Recipes

Herb Cheese-Stuff ed Garlic Burgers

Barbecue season has arrived, so soon people will be bonding in the backyard over hamburgers and hot dogs. Backyard barbecue season begins in spring and continues through summer and, where the weather allows, into fall. Barbecues are a perfect summertime soiree, as they're usually laid back aff airs and make use of the pleasant weather.

While it's fun to expand your culinary horizons over the open fl ame of a grill, it's important that you never forget the basics, especially when entertaining crowds who are no doubt looking forward to grilled burgers. Giving the masses what they want is good hosting, but you can still try your hand at a little experimentation when serving burgers at your next backyard barbecue. The following recipe for "Herb Cheese-Stuff ed Garlic Burgers" from Andrew Schloss' and David Joachim's "Mastering the Grill" (Chronicle Books) provides the best of both worlds.

Makes 6 servings 2 pounds ground beef chuck, 85 percent lean 2 tablespoons chopped garlic 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3 tablespoons herbed garlic cream cheese, such as Boursin 6 hamburger buns, split Oil for coating grill grate The Grill

Gas: Direct heat, medium-high 425 F to 450 F; clean, oiled grate

Charcoal: Direct heat, light ash; 12-by-12-inch charcoal bed (about 3 dozen coals); clean, oiled grate on lowest setting

Wood: Direct heat, light ash; 12-by-12- inch bed, 3 to 4 inches deep; clean, oiled grate set 2 inches above the fi re

1. Heat the grill as directed. 2. Using your hands, mix the beef, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl until well blended; do not overmix. Using a light touch, form into 12 patties no more than 1/2-inch thick. 3. Put a portion (about 1 ½ teaspoons) of cream cheese in the center of each of the 6 patties; top with the remaining patties and press together, taking care to seal the edges well. Refrigerate the burgers until the grill is ready. 4. Brush the grill grate and coat it with oil. Put the burgers on the grill, cover and cook for 9 minutes, fl ipping after 5 minutes, for medium-done (150 F, slightly pink). Add a minute per side for well-done (160 F). 5. To toast the buns, put them cutsides down directly over the fi re for the last minute of cooking. 6. If serving the burgers directly from the grill, serve on the buns. If the burgers will sit, even for a few minutes, keep the buns and burgers separate until just before eating.

Summer Cantaloupe

Summer is synonymous with many things. Vacations, warm weather and al fresco dining are part and parcel of many people’s summertime routines.

Another beloved routine is enjoying a cold beverage on a warm summer evening. As summer breezes invite scores of people outside to relax on their patios, decks or balconies, a cold beverage can be just what’s needed to take such relaxing nights one step further. The following recipe for “Summer Cantaloupe” from Andrew Schloss’ “Homemade Liqueurs and Infused Spirits” (Storey Publishing) is easily whipped up and can go a long way toward making summer evenings especially sweet. Makes about 1 quart 1 fi fth (31/4 cups) 80-100 proof vodka 4 cups cantaloupe chunks 1 cup simple syrup (see below)

Finely grated zest of 2 lemons 1. Muddle the vodka, cantaloupe and lemon zest with a wooden spoon in a half-gallon jar. Stir to moisten everything. 2. Seal the jar and put it in a cool, dark cabinet until the liquid smells and tastes strongly of melon, four to seven days. 3. Strain the mixture with a mesh strainer into a clean quart jar. Do not push on the solids to extract more liquid. 4. Stir in the simple syrup. 5. Seal and store in a cool, dark cabinet. Use within one year.

Simple Syrup

Makes 3 cups 2 ¼ cups water 2 ¼ cups granulated cane sugar

Mix the water and sugar in a small saucepan until the sugar is all moistened. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir to make sure the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove from the heat and let cool. Refrigerate for up to three months.

Sponsored Content A Spirited Thank You

Kimberly Gelato, Owner

Deciding to start your own business is a huge decision for anyone – enjoying its promised thrills of independence and selfsufficiency often requires having to step outside the comfort and security of being an employee to become a boss. It also requires an incredible amount of planning, enough capital to sustain itself through its inception and a ton of work – both mental and physical. