Page 58 of Death of a Grill Master

I struck a match, tossed it in, and for a second—nothing. Then came a whoosh and a roar like a dragon auditioning for a Hollywood blockbuster. Flames shot so high I was pretty sure I’d just signaled the International Space Station.

I froze. Mona and Liddy did not. Mona tackled me to the ground and rolled me back and forth like I was a flaming rotisserie chicken, while Liddy grabbed the garden hose and doused the inferno. After what felt like hours, the flames subsided, Mona stopped rolling me, and Liddy collapsed in the grass, soaked and panting.

“See?” I said weakly. “It could have been worse.”

“Say that again after you look in a mirror,” Liddy croaked.

I stumbled inside and found one. The sight that greeted me was … alarming. My hair, my eyebrows, my arm fuzz—singed to oblivion. I looked like a startled poodle that had lost a fight with a blowtorch. Hats became my go-to accessory for months.

These days, I’m a much better (and safer) griller, though I’m still perfectly happy to hand the tongs to someone else and supervise from a safe distance—with a cocktail in hand, of course.

Speaking of cocktails, here’s the recipe for the Adult Iced Tea that kept Mona and Liddy calm enough not to kill me after I’d nearly burned down the yard, followed by one of my all-time favorite chicken recipes—best made with less lighter fluid.

ADULT ICED TEA

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces vodka

1 ounce lemon juice

½ ounce simple syrup

4 ounces iced tea

Fill a tall glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Shake well and strain into the glass. Top with the iced tea, stir, and serve. Bonus points if you enjoy it before attempting to light a grill.

GRILLED HONEY GARLIC CHICKEN THIGHS

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup honey

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

3 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk together the honey, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, ginger, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Place the chicken in a resealable bag, pour the marinade over it, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 6).

Preheat the grill to medium-high, oil the grates, and grill chicken 7–8 minutes per side until cooked through (165°F). Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Serve with your favorite sides, a tall glass of Adult Iced Tea, and a solemn vow never to use an entire bottle of lighter fluid at one time again.

Chapter 21

Bruce had tied the kayak to the roof of the Subaru earlier that morning, planning to take it out to Eagle Lake after work. But Hayley hovered near the door now, purse slung over one shoulder, her keys jangling.