Summer Song

Another reliable sign of summer's fast approach is the annual urge to cook outdoors. When I found half chickens at the Marin Sun Farms booth at the farmer's market, it seemed like a sign from heaven - not only did I not have to deal with the sad little heads and feet on their whole chickens, this is the perfect cut for the barbecue.

My Beloved built a small fire with the few pieces of charcoal we had left, positioning it to one side of our trusty Weber grill. I made a vinegary, tangy marinade from this and that and this, as my first father-in-law taught me to do, and settled the chicken down into it. When the fire was ready, the chicken went under the hood positioned a little away from the direct heat for about half an hour. We nibbled on the skin ever before plating it. Oh, yeah! You can almost hear the rich contralto singing, "Summertime and the livin' is easy..."

This and That and This Barbecue Sauce, adapted from Dad Trenholme's recipe

Soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
Red wine vinegar
Fresh lemon juice
Dry mustard
Dry tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper
Minced garlic
Green onion, sliced
Fresh chopped parsley

I can't really give you proportions since I just play it by ear when I make this sauce. It's a little different each time and that's half the fun. Once you get it all mixed in, stick your finger in the sauce and taste - you'll know what you need to adjust.