42 el paso style

backyard gadgets

BRIGHT BACKYARD IDEASThe popular Gershwin song “Summertime” (and the living is

easy) just got a boost — thanks to some new items displayed at

the 2009 International Home and Housewares Show in Chicago.

Americans are spending more time at home — “staycations” —

and much of the living and entertaining is enjoyed in the backyard.

The grill plays a big role — last year consumers bought more

than 17 million grills. Gadgets and appliances enhance outdoor

cooking, and menus have moved beyond traditional hamburg-

ers and hot dogs. Elegance is added with attractive portable

outdoor lights, inviting dinner guests to linger.

Here are some finds from the Housewares Show designed for

“living easy” while entertaining outdoors. Relax and enjoy is the

name of the game.

by Ruth Taber

� A new BBQ star: Cole & Mason King Pepper Baseball

Bat Mill is perfect for all sports lovers. Crafted of 100

percent natural beechwood from sustainable forests in

Denmark, it’s the same size as a real baseball bat —

281⁄2 inches. The stainless-steel grinding mechanism

needs only a twist of the wrist to deliver the “winning”

pepper. Little Leaguers can join the team with a 19-

inch version of the Bat Mill. Large size costs $50;

small size costs $35. Both mills are available at

www.amazon.com. Credit: Cole Mason

The Food Loop Flame by Fusion Brands is designed to replace

kitchen string or toothpicks for stuffed, rolled, bunched and

wrapped meats, fish and veggies cooked on the grill — gas or

charcoal. There’ll be no more problems with splintering, breaking

or sticking to food. Made of stainless

steel, the 18-inch flexible loop

can be adjusted from 2- to

6-inch diameters, and it

withstands heat up to

2,000 degrees. This

reusable, flameproof

trussing tool can also

be used in the oven

and on the stove top,

and it can go into the

dishwasher. The food loops

come four to a package, and

the retail price rages from $16 to

$19. It’s available at www.cooking.com

or www.chefsresource.com. Credit: Folly

Mountain Grilling

� When you don’t want the party to end, outdoor lighting can keep the festivities

going. OXO’s Candela Glow lights emit a soft glow like candles but are really

rechargeable LED lights, cool to the touch. They stay lit for eight hours after

each charge; to recharge, the lights are set back on the charger, which plugs

into any standard outlet. (Bonus: Lights in charger illuminate automatically if the

power goes off.) Use the lights on the table, around the pool or in the garden.

A set of eight retails for $130; a set of four costs $70. Available at

www.oxo.com. (OXO’s parent company is El Paso’s Helen of Troy.)

Credit: OXO

�

june/july 2009 43

� Gourmet Grilling Wraps from Frieling add flavors of cedar,

maple or alder wood to food and make an enticing presentation

on the dinner plate. Simple to use, the wood wraps, from sus-

tainable forests in Nova Scotia, must be presoaked for about

20 minutes; water is fine — or try wine for more pizazz. Wrap

the food inside and tie with string or soaked green onions (scal-

lions). Place the seam side down on a preheated grate and

cook with closed grill. The ontents remain wonderfully moist.

Serve directly from the grill to the plate. The wraps are good for

fish, meat, poultry, veggies and more. A package of six (one-

time use) retails for $11. Available at www.frieling.com

� A new portable induction stove and warming plate in one —

Fissler’s Cookstar Induction Pro — is a perfect complement to

outdoor barbecuing. Plug it in next to the grill or on the table,

and let your favorite sauce simmer. The “keep warm” control

maintains food at a safe level (145 degrees) as long as the party

lasts. Need some pasta in a hurry? The Fissler Induction Pro is

powerful enough to boil water in less than a minute. The glass-

ceramic surface is a breeze to clean, and there’s no worrying

about burnt fingers. The retail price is $300. The Cookstar

Induction Pro will be available this summer at

www.fisslerstore.com or www.amazon.com

Credit: Fissler USA

� Grilly Goat Basting Tongs allow you to baste and turn

your food with one hand. The 16-inch tongs feature

non-slip grips for easy handling and are designed with

a scalloped end to firmly grip grilled items. The silicone

bristles on the end of the tongs are heat resistant to

500 degrees, won’t clump or frizz, and hold liquids well

for easy transport and spreading. The tongs retail for

$13, and two replacement silicone brushes cost $6.

