From Us

Summer, summer, summertime!

As Chicagoans we wait all year for the few glorious months of warm weather, sunshine, al fresco dining, street festivals, concerts, picnics in the park, you name it - we bring it outside. Which is why we absolutely love trading the oven for the grill this time of year. For us, nothing screams summer like the smokiness of perfectly grilled chicken and farmers market vegetables alongside a nice crisp salad and glass of chilled wine.

While cooking over open flame (gas or charcoal) can be intimidating, we have a few simple tips to help you become your own grill master:

1.Start with the right tools. A heavy duty oven mitt, long metal tongs, basting brush for sauce, grill basket for small things (shishito peppers, shrimp...) basically, be prepared.

2.Choose high quality proteins. This is a tip for

cooking out and indoors. Better quality = Better flavor.

Don't skimp just because it's going on the grill.

3. Use a thermometer and let your meat rest. Ok, that's two tips, but please do both :) There's nothing worse than dry, grilled meat or fish, check the internal temperature to ensure perfectly juicy proteins and let your meat rest for 10-20 minutes before cutting into it to keep it that way.

4. Get creative. The grill is not just for meat. Cauliflower steaks, mushrooms, artichokes, peaches, you name it, you can grill it.

‍

Is it even summer if your fingers aren't covered in stcky BBQ sauce?

It should come as no surprise that we LOVE a good sauce, but will settle for nothing less than the cleanest ingredients. Which is why when we couldn't find a BBQ sauce that checked all the boxes on flavor and ingredients, we made our own.

FARE's SUMMER SAUCE (AKA BBQ SAUCE, but better)

This makes about 2.5 cups of sauce, but can stay in the fridge for up to one month.

- 4 T. olive oil

- 4 whole garlic cloves, smashed

- scant 3/4 c. double-concentrated tomato paste

- 1 cup pure maple syrup

- 1/2 c. worcestershire sauce (we like Annie's Organic brand)

- 1/2 c. tamari or soy sauce

- 4 T. rice vinegar

- 1 t. smoked paprika

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan. Cook garlic cloves 4-5 minutes until golden brown, turn occasionally to prevent burning. Add tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook 4-5 minutes more, until paste darkens. Be sure to contantly stir and scrape the bottom of the pan. Once paste is browned add the remaining ingredients; maple syrup, worcestershire, tamari and rice vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Slather on your favorite protein or veggies before, during and after grilling :)  

Store remaining sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.

‍

‍