We decided this first effort should be undertaken with rockfish–or striped bass, as it’s called outside the Mid-Atlantic area–because it’s one of Frank’s favorites. And who doesn’t like a local specialty?

Thankfully, the selection at the Fish Market looked good. Frank took the fish in to a little stand to be cleaned; it’s cheaper than you think–only 90 cents for our 2 lb. fella. (Let the record show that a skiddish Katie waited oh-so-patiently outside.)

We didn’t follow a recipe, because it seemed simple enough: Salt and pepper the fish, inside and out …

… and stuff it with the appropriate goodies (in this case, garlic, lemon, parsley and thyme).

We grilled it on both sides over direct heat …

… and let it hang out for bit on the cooler half of the grill while we cooked the zucchini.

It sounded like a no-fail plan, and it didn’t fail per se, but I was disappointed that the “stuffing” didn’t have a bigger impact on the flavor. Anyone have suggestions on that? From the reading I’ve done, the only partial solution I’ve come up with is to cook the fish covered instead of with the open air. I also read a recipe for herb-stuffed grilled fish–but it was wrapped in bacon, and when it comes to flavor, that’s cheating, my friend. Like I say, I wouldn’t call this a Foodventure Fail by any means; I am interested, however, in how we can make it better for next time. Please post a comment with your own experiences cooking whole fish.

Oh, and the zucchini–brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper–was amazing!

View a photostream of all the photos from our Foodventure, or watch the slideshow below:

Related posts:

1. Chesapeake Cioppino
2. Leftover Monday: Cod with Lemon Butter Sauce

Honey and Ginger Glazed Baby Back Ribs

Commencement speakers and wannabe English professors frequently exhort audiences to follow their passions. This is all well and good, but I have always believed that a world full of young idealists wandering around following their hearts would be a dangerous one. Cynical? Maybe.

That said, if the world were perfect and money was not an obstacle, I can assure you I would crisscross the globe in search of barbecue nirvana. I believe, to paraphrase Ben Franklin, that the dance of smoke, fire, meat, and reluctantly, vegetables, is proof that God wants us to be happy.

Pulled pork, brisket, ribs, sausages, you name it, I’ll eat it and when I’m feeling bold, make it.

Barbecue is very personal, like painting. One of the saddest memories of my adult life was saying goodbye to the staff at the Half Moon BBQ in Silver Spring, Maryland on their last Saturday night.

But barbecue is supposed to be happy, and I was happy to come home from work to find the July issue of Bon Appétit, completely dedicated to barbecue, sitting on the mail pile.

The cover photo of Honey and Ginger Glazed Baby Backs pretty much sums it up: crusty spices, crispy meat on the outside, even the obligatory grease spots.

This is 21st century barbecue, which is to say it is global. Korean beef barbecue and pork belly shares space with Spanish grilled black cod and Turkish chicken kebabs. Needless to say, there’s plenty of material for Summer experimentation.

As Summer rolls on, you can expect a lot more grilling here at The Foodventure. Of course, we’d love to hear about your favorites, too.

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Years ago I took a barbecue class with my aunt. One of the recipes we learned was a brined grilled chicken that was the class favorite by far. I have made the recipe hundreds of times since, and friends, family, and neighbors request it frequently.

I didn’t create the recipe, and I don’t modify it much when I make it. Still, everybody calls it Frank’s chicken. Is this fair?

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For the maiden voyage I went with a piece of salmon fillet that I salted, peppered, and oiled, then went it was almost done finished with butter and dill. I Also adapted these potatoes for the grill, and grilled some asparagus. It was a major success on all counts.

I’m looking forward to a summer of great grilling. If anybody has any grilling suggestions, leave a comment below!

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