Available at www.grillygoat.com �

� For party appetizers or smaller appetites, Jokari’s slid-

er maker is a kitchen time saver. Place one pound of

ground meat in the tray and, using the patty cutter,

form nine mini hamburgers. (The package comes with

two trays.) If you’re not using the meat immediately,

freeze the sliders using the enclosed air-tight freezer

lids. The slider maker retails at $14 and is available at

www.amazon.com.

44 el paso style

wines & bbq

BARBECUE & WINETHE WINNER: UNTI VINEYARD DRY CREEK VALLEY SANGIOVESE 2006 FROM CALIFORNIA ($19.99)

THE IDEA SEEMED INTRIGUING ENOUGH —DOES WINE PAIR WELL WITH BARBECUE?

A group of wine enthusiasts and growers — Vic Poulos, owner of ZinValle Winery; Ken Stark, owner of La Vina Winery; Ray Stafford, ElPaso Times publisher and wine collector; Mark Heins, wine expert andrestaurateur; Mostafa Rifai, wine lover and restaurateur; Pablo Villa, ElPaso Times presentation editor and wine novice; Riccardo Barraza,owner of Italian Wine Imports; and Tammy Diaz, wine expert — met ona recent sunny afternoon to taste wines and a variety of barbecue.

Sausage, ribs, brisket, chicken and smoked turkey filled the table. Twokinds of sauce were deployed: one sweet, the other fiery hot.

And one by one, the bottles were open. As expected, red wines seemed todo better with the spicy, sweet barbecue sauces and meats.

by Paula Monarez Diaz photography by Mark Lambie

june/july 2009 45

A wine from Italy, Chianti Vecchia Cantinadi Montepulciano 2007 ($12.50-$14), got anod for pairing well with brisket, chicken andany tomato-based barbecue sauce that wasn’tspicy.

“But no way should it be served with turkey,”Poulos said. Stafford said: “This is excellentwith brisket.” Heins added. “It should not bepaired with spicy sausage or ribs.”

WilsonWinery Sawyer Vineyards DryCreek Valley Zinfandel 2005 ($30) was con-sidered one of the best wines for barbecue. Itwent well with the chicken, turkey, sausageand the brisket. “It seems to do well againsthot, spicy barbecue,” Barraza said.

Tasters said Dona Paula Cabernet Sauvi-gnon, Argentina 2007 ($12), was light andfruity and would be paired with most barbe-cue and sauces. “It’s subtle and doesn’t over-power,” Diaz said.

Another South American wine, 2008 TerraAndina Carmenere from Chile ($9.99),wowed the crowd. Its blend of black currant,blackberry, grilled red pepper and black pep-per went well with everything served. “Thishad the best value of the bunch,” Poulos said.

A California wine, Unti Vineyard DryCreek Valley Sangiovese 2006 ($19.99),won for best wine for barbecue. Sangioveseis a dark, full-bodied wine with classicchocolate, cherry and licorice flavors. “Per-fect!” Heins said. “Say no more.” “Workswell with turkey, chicken, ribs,” Staffordsaid. “Excellent.”

La Vina’s Rojo Loco ($11) is a blend of rubycabernet and zinfandel similar to sangria. It’ssweet and goes well with spicy sauce, tastersfound. “The higher the sugar content, thehigher the rating with barbecue sauce,” Pou-los said. “This proves it.”

The last wine to work well with barbecue wasalso from the area — Zin Valle SweetWhite: 2007 Gewurztraminer ($11). “Thisworks nice with the sweet barbecue sauceand chicken or turkey,” Heins said.

