Meat over flames = holiday

For better or worse, Americans transform holidays. In the U.S., preparation for All Saints' Day or the day of the dead has become Halloween, a celebration of candy and parents' desire to outdo each other on elaborate kiddie costumes. Thanksgiving is more about feasting than it is about giving thanks. And Christmas? I'm not even going there.

But I can really get behind one particular holiday evolution: the 4th of July. Here's why.

As Americans wave the flag and talk about the revolution (or not) what we really have come to celebrate over this wonderful weekend is the grilling of meats or, for our vegetarian friends, tofurky. To me, an Argentinean-American, this is truly a joyous time. Nothing takes me back to my childhood like the smell of charcoal (no lighter fluid, por Dios!!!), short ribs and crispy-skinned chicken drenched in lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper. For me, it is a time to unite over all that is good in the world: We have the right to toss our beef, chicken, fish, mushrooms and whatever else we choose on the grill however we like. Our forefathers fought for these freedoms!*

* Actually, mine didn't ... as far as I can tell, only two of my relatives were in the military -- one in the Italian army during WWI, and the other in the Argentine navy during the Malvinas -- and the experience didn't really go so well for either.

Anyway, I'm trotting out the Weber today to grill up a 4.5-pound leg of lamb, what we call cordero. In Argentina it's traditional to splay out a lamb over an open flame, but since we don't really have a giant firepit available on our tiny patio, I'm opting for a slowly cooked leg using the indirect cooking method. That means bringin' out the char-baskets!

 

The lamb is currently marinating in the fridge in some of my favorite ingredients -- olive oil, lemon juice, oregano and rosemary. I can almost taste it already.

I love America! Long live the barbecue!