By LEAH LEWIS
Summertime. We grill.
Our dining room table becomes a drop-off for swimsuits and soccer balls and we move all kitchen and eating activities outside. I have harbored a not-so-secret crush on Bobby Flay for years, so I have picked up a thing or two about cooking with fire.
But really, in our home, it’s my husband who’s the master of the grill — and the marinades, sauces and accouterments that make a burger night a full-on BBQ party! Salsa, a perfectly-marinated steak, a pork chop to oink for… he’s got them all down.
He is also a very busy contractor. So in the summer months if I’m hankering for a nice marinated steak, I either have to wait for him to be home or I hit the bottle!
Now you could go one of two ways if you are like me and have given up on being saucy: The Kraft standbys or pick up a bottle of local Natural Creations steak sauce, vinaigrette, or hot sauce. You can find their tasty toppers at the Clark Fork Market on Saturday mornings, the Good Food Store in Missoula, or on the Natural Creations website.
The price point is right in there with a standard bottle of A-1, just about $5, with the added value of supporting our neighbors. Try the Chipotle Steak Sauce to finish your Bitterroot Valley-raised steak or burger with a smoky, sweet, spicy kick. The Feisty Vinaigrette is perfection on a spinach salad with hard-boiled egg, ham, and homemade croutons.
You won’t stop there! Keep a few around to inspire your quick summer weeknight meals or send a gift to that out-of-state friend or relative, and they would be a perfect Father’s Day gift for your favorite fire-loving dad.
Happy grilling this summer!
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Leah Lewis is living the dream on Missoula’s Northside with her handsome and handy husband Mark, daughters Zoe and Mila, two dogs, and a cat. She enjoys making things on her sewing machine, with her knitting needles, and in her kitchen. You can listen to her play today’s pop music every day on Fresh 104.5 FM, or listen to her podcast about hundred or more year old pop music on her classical music podcast at www.downbeatdownlow.com with Darko Butorac from the Missoula Symphony. You might catch Leah and her family relaxing in their backyard, cheering on the Missoula Osprey, or rooting for the Lady Griz on any given weekend.