Several wines served at the tasting did notpair with barbecue. French wines — DomainCamplaizens 2006, made from Grenache andSyrah grapes; a Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Vil-lages Red 2007; and a Perrin & Fils 2007Cotes Du Rhone Rouge Reserve— in par-ticular, did not work with the smoked meatsand the sweet and spicy sauces.

“The French must not eat barbecue,” Poulossaid. “It’s a good wine, but these really can’tbe paired with barbecue.” �

HERE ARE WHATPANELISTSDISCOVEREDWHEN IT CAMETO SERVINGWINE ANDBARBECUE:

46 el paso style

backyard grilling

The warm summer months bring plenty of barbecue, outdoor fiestasand many novice backyard chefs trying to turn patios into a culinaryparadise.

“The key to any successful barbecue is cooking slow and low and notbeing in a rush,” said Williams, who owns Mo’z Bar-B-Que, 4011Fred Wilson. “If you are in a rush, don’t barbecue.”

The beauty of living in El Paso is the wonderful weather and the more-than-usual hours of sun we are blessed with. And don’t think for aminute that El Pasoans do not take advantage of being able to partakein one of America’s favorite pastimes — grilling. Using simple tech-niques and tools, it’s possible to grill like Williams in your own back-yard.

Williams, a pitmaster who won the sanctioned 2004 Central TexasCook-off with first- and second-place ribs, second-place brisket andthird-place chicken, has the recipes, hot tips and cool techniques that’llkeep things cooking all summer long.

Williams said the first thing a host needs to decide is the menu, takinginto consideration the number of guests.

“One of the mistakes a host makes the most is having too manymeats,” he said. “You are not going to eat that much meat, so maybego with a little bit of beef, a little bit of poultry and you might go witha little turkey. I even grill fish sometimes.”

Williams recommended having something waiting in the wings foryour vegetarian friends.

“I like to get my menu and plan out how I’m going to cook it,” he said.“You have to know the time on your meats because your meats willtake the longest to cook. Most of your vegetables don’t take long tocook. You don’t want to prepare your vegetables in advance.”

On average, ribs or steak should be between 165 to 185 degrees —depending on how you like them — while chicken should reach 180degrees. To test the internal temperature of a whole chicken, insert the

thermometer into the thigh, taking care not to touch the bone.

“I tell people all the time, pork and chicken are the deadly ones, so youwant to make sure you cook them all the way,” Williams said. “Peoplelike eating hamburger medium-rare. That should never happen.Always eat your ground meats full-cooked.”

Part of the preparation is determining the type of cookout you’re goingto have and whether you want to still be cooking when your guestsarrive or to have it prepared before the event.

“You don’t want to come out and cook for a hundred people and startat the same time your party starts,” Williams said. “If you want toenjoy your guests, start cooking before your guests arrive. But if it’sgoing to be a pretty small, laid-back affair, you can start later.”At any backyard barbecue, the side dishes are also very important.Matter of fact ...

“Side dishes make the barbecue,” Williams said. “I like the acronym,KISS, Keep it Simple Stupid. It’s whatever you want. I like a zucchini,yellow squash and onion combination with rub and a tad bit of sugar. Ialso love a good mango coleslaw.”

Williams said side dishes should be whatever the host enjoys, but becautious in pairing.

“If we do baby carrots with an orange-ginger sauce, well, I don’t thinkI would put that with ribs,” he said. “To me, with ribs, I might put abaked potato, a corn on the cob, a nice coleslaw, potato salad or some-thing like that.”

Williams, who has been barbecuing for 32 years, encouraged weekendbackyard chefs to use different techniques until they find somethingthey are comfortable with.

“Go out there and try it,” he said. “Practice with different types ofwoods and charcoal to see what you prefer. Try different types of mari-nades and rubs. The only way you are going to find out what you likeis if you go out there and do it.”

Where There’s S...there’s bound to be Morris “Mo”Williams grilling up a batch of outrageous award-winning ribs,

mouthwatering chicken and brisket, apple-smoked pork or just about anything else you can sear over a live fire.

“The key to any

successful barbecue is

cooking slow and low and

not being in a rush.”

