Summer

The perfect complement to all types of barbecued ribs is a large bowl of mixed grilled vegetables. The charred highlights of the multicolored dish make it as appealing to look at as it is to eat. Oil makes the colors of the vegetables glisten, while the balsamic vinegar and honey provide a rich, sweet flavor.

If there is one food that can eclipse even the barbecuing tradition of chicken in the South, it’s corn. We eat it creamed; in succotash, corn pudding, and cornbread; and of course straight up as buttery corn on the cob. As a side dish for smoky grilled chicken, slightly charred grilled corn is perfection. Corn husk skewers update the old standby; by adding zucchini or other vegetables such as eggplant, a unique vegetable medley is born. Grilling the veggies together in the husks keeps them from burning, steams them soft, and traps the natural moisture within the cob. Imagine your guests’ surprise, when the husks are peeled back and instead of a corn cob this grilled vegetable combination is revealed.

A flourishing garden filled with home-grown vegetables was a source of pride to Big Bob, and his favorite area of the garden was the tomato patch, where he tended a variety of cultivars. By planting different kinds of tomato plants, he was ensured fresh ripe tomatoes all summer long. His favorite summer dish was a tomato salad made with whatever types of tomatoes were in season. This recipe combines two of Big Bob’s Southern favorites: grilled chicken and tomato salad. It is hard to beat the sweet taste of tomatoes in season combined with the charred flavors of chicken cooked outdoors. Each element of this dish can be served on its own, but together they form a signature dish that you’ll return to again and again all summer long.

Like barbecue, bread pudding is a dessert with humble beginnings. The dish began as a way to recycle stale leftover bread into a simple filling and dessert through the addition of water and sugar. Today, bread pudding is served at the finest white-tablecloth restaurants, and it is often made with specialty breads and fresh fruit. Instead of water, chefs substitute milk, cream, eggs, vanilla, and spices to create a creamy custard. To make this dessert more decadent, a ladle of rich and creamy sauce flavored with whiskey, rum, or vanilla is poured over the bread pudding.

When you have a craving for pulled pork but a whole shoulder is more meat than you need, the pork butt is your best option. The butt is not the rear end of a pig but the upper portion of the shoulder. This six- to eight-pound cut is usually well marbled and holds up well during long cooks. Most competition barbecue teams select the pork butt when going for the blue ribbon in the pork category because it has more marbling than the picnic portion of the shoulder and is more easily manageable on the grill than the entire shoulder. I created this recipe for a huge neighborhood block party in Birmingham, Alabama. There are only two things that go together better than a barbecue block party and Birmingham, and that is peaches and pork. If you are ever invited to a barbecue in Alabama, pack your overnight bag.

Old-fashioned and still delicious.

The easiest crumble we know of—it uses frozen cherries and store-bought shortbread cookies that you can find on the natural foods shelf. (See photo)

Warm caramelized plums are delicious paired with cool and creamy mascarpone. You can also cook the plums under a broiler for about 10 minutes or on a tabletop grill for 5 minutes.