Get Outside. Bring Food.
I grew up in North Carolina, where spending an entire day outside around food wasn’t a special occasion. It was just what you did. A
shrimp boil took over the backyard. A
fish stew simmered all afternoon. A
pig roast turned into a neighborhood event. Food was the reason to gather, and gathering was the reason to cook.
I’ve lived in Boston for years now, and I love it here, but the cookout window is genuinely short. When nice weather finally arrives and I can get back outside,
I lean in hard.
For me, the best outdoor gatherings have at least one moment of showiness: something that makes people stop mid-conversation and say wait, what? At my pig roast last summer (themed “The Hog Father”), I repurposed a chocolate fountain for marinara and served garlic knots for dipping. It was delicious and ridiculous in the best way. Other years it was a build-your-own
Aperol spritz bar, and on one particularly brutally hot afternoon, homemade
ice cream sandwiches handed out mid-party.
I also love a gorgeous meze spread with
make-ahead dips. It can look like it took all day, but really it comes together quickly with a mix of homemade and purchased items.
Eggplant Dip with Scallions and Cilantro is one of my absolute favorites. It’s inspired by baba ghanoush, which is made by cooking the eggplant over an open flame until the skin is charred and the interior is meltingly tender. Here, you can broil the eggplants or grill them (I obviously prefer the latter). Then, discard the skin and mix the softened eggplant with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and herbs. The result is creamy and so boldly flavored.
My ATK colleagues know this dip is a winner, but I got to put it to the test for a panel of judges on the latest season of Food Network’s BBQ Brawl. You can see me make it in the first episode, which premiered May 11. Competing against some other barbecue pros (and making tons of new friends) was pretty epic.
Check out my bio to see what else I've been cooking up!
Now that summer’s (almost) here, I hope you find some occasion to get outside with good company and enjoy some great food.
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