Smoke...by Victor R. Martinezphotgraphy by Victor R. Martinez

48 el paso style

“Side dishes should be

whatever the host enjoys,

but be cautious in

pairing.”

•DIRECT GRILLING:This is what most of the world means when peoplespeak of grilling: The food is placed and cookeddirectly over the fire. Direct grilling is a high-heatmethod used to cook tender, small or thin pieces offood quickly. Typical foods that are direct grilledinclude steaks, chops, chicken breasts, fish fillets, veg-etables and bread.

• INDIRECT GRILLING:Indirect grilling is designed to cook larger, tougher orfattier foods that would burn if direct grilled. As thename suggests, the food is cooked next to, not directlyover the fire. The grill lid is closed to hold in the heat,turning the grill into a sort of outdoor oven. Indirectgrilling allows you to work over a more moderatetemperature (275 to 350 degrees) and makes it easy tointroduce the flavor of wood smoke. Typical foodsyou would indirect grill include pork shoulders, wholeturkeys and chickens (including “beer can” chicken,which is marinated in beer), beef and pork ribs, barbe-cued onions and cabbages, and tough foods likebrisket that require long, slow cooking at low or mod-erate heat.

• SMOKING:Smoking is a particular kind of indirect grilling —generally done at a low temperature (225 to 275degrees) for an extended time in the presence of abun-dant wood smoke. Smoking is typically done in anoffset barrel smoker (a device with a separate fireboxand smoke chamber) or an upright water smoker. Youcan also smoke in a charcoal kettle or front-loadinggrill and in gas grills. The key concepts here are low,slow and smoky. Typical foods for smoking includebrisket, pork shoulder, ribs and salmon.

• SPIT-ROASTING:Spit-roasting means cooking foods on a rotisserie. Theslow, gentle rotation and lateral heat are ideal forcylindrically shaped fatty foods, like whole chickens,ducks and rib roast. Pork and beef ribs are fantasticcooked on the rotisserie. You can spit-roast on bothgas and charcoal grills. The procedure varies fromgrill to grill, so consult the manufacturer’s instruc-tions. Generous basting is essential to successful spitroasting.

•ROASTING IN THE EMBERS:This was probably the first form of grilling — it’s cer-tainly the most extreme and robust. As the nameimplies, you lay the food directly on the glowingembers or bury it in the hot coals or ash. The short listof foods you can roast in or on the embers includesonions, beets, corn in the husk, potatoes and sweetpotatoes. You can also use this method to cook brisket.�

5METHODS OF LIVEFIRE COOKING

june/july 2009 49

cooking with jane steele

june/july 2009 49

> JANE STEELE TEACHES COOKING CLASSES AND CAN BE REACHED ATsimplygourmete lpaso@yahoo.com

Girl at the GrillWhen I got married, someone gave my husband and me our first grill.

was an odd wedding gift,and it came from anuncle of my husband’swho obviously didn’tknow him very wellbecause my husband wasborn without the barbe-

cue gene. Oh, don’t get me wrong.This was 16 years ago when all heknew about grilling was that heliked to eat what others were able toproduce. Now, he can grill with thebest of them, but he rarely gets achance because the grill is mine.

A few years ago I attended an auc-tion where one of the items was theentire Steven Raichlen cookbooklibrary. After no one bid on it, Idecided to bite the bullet andwalked away with a box of essentialgrill products along with the cook-books. (If you don't know whoRaichlen is and you like to grill,you owe it to yourself to seek out atleast one of his cookbooks. He isthe master, and so far he has yet tofail me when I try one of hisrecipes.) What I also walked awaywith, although I didn’t know it then,was a wealth of recipes based onRaichlen’s research of grilled foodsfrom around the world.

Grilling is the oldest of cookingtechniques; man has beenthrowing meats over fire sincetime began. But who knew thatyou could grill almost anything?Strawberries, not so much, but

most fruit is even better grilledthan it is fresh. Pineapple, bananas,

nectarines, peaches, watermelonand figs, oh ... grilled figs stuffedwith gorgonzola and wrapped withprosciutto. It’s on my last-meal list.

