two groups – he went on to say some stuff about political rights and obligations but what I think he really meant was that you are either a gas man or a charcoal man. I am definitely in the charcoal camp. Yes, it is more trouble, takes longer, dampens spontaneity, and requires planning. Still, I like the charcoal. I use a starter that eschews lighter fluid. It is a flue affair that allows the user to light the charcoal in a matter of minutes. If my more reasonable side decides against the Green Egg, then the only real choice is a Webber Kettle. (Since I will be on the road in June, I have to make sure whatever grill I get can be easily stowed.)

The perfect grilled dinner would be to use fresh produce out of the garden and a couple of fish out of the lake. Dessert on the grill would be the ideal topper. Once I enjoyed an apple pie that Captain Cho “baked” on a grill. It was delicious. I think initially I will stick to grilled peaches. Now, where was that recipe?