Diana Page Jordan | Book Reviews and Inspiration

By Julie Biuso

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Published April 2008 (Paperback) Julie Biuso Publications

More Info: Sizzle

Never a good idea to wear stilettos at a barbeque.  I did tonight, and I ended up aerating the lawn of a very exclusive waterfront property near Portland, Oregon.  Not to mention I ranged in height from 5’7″ to my natural 5’4″.  It was for a good cause – the American Cancer Society.  The summer sun warmed us to perfection, then dropped behind the hills, just in time for the tiki lamps to take over.

My friends Inger and Scott donated their music.  Others donated cookies, cokes, pizzas and salads.  And some donated divine barbequed chicken.  Yes, and I donated lawn aeration.  I’ve never been very sensible about shoes.  When we first moved to Portland, my new husband told me a millionaire had invited us to a barbeque, so I wore my heels and a very short skirt.  This particular millionaire had made his fortune off the land, so when we arrived, my NY persona still intact, I found myself maneuvering around the pigs, and hopscotching from flat rock to flat rock across a stream.   The dancer in me was able to accomplish the short leaps.  I had to tell the New Yorker in me to keep her mouth shut.  As of this week, I’ve been divorced six years and I still wear stilettos.

For some reason, my ex, a Texan, left behind the hulking black barbeque pit I bought him a million Father’s Days ago.  Which explains my interest in Sizzle: Sensational Barbecue Food, by Julie Biuso.  The Fourth of July is around the corner, and it’s about time I made at least an attempt at barbequing.  I flip through the cookbook, and can almost taste the exquisite food,  photographed by Aaron McLean  — from beginnings like Grilled Asparagus with Buffalo Mozzarella and Bruschetta with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes.  The main events are meats, chickens, and seafood.

Deviled Chicken Wings:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

finely grated zest of 1 lemon

fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 1/4 pounds chicken wings, halved

salt

lime wedges for serving

1. In a shallow dish, mix oil, paprika, cumin, lemon zest, black pepper.  Add chicken wings, turn to coat with dressing.  Cover and marinate at least an hour, up to 24-hours, refrigerated, turning occasionally

2. Gently turn chicken wings in dressing, adding 1/2 tsp salt.  Cook over low to medium heat on an oiled barbecue hot plate 45-minutes, or until cooked through; baste with marinade from time to time.  Alternatively, cook in preheated 375-degree oven 25-minutes, or until golden and cooked through.

3.  Transfer chicken wings to a platter, sprinkle with salt and squeeze lime juice over it.

I also want to try the Quick Green Salad and Colin’s Breakfast Tomatoes.  I’m growing tomatoes on my porch, do you believe it?

Would you believe a basket with peppers in the top, and an upside-down tomato plant trailing three tiny green tomatoes.  And it’s a good idea to wear my stilettos so I can reach to water them.