Christopher Griffiths
Barbecue Season 04/15/2011
Spring is finally here, and the south-facing sunroom in my house now provides ample heating for comfort. So ends the joy of cozy fires in the hearth and the satisfaction of carbon-neutral pyrotechnics. A new joy is upon us, instead: the pleasure of barbecue season!
With longer days and warmer evenings, the sizzle and sear of the barbecue begins. Since we do not have a natural gas line (or availability) we cook with propane. It's not as good as natural gas from an environmental standpoint, but it's better than electricity! Think of electrical cooking as getting 25% efficiency from whatever fuel was originally burned to create the electricity (usually coal). Unless you're using only renewable sources (and sometimes even then), it's better to burn bottled LP or natural gas and have a cookout!
I think I'll get the season started with chicken - marinated in lemon and red pepper. Baked beans on the side, roasted stuffed red bell peppers, and a mixed-green salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. It's time to stop typing, pour myself a pint, and get cooking (with gas). That sounds environmentally friendly to me.
I love barbecue season.
With longer days and warmer evenings, the sizzle and sear of the barbecue begins. Since we do not have a natural gas line (or availability) we cook with propane. It's not as good as natural gas from an environmental standpoint, but it's better than electricity! Think of electrical cooking as getting 25% efficiency from whatever fuel was originally burned to create the electricity (usually coal). Unless you're using only renewable sources (and sometimes even then), it's better to burn bottled LP or natural gas and have a cookout!
I think I'll get the season started with chicken - marinated in lemon and red pepper. Baked beans on the side, roasted stuffed red bell peppers, and a mixed-green salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette. It's time to stop typing, pour myself a pint, and get cooking (with gas). That sounds environmentally friendly to me.
I love barbecue season.
