Lately, all I can think about are three syllables: bar-be-cue. Maybe it’s the hazy, pleasant vibe of the summer months in general. The warmth is palpable, the office seems slower-paced, and suddenly, every weekend I find myself happily lying across my cheap felt blanket in some park or another, sipping pear cider and munching on vegan snacks.
I’ve been packing an oversized bag full of homemade hummus with extra garlic and pine nuts, crisp baby carrots, and salty veggie chips to nosh during these marathon lounge sessions. And while I’m certainly a fan of the snack-as-meal concept, fresh grilled lunch is at the front of my mind. As I raised each carrot to my mouth during a recent park session, I kept repeating to myself, “Let’s quit with the small meals and really do this thing; let’s bust out the barbecue.”
There seems to be a rumor swirling out there in the omnivore world that barbecues are strictly for the meat-lovers, thanks to the hamburger and hot dog myth. I’m here to dispel. My first official barbecue session of summer was at a friend’s elegant outdoor potluck picnic in San Francisco’s Panhandle, an offshoot of Golden Gate Park. With a subtle breeze through the trees, a cooler full of sangria packed with boozed-up fruit, and a tiny red Weber ready for grilling, the day was off to a good start.
Before leaving the homestead, I made some food to share. I started with dill potato salad using large cubes of Yukon Golds, Vegenaise, finely chopped onion, and generous sprinkles of dill. I also whipped up some crustless cucumber, capers, and Better than Cream Cheese sandwiches on Jewish rye.
For grilling in the park, I decided to bring a likeable premade faux meat. Barring knowledge of any superior veggie meats, I brought along a package of Field Roast Grain Meat Co. sausage. Despite its name, Field Roast Grain Meat Co. makes solely non-meat foods. The Seattle-based company produces (non-dairy) grain roasts and loaves — though it’s their flavorsome sausages that get the most attention. In particular, for this vegan at least, it’s the Smoked Apple Sage sausage that deserves some serious accolades. They grill well and taste rich, full of spice.
While the hostess of the Panhandle potluck was vegetarian by choice, the majority of the guest list was not. This always poses a series of slightly uncomfortable questions: what foods to bring to please everyone; how to politely make sure the vegan choices get cooked first on the grill; how much to eat before appearing gluttonous (though I suppose that last one is universal). Luckily, at this specific park picnic, someone brought along a second grill, which meant one grill could be saved solely for veggie purchases. Crisis averted. As for that not appearing gluttonous question? I guess you can’t win them all.
Since that first barbecue of summer, I’ve attended plenty more and created variations of my favorite potluck barbecue items including: bruschetta on crunchy bread with small tomato chunks; cold black bean, corn, and edamame salad with rice vinegar and soy sauce dressing; and vegan Boca griller patties atop beds of fresh lettuce with Dijon mustard.
The easiest vegan barbecue dish of all — one that’s likely to please even the pickiest of eaters — is a skewer of lightly olive oil-brushed vegetables, pineapple, and tofu cubes. Add the great outdoors and some friends and you should be set for summer, just don’t forget the fizzy cider.
