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Girls on the grill M
These girls show you how to have a great time without the guys By Allison Williams
ove over men, there’s a new chef (wo)manning the fire and she’s dressed to grill. As summer comes to a close, women have
been taking their rightful place at backyard cookouts all season long. They have mastered the tried and true, searing burgers and steaks with the
best of ‘em, but women aren’t afraid to try something new. Their grills simmer with golden corn, tender onions plus peppers, squash, zucchini, even fruit, salad and desserts. “If you can eat it, you can grill it,” says Elizabeth Karmel, who shares
her recipe for grilled romaine with blue cheese dressing as proof. (Page 20) Karmel has been described as America’s female grilling expert. A North Carolina native, she now splits her time between Chicago and New York, where she is executive chef of Hill Country restaurant.. “I spend all my time spreading the word because I really do think outdoor cooking is the best way to prepare food, bar none.” Karmel swears by three ingredients when grilling: olive oil, kosher
salt and freshly ground pepper. “Grilling is 10 percent skill, 90 percent the will of the grill,” she said. Her free “Girls’ Guide to Grilling” may be downloaded at her Web site, www.girlsatthegrill.com. Alison Friend grew up grilling in Ohio. She moved to Fayetteville for
college and stayed after graduating from Methodist University. Now a sales representative for a North Carolina lighting company, she grills after work and on weekends, accepting a few tips now and then from her boyfriend, Steve Cargill, who claims to have taught her everything she knows. “I let him believe that,” she says and laughs, turning skewers of kebabs.
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