Summer

Colombia may be the best kept barbecue secret in South America. Sure, Argentina gets the attention for its cowboy-style asado. And Brazil has enjoyed spectacular success exporting its rodizio-style restaurants—the kind where the waiters parade spits of grilled meats through the dining room. But Colombia? I doubt that most North Americans could name a single Colombian grilled dish. Well, it's time to shine the spotlight on the only country in South America to have coasts on both the Atlantic and the Pacific, whose cool-weather ranching district produces well-marbled, full-flavored beef, whose grill masters make extensive use of marinades (unlike the simplicity prized by their Argentine counterparts), and whose mastery of the art of grilling on charcoal extends to some unique techniques. Here's a not-so simple flank steak redolent of cumin, green onions, and beer.

Top these delicious bite-size cheesecakes with fresh raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and/or blueberries.

The sweet and savory jam is terrific served on grilled baguette slices that are brushed with olive oil and topped with aged goat cheese.

To read of my travels, you might get the impression that for most of the last three years, I've done nothing but prowl night markets and food stalls. True, a lot of great grilling takes place at these markets, but you can also find some pretty amazing barbecue at luxury resorts. One such place is Amandari, a hotel built right into a rice paddy near the artist town of Ubud, Bali. There, a team of chefs cooks glorious grilled dishes such as grilled shrimp with fiery lemongrass sambal, Balinese grilled chicken, and whole grilled fish with makrut lime leaves.

Make the fruit salad, throw the fish on the grill, and you've got dinner.

A great side dish—or afternoon snack.

See "Prep School" for photos showing how to wrap the fish.

Look for marinated feta in the refrigerated section of the supermarket where other specialty cheeses are sold.

Summer—with its great produce—is a good time to go vegetarian.

Smoked duck is available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Asian markets, and from dartagnan.com. Smoked chicken or smoked turkey make great substitutes.

Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, and cava, a Spanish sparkler, both work well in this pink drink, which is as pretty as it is refreshing.

The perfect dessert for your next barbecue: This chilled pie is an appealing combination of chocolate, berries, and lemon. And all it takes is a food processor and a whisk. The crust—made from chocolate wafer cookies and melted chocolate—is simply pressed into the pan. The filling is just a mix of sweet, bright, and tangy ingredients.

No bottled tomato sauce can equal a simple homemade one—especially when the robust flavor of the grill is added to the mix.

Melons and cucumbers have a real affinity—they're related, after all. Here, they come together in a cool, uncooked chutney, which cuts the robust richness of thinly sliced hanger steak.

Grilled avocado is one of those things that sound faintly ridiculous until you try it—then you wonder why you never had it before.

Caution: May require finger licking. Gooey chicken wings are sure to please a crowd, not to mention your wallet. The sweet and spicy glaze requires only five ingredients, including peach preserves (though apricot preserves work well, too).

Searing the tuna well on the outside but leaving it rare on the inside gives you a lovely contrast between the two textures. That said, if you like your tuna cooked through, the salad will still be delicious.