Arts & Entertainment

Hibachi is a traditional Japanese cooking device meaning "fire bowl". The smoke and method of cooking on a hibachi enhanced the taste and flavour of the meat. Made from cast iron in the western world, hibachis were very popular for a long time. When our kids were growing up, I used a hibachi in our backyard regularly in the summer months. When I was a child in Guyana, there was the coal pot that folks cooked on.
Later, barbecues became more sophisticated, especially with the introduction of the gas barbecue (BBQ). The gas BBQ was larger and made a bigger fire. Once the gas was turned on, you had to be quick with the starter or you could have a minor, even major explosion. Sometimes a spider or other insect got in the works and the starter wouldn't work. You then had to resort to a match or manual starter and take your chances.
If you ran out of gas while entertaining friends, neighbours and relatives in a lawn party, it could be very embarrassing. The half cooked food then had to be extricated and cooked on the stove or oven. It was a good idea to always have a spare tank/cylinder of gas. Most barbecues are not built to last and can often be seen thrown out for garbage pick-up.
My method of cooking (lots of smoke and a hot fire) was, needless to say, disastrous. In fact the neighbours always knew when I was barbequing by the smoke signals that went up from our yard. The burnt offerings were then offered to guests who politely tried to eat it. One day, a Trinidadian lady took me aside and suggested that I cook the meat slowly, watching and turning it regularly, in other words, a controlled burn. I took her advice and since then I have been doing much better.
No more do I have a large bucket of water at hand to throw on the barbecue when the flames get out of hand and threaten to burn down the house! No more do I see the disappointed look on my wife's face after ruining her nicely seasoned meats. No more do I see the grimaces on the face of guests as they try to bite into hard, burnt meat.
I have learnt to cook, not just steaks and hamburgers, but different types of meats and even vegetables on the barbeque. Now I have guests standing around me, taking notes when I am cooking.
The Pam is sprayed on the grill to prevent the meat from sticking, the meats prepared and ready at room temperature.The spices and seasoning are put on at the appropriate time, the meat and vegetables turned, and eventually cooked to perfection, if I may say so.
One of our recent acquisitions is a shiny, steel covered BBQ that uses natural gas from our house. It may not have all the smoke and smell from coals but it can cook over 20 hamburgers at a time, under carefully controlled temperature. It's like a limousine for barbeques. It has an upper and lower grill and place for keeping a meal warm. I take pleasure in showing it off and my cooking prowess at the same time.
I put on my cooking apron and a white hat to show that I mean business. Even the mosquitoes stay away when they see me approach our BBQ dressed like that. Now and then I do a little jig or dance step around the BBQ when the food is cooking. Bring out the pork, steaks, hamburgers, chicken, fish, vegetables, lamb – the lot, then relax and enjoy same.
Barbequing is now a year round affair in our household. I can cook for a large or small gathering. My wife says that the next step for me (which I have been carefully avoiding) is to get into the kitchen and use the stove. There are many folks, male and female, myself included, who are frightened by the kitchen and particularly the stove As a result people have resorted to the microwave, or T.V. dinners, take out or order in, pizzas and the like.
What I am learning is that if you can cook and also know how to dance, you will never be short of partners, mates or friends in life. I am lucky that I have a partner who can do both. It is definitely something that has kept us together for close to 40 years.
So get out those pots and pans. Light the BBQ and the stove. Eat wholesomely, live well and be happy. If the creeks don't rise and the sun still shines I'll be talking to you.

September 21, 2011 issue
Arts & Entertainment
Smoke signals, burnt offerings – guests love my cooking
Bernard Heydorn	Barbecuing is a favourite outdoor cooking activity of mine. For many years I have tried to learn to cook on a barbecue. Only recently have I succeeded. In the early years, I cooked on a Hibachi and burnt the food regularly. Using coals or briquettes, once they glowed, on went the meat, and soon after everything went up in smoke and fire. That was my contribution to cooking.

*Bernard at his BBQ grill*
Hibachi is a traditional Japanese cooking device meaning "fire bowl". The smoke and method of cooking on a hibachi enhanced the taste and flavour of the meat. Made from cast iron in the western world, hibachis were very popular for a long time. When our kids were growing up, I used a hibachi in our backyard regularly in the summer months. When I was a child in Guyana, there was the coal pot that folks cooked on. Later, barbecues became more sophisticated, especially with the introduction of the gas barbecue (BBQ). The gas BBQ was larger and made a bigger fire. Once the gas was turned on, you had to be quick with the starter or you could have a minor, even major explosion. Sometimes a spider or other insect got in the works and the starter wouldn't work. You then had to resort to a match or manual starter and take your chances. If you ran out of gas while entertaining friends, neighbours and relatives in a lawn party, it could be very embarrassing. The half cooked food then had to be extricated and cooked on the stove or oven. It was a good idea to always have a spare tank/cylinder of gas. Most barbecues are not built to last and can often be seen thrown out for garbage pick-up. My method of cooking (lots of smoke and a hot fire) was, needless to say, disastrous. In fact the neighbours always knew when I was barbequing by the smoke signals that went up from our yard. The burnt offerings were then offered to guests who politely tried to eat it. One day, a Trinidadian lady took me aside and suggested that I cook the meat slowly, watching and turning it regularly, in other words, a controlled burn. I took her advice and since then I have been doing much better. No more do I have a large bucket of water at hand to throw on the barbecue when the flames get out of hand and threaten to burn down the house! No more do I see the disappointed look on my wife's face after ruining her nicely seasoned meats. No more do I see the grimaces on the face of guests as they try to bite into hard, burnt meat. I have learnt to cook, not just steaks and hamburgers, but different types of meats and even vegetables on the barbeque. Now I have guests standing around me, taking notes when I am cooking. The Pam is sprayed on the grill to prevent the meat from sticking, the meats prepared and ready at room temperature.The spices and seasoning are put on at the appropriate time, the meat and vegetables turned, and eventually cooked to perfection, if I may say so. One of our recent acquisitions is a shiny, steel covered BBQ that uses natural gas from our house. It may not have all the smoke and smell from coals but it can cook over 20 hamburgers at a time, under carefully controlled temperature. It's like a limousine for barbeques. It has an upper and lower grill and place for keeping a meal warm. I take pleasure in showing it off and my cooking prowess at the same time. I put on my cooking apron and a white hat to show that I mean business. Even the mosquitoes stay away when they see me approach our BBQ dressed like that. Now and then I do a little jig or dance step around the BBQ when the food is cooking. Bring out the pork, steaks, hamburgers, chicken, fish, vegetables, lamb – the lot, then relax and enjoy same. Barbequing is now a year round affair in our household. I can cook for a large or small gathering. My wife says that the next step for me (which I have been carefully avoiding) is to get into the kitchen and use the stove. There are many folks, male and female, myself included, who are frightened by the kitchen and particularly the stove As a result people have resorted to the microwave, or T.V. dinners, take out or order in, pizzas and the like. What I am learning is that if you can cook and also know how to dance, you will never be short of partners, mates or friends in life. I am lucky that I have a partner who can do both. It is definitely something that has kept us together for close to 40 years. So get out those pots and pans. Light the BBQ and the stove. Eat wholesomely, live well and be happy. If the creeks don't rise and the sun still shines I'll be talking to you.
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