Grilled Bratwursts with beer and caramelized onions

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Last weekend we celebrated Tom’s birthday by buying 2 charcoal grills, inviting about 20 friends and then grilling everything in our sight.

We grilled vegetables, corn on the cob, hamburgers, ribs and because I was brought up in the center of an Italian butcher family, we had to grill sausage. 

When I was younger and growing up in Venezuela, most major events in my family revolved around a “Parrillada” (BBQ).   My paternal side of the family owned a cattle ranch, and a “Parrillada” party was a huge affair with the family.  They would usually take place at “el rancho” (ranch) and pretty much consisted in a full day eating feast. Pigs, cattle and chickens were butchered, prepped and ready to fill the great big “parrillas” (grills) which were coal-heated hours before.  In some cases the whole animal was grilled, nothing was left to waste and while meat was favored, I loved the grilled sausages.

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HCB: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake

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Friday was Tom's birthday.  The original plan was to take the whole weekend off, pack up the car and drive down the Florida coast, looking for one of those adorable places that have a beach cottage right on the beach and stay there soaking up the rays, enjoying the water (before the oil gets here), eating lots of seafood and basically be lazy - The birthday boy told me he rather plan a simple BBQ at the house with friends and family.

So much for my power of persuasion.

When we started to plan the menu for the BBQ, I asked him what he wanted for his birthday cake.  He jumped up and shouted "your coconut cake! Oh, wait, no how about the Zuppa Inglesa?... no, no, wait... maybe the Tres Leche cake."

The boy, was CONFUSE.  Time to save him me some time, because when Marie posted the cake for the month of June and the Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cake fell on the Saturday of the BBQ, I did not waste time in telling him that THIS WAS HIS BIRTHDAY CAKE for him and his 20+ guest, period.

He knew by this time I was drowning in the details of this "simple" party, so he totally agreed and we went with it.

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Tuna Spread or Tuna Dip

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I been absent around these parts – I fess up.

There have been parties, and family reunions and friends staying over, and major catch up to the last 4 episodes of LOST saved in my DVR (people is it really OVER???) thus my posting has been put in the back burner.

But, I’m back.  All refresh and ready to go full throttle once more.

So let’s start with something simple.

It involves Tuna at its best.  

It’s a spread, or a salad, or even a dip.  

It’s that multitalented.

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