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.