Boston's Market

Texas-style steak on toast? Sign me up, right? It's epicurious, sure, but we're just talking about meat and bread here—there's not a lot to mess up. Yet scroll down the list of ingredients and you'll see that they throw it entirely with this bit about "8 1-inch-thick slices French bread." Put that sizzle on Texas toast, son!

Meanwhile, congratulate India the next time you stop by Ooohs and Aaahs—she's on the cover of Washingtonian.

All this is to say that it's time for another barbecue. Weekend after next—say, to celebrate my departure from my job? I'll try the pork program that Boston Buns has been clamoring about, so long as vinegar makes no appearance. This is a chasm I will not ford, for reasons not least of which being that I haven't the slightest idea how to make blonde barbecue. Honey-bourbon sauce, I hope, will do the trick for the pulled sandwich.

But on other fronts I'm willing to try out some new things and will happily take suggestions. I'm liking the idea of making a fresh Mexican sweet crema and grilling some fruits for dipping: mangos, pineapple, pears, and peaches. And it's high time one of us learned how to make a slaw, and I definitely need to get on my plan to make chow-chow. Mm, getting excited.