May 30, 2009 9:02 pm

Grilling and Cooking Out, New York Style

For the past seven years that I have lived in New York, I have lived in a number of dwellings with very unique kitchens each with their own memorable charm. While on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the kitchen was a little larger than a matchbox, but designed so that every nook and cranny was useful in it's own way. In my Astoria studio, the purpose of the kitchen was to keep beer cold and merely a decorative fixture in my 9x9 foot room.

Movin' on up, while still in Queens, my then boyfriend (now husband) and I shared what was my first EIK (eat in kitchen). Having a kitchen that can fit a table and four chairs is considered a luxury in any part of New York City. While residing in the Bronx, we not only had an eat in kitchen, but enough storage space allowing us to acquire a disgusting amount of kitchen equipment.

As of last week, we are the humble tenants of a four bedroom single-family house in the suburbs. Here we have a super kitchen, but as of lately we have moved all of our cooking to the backyard. With our first official charcoal grill, our dinners have taken on a new flavor that I have missed since I left my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. I'm not saying that I have not had anything grilled outdoors within the past seven years, but I am merely happy that these moments can now happen in my home.

My husband and step daughters like to call it barbecuing, but being from Texas I know that we are merely, "cooking out," not to say that barbecuing won't be in the near future. There is something about that charcoal smell hitting the air that not only screams summer is well on its way, but creates a small family of butterflies in my stomach.

I forgot how much I adore the flavor of a steak cooked by the power of charcoal. The smoky taste that lingers on my tongue (and in my hair and clothes) puts me in state of euphoria that allows me to eat each bite with my eyes closed. The distinctive char is one that should not be interrupted with the addition of any sauce.

The sensations don't stop with just the meat, the corn and potatoes that we have cooked on the grill heighten the outdoor experience as well. There is just something about the opposition of textures from the sweet crunchy corn and smooth starchy potatoes that add a familiar yet well missed element to the meal.

When the last bite is finished and our stomachs are filled to the brim, smiles come across our faces. Not only because we are utterly happy, but because there is no stove or extra pots and pans to clean.

—Hailee Moore

— Written by Hailee Moore

< PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY >

Tags : ---

User Comments

Login to comment