PATIO SEASON - PART 2

Saturday I set up the patio ... again.  I already set it up once this season when we had a string of beautiful, warm, sunny days a few weeks ago.  Then it snowed.  That totally sucked.  So, I packed everything back up along the side of the house and waited for spring to really arrive.

Sunday, spring seems to be here to stay. 

I spend some time outside sitting at the bistro table.  I read magazines, do a little laptop work, and sip a lot of pinot noir.  Just when I think the day is probably as good as it could be, I get an idea.  Yup, the patio is almost done, almost ready.  Just one more thing and then spring is complete.

I take a chance.  Yes, I move the grill back into its coveted spot and roll off the cover.  If I can get my son to help change over the gas canister (it's on too tightly), we might have BBQ#1 of the season under our belts.  The only problem is that my son is not here.  He has a sports commitment in the city.


Despite my youngest child's late dinner arrival from a field in Charlestown for a lacrosse game, I still manage to pull off a twilight barbecue dinner.  After a quick grill inspection to make sure no winter animals have taken up residence, we change over the empty gas for a full one, I scrub down the grill itself, and we make sure all systems are go.  With a turn of the handle and a flick of the red starter button, we have ignition.

It's just the two of us for dinner tonight, so the burgers are a bit bulky, somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 pound of meat per burger.  It's the 93% stuff, so the burgers will stay pretty much the size I make them.  I throw in some seasoning: onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, some Worcestershire sauce, and whatever else my hands grab out of the cabinet. 

As soon as the burgers hit the grill, the smell is amazing.  I have almost forgotten how great the smell is of seasoned burgers char-broiling on a grill.  Fifteen minutes later, everything is done, and the burgers are oozing out all over the hamburg buns.  My son grabs the cheese, which I have carelessly forgotten, out of the fridge and makes a cheeseburger for himself.  Then he makes a second one.  I am still slowly savoring my burger, taking time to eat the one I have in the time it takes him to eat two.

Spring?  Check.  Patio?  Check.  Grill?  Check.  Barbecue #1 of the season?  CHECK.