I love gazpacho and make it almostonce a week during our hot sum-

mers. I make it even better by toss-ing the tomatoes on the grill to searfirst, letting the hot smoke blisterand burn the skin. Then I chill thetomatoes, peel them and throw themin the blender along with all thegood juices that collect in the bot-tom of the bowl. Try that by thepool this July and you'll havelegions of fans.

The debate over charcoal versus gasgrills is a no-brainer. Charcoal isalways better, but I am not a puristand when I just want to grill someasparagus on a Tuesday, I’ll fire upthe gas grill. But if I really want tomake something better, I can’t beathardwood charcoal. I am not talkingabout Kingsford, but about the all-natural, no-preservative charcoalthat I wouldn’t disrespect by throw-ing lighter fluid on. There are twobrands I recommend: CowboyCharcoal, and the locally producedmesquite charcoal made by theRamos Brothers and sold atMando’s Produce at 5420Doniphan.

A rib-eye grilled over mesquite andfinished with a pat of cumin garlicbutter is so good, I have beenknown to cry when eating it. Serveit alongside some grilled greenonions and grilled corn with limebutter.

Sure, it can be smoky by the grilland you do sweat. However, a girlat the grill doesn’t sweat, she glis-tens, and that smoky aroma is anpheromone to some. And nothing isas pleasurable as jumping into apool after a few hours spent by a hotgrill. When someone hands you acold beer as you drift in the waters,you’ll smile slightly and realize thatit rarely gets any better than this. �

it

50 el paso style

salon

STORIESFROMTHE

by Paula Monarez Diaz photography by Christ Chavez

hair salons

Hairstylistsdo

moretha

n make

uslook g

ood.Theyare

our confida

ntsand

our protectors.Afterall,

they knowhowthin

our hair

reallyis o

r how

much

gray w

e have

before they supply

thesha

dewe

prefer.

ElPaso

Style a

sked s

ix stylists

tosha

rethe

ir

expertise

and ideason

moretha

n justgood

hair.

YOUR MOSTMEMORABLE

DAY AT WORK?THE FIRST DAY IOPENED MYSALON IN1981...

NAME:

DanielBilsbarrow30 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

Daniel’sSalon5411 N. MESA, NO. 12.581-3555

What one product can’t you dowithout? Sebastian Shaper Plusaerosol spray.

Your most memorable day atwork? The first day I opened mysalon in 1981. It was exciting. I wastoo young to realize what I hadjust done.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Important to use a professionalshampoo. There are a lot of productsout there that prevent your hair fromdoing maximum it can do. Therereally is a difference between store-bought and professional product.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer? When a client is trying toask me out on a date. Now that I amsingle, I get that a lot.

Your perfect evening ...? Having din-ner with a friend at a nice restaurant.

june/july 2009 51

NAME:

RosieBarragan38 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

Barragan’sSalon andDay Spa690 S. MESA HILLS532-2722 ORBARRAGANSALONSPA.COM

What one product can’t youdo without? Texture Twist byPureology.

Your most memorable dayat work? I love it when peo-ple whose hair I have beendoing since they were childrencome back to me as parentsand bring their babies to gettheir hair done. It’s amazing.Very powerful. They trust you.It’s the most rewarding experi-ence.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Use proper products. Sure, acut is good, but using goodshampoo and conditionermakes a difference.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer? When a customerbrings you a picture that isnothing like their hair. It istotally different from whattheir hair is, and they stillwant it done that way..

Your perfect evening ...?Having my children andgrandchildren close by andrelaxing with them at an eventsuch as Music Under theStars.

WHAT’S YOURNO. 1 HAIR TIP?

USE PROPERPRODUCTS.

june/july 2009 53

WHAT’S YOURNO. 1 HAIR TIP?DON’T TRY TOOHARD TO MAKE

IT PERFECTBECAUSE IT

NEVER WILL BE.

