BARBECUES: Eoin Lyons has advice for the perfect summer barbecue
Stock up: A barbecue for a large group can make you realise some entertaining shortcomings: not enough plates, too few glasses, and odd napkins. Do a one-stop trip to Dunnes Stores. You'll be amazed at how much 150 will buy. Plastic plates that look like china have Paul Smith-style blue and yellow stripes are 12; clear blue plastic salad tongs are 12; white china plates are 13, white bowls 12; big serving bowls are 16; three denim napkins cost 15 ; a cream linen table cloth with wide red border is 112, a 16-piece cutlery set with cool plastic handles is 115. Woodies have the biggest range of BBQ tools: rosewood forks, spatulas, tongs, mitts, skewers and so on are all under 110.
Lighting the coals: A gas barbecue avoids the frustration of lighting a fire that takes forever to get going and dies out halfway through cooking, but there's satisfaction in getting a successful fire going rather than twisting a dial. Your charcoal fire should be burning from between 45minutes and one hour before it's at the correct stage for cooking. Start with a layer of coals about two inches deep with a fire lighter and twists of newspaper underneath. Lay the coals lightly with air spaces to help the fire take hold. Light the newspaper and add more coal as it starts to burn. Use more coal than you think you'll need. Wait until the fire has gone to ash before putting food on the grill.
The down under way: "Barbecues in Australia are big events and
people prepare for days," says Elke Pascoe of Thinkhouse PR. "Food is usually very ornate. Everything is marinated. The barbecues themselves are so big they're like portable kitchens. We tend to use a lot of seafood, most things are served with bread, and salads play a big part. Drink is champagne and beer. When I have a barbecue I use disposable everything and keep
things colourful with big bright bowls of food. Australians keep a citronella candle burning to keep bugs away but it's good for atmosphere too."
"Baby octopus is a really popular barbecue dish in Australia," adds fashion designer Nicola McCutcheon of Suki & Nic. "You need a hot plate to do it, something you don't see on many barbecues here – an Australian barbie is half-grill and half-metal plate. The octopus is cooked in salt, olive oil and lemon juice on the plate. It tastes a bit like calamari and is delicious. The head is juicy and the tentacles are crispy. A big plate of meat can look a
bit ugly, so I use sprigs of rosemary around the edge of the pate or between the meat. It gives a rustic look and because herbs are flowering now, it's pretty too."
Build your own barbecue: Well, don't actually try to build it yourself, unless you're a competent bricklayer. Instead, get awell-established and reliable builder to do it, such as Martin Hyland, for between 1650 and 1850. That includes laying foundations, materials, labour and grill fittings. He says it will take no more than two visits and should be finished over three or four days.
Read up: Barbecues and Other Outdoor Feasting, by Hugo Arnold 122.00; The Basic Basics Barbecues Handbook, by Charmaine Solomon, 111.95, both at Hodges Figgis.
Address book: Argos, countrywide (for branches 01-4480095); B&Q, Liffey Valley (01-6299499) and Tallaght (01-6804650); Dunnes Stores. Foryour nearest, phone 01-4751111; Homebase, Kylemore Road, Dublin 10 (01-4569044) and Nutgrove Avenue, Churchtown, Dublin (01-2983644); Martin Hyland (087-2397430); Meadows & Byrne, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin (01-2804554), Cork (021-4272324) and Galway (091-567776); Muji,Chatham Street, Dublin (01-6794591); Woodies – stores countrywide, for your nearest call (01-4521353). Peaches Kemp is co-owner of itsabagel and Feast Catering (www.feast.ie; 086-3844377)