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The Magic of Marinades
Add Ethnic Zest to Your Next Barbeque
By Donna Smith
The leaves rustle. The hammock you're lounging in sways back and forth to the soft music floating around you. The pungent, enticing smell in the air awakens your senses. You take a deep breath and inhale the intoxicating aroma. Where are you? Thailand? Lying on a beach in the Caribbean? Or maybe you're sunning in Mexico? Are you basking in the beauty of Greece?
None of the above! You're in your own backyard, and the smell is the different meats cooking away on the grill – meats that have been marinated in wonderfully rich, ethnic marinades. You can add this zest to your next barbecue by mixing up some of these wonderful marinades. The taste and aroma given to meats, poultry and seafood will transport your senses and make it a cook-out you and your friends will never forgot!
To add to the atmosphere, decorate your home or yard to enhance the tropical theme. Fill vases – or better yet, coconut or pineapple shells – with fresh flowers. Cover picnic tables with brightly colored tablecloths and napkins. A watermelon filled with watermelon chunks, cantaloupe, pineapple, strawberries and mango will make a wonderful centerpiece. Set the watermelon "boat" in a shallow container filled with crushed ice to keep it cool. Serve food on wooden trays and bowls. And no tropical setting would be complete without that little paper umbrella.
