AS, CHARCOAL or hardwood? Direct or indirect heat? Covered or open? Dry rub, wet marinade or kosher salt and pepper? Par-cooked or raw? What cut of red meat or maybe poultry, fish or veggies? It's these confounding questions--and many more--that barbecue enthusiasts are confronted with every time they contemplate the grill. It's far more daunting than the long-standing "paper or plastic" question, and far more fun. And like the paper or plastic decision, Andronico's has insight into your grilling decisions.

I love barbecuing. There are few more pleasurable cooking rituals and, depending on the circumstance, it can be very social or, conversely, a rather effective form of escapism. In recent years the act of barbecuing in the U.S. has evolved dramatically and is no longer the domain of males. Every culture has traditional barbecue recipes and methods. Indeed, the most primitive cultures relied on an open fire as a primary cooking method. The Oxford English Dictionary gives the history of the word, "barbecue" to the influence of French Haitians whose word for a method of open fire cooking was "barbe a queue". The history of barbecue is a bit fuzzy. The Spanish quite possibly should be credited with the term - "barbacoa" is the Spanish translation of the Haitian Indian word for barbecue. Regardless, it seems everyone has an opinion about what constitutes the best way to barbecue. In the most extreme cases, passionate arguments surround the topic of what is the "best barbecue?"

This edition of the Food Enthusiast is dedicated to grilling. We explain what's behind our beef. Hands down, our meat department offers the best quality and representation of beef anywhere. That's just the beginning. We explore methods for grilling seafood, veggies and fruit. We finish with useful tools, tips and one of the ultimate American outdoor traditions, the making of s'mores. Hopefully this grilling season, we can help you bring great pleasure to your family and guests.

Good Eating!