For this Fourth of July celebration, I made three new friends…a couple and their dog. Our mutual friend had extended the invitation because the couple were relocating to NC at the beginning of August. Since I’m from NC, I gave them the inside scoop even though it had been decades since I lived in the Tar Heel state.
As fate would have it, I arrived before my other friends had, despite the fact that I’d left home later than I’d intended. Nonetheless, I whipped out a bottle of pre-made watermelon/cucumber margarita and became instant friends. Once the drinks were poured, one of the party hosts escorted me to the fabulous backyard.
I made a beeline to the hibachi grill.
I told them that my family has had a hibachi grill since before I was born and that they still use it. I texted one of my sisters a picture of their hibachi grill and asked if she could text a picture of our family grill. I was not prepared for what I saw.
Battle-worn, our family hibachi has given a lifetime of delicious barbecue.
A year or two older than me, our hibachi showed its age far worse than me. For some reason, all those cracks reminded me of how my body was riddled with injuries and inflammation. My sister told me that our parents will replace that grill with one of the newer models.
Can’t overstate how refreshing this pool was.
We experienced typical triple-digit heat, which made the coolness of the pool that much more inviting. What amazed me was that our hosts were so good at drinking while lounging in the pool, they spilt nary a drop of their microbrew in the pool.
They were so enthusiastic about their microbrew that I had a taste. All I can say is that if Pale Ale actually tasted that delicious mass-produced, then I would be a beer drinker. I told them that they’d have to share some bottles with my parents when they visited, in exchange for Mom’s tomato-based home-brew recipe.
I know I shouldn’t volunteer her services, but by the time the visit takes place, perhaps she’ll have consulted other family members about the recipe. I’m not actually sure if she’s ever made it herself. The last time I tasted it, I was around eight years old. I’d be interested in persevering that and our moonshine recipe as well.