NAME:

WilliamSegovia

28 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

Segovia’sNail &

Hair Studio8900 VISCOUNT,

SUITE AH594-1969

What one product can’t youdo without? Any professional

moisturizer conditioner.

Your most memorable dayat work? The day I first

opened my business, May 30,1989. It was an accomplish-

ment. I didn’t finish highschool. I was a dropout, andopening up the salon gameme a sense of accomplish-

ment.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Don’t try too hard to make it

perfect because it neverwill be.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer? I had a customerwho stole all her parent’s life

savings and some of it was onme. That’s how she paid for

her hair getting done!

Your perfect evening ...?Spending time in my new

backyard with my wife, kidsand grandkids by the pool or

with my Christianbrothers and sisters.

NAME:

DeniseTafoya10 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

MarkhamSalons2200 N. YARBROUGH,SUITE D.592-0839www.markhamsalon.com

What one product can’t youdo without?Aveda BrilliantAnti-Humectant Pomade.

Your most memorable dayat work?There was woman who camein was battling cancer. Shehad very short hair, so shewore a wig. When her hair hadgrown about two inches long,we did a full head of hairextensions. When she sawherself, she cried. She thoughtshe looked so pretty. It hadbeen so hard because shehadn’t had hair for a year. Iwanted to cry with her. I hadmade someone feel good.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Always use the proper prod-ucts for hair.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer?Can you cut my hair in twolayers? She had long hair. Shewanted people to see just twolayers. It was impossible to do.

Your perfect evening ...?Hanging out with my husbandand three kids — 4, 3 and 2— and going to the parkor getting pizza. That’spretty nice.

CRAZIEST THINGYOU’VE BEENTOLD BY A

CUSTOMER?CAN YOU CUT MY

HAIR IN TWOLAYERS?

june/july 2009 55

NAME:

EmilioOrtiz Jr.,

30 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

InnovationsBy Emilio

SalonTotale

3800 N. MESA,SUITE C5.

544-5054 ORinnovationsbyemilio-hair.onsmartpages.

com

What one product can’tyou do without?

Sebastian Shaper Plus aerosolspray.

Your most memorable dayat work? There was a clientwho thought she was ugly

because she had gonethrough chemotherapy. Well, I

installed a wig and did hermakeup. And she was so

grateful. She learned that ifyou look beautiful, you will

feel beautiful.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Always allow your image inthe hands of a professional.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer? A customer askedme to do her color and cut at

her home. Her home wasAmsterdam. So for a year, Itraveled once a month to do

her hair. Now she lives inPhoenix and comes here for

her hair.

Your perfect evening ...?Having a dinner I cooked with

my family and friends.

WHAT’S YOUR NO.1 HAIR TIP?

ALWAYS ALLOWYOUR IMAGE IN THE

HANDS OF APROFESSIONAL.

NAME:

AideVillalobos9 YEARS IN THEBUSINESS

SALON:

Galeria ABeauty Salon6330 N. MESA,SUITE F1833-9977

What one product can’t youdo without? It’s a 10: MiracleLiving Product conditioner.

Your most memorableday at work? On a recentSaturday, a young girl came inat the last minute to get herhair done for the prom. I had alot of appointments and could-n’t take another person. Butshe begged me to take her anddo whatever I wanted to herhair. I couldn’t say no. So I didit, and she was so happy. Shesaid I had saved her life. I feltso good about helping her.

What’s your No. 1 hair tip?Don’t place a hair dryer tooclose to hair when drying itwith brush. It will burn yourhair.

Craziest thing you’ve everoverheard or been told by acustomer? I once had a cus-tomer come in with reallyshort hair and she wanted anew look — longer hair with-out extensions. I told her Idon’t know how that wasgoing to be possible.

Your perfect evening ...?I like getting in my Jacuzziwith a glass of wine and justrelaxing for a while. And thenlater I like to go out dancing. �

WHAT’S YOUR NO.1 HAIR TIP? DON’T

PLACE A HAIRDRYER TOO CLOSE

TO HAIR WHENDRYING IT WITH A

BRUSH.

june/july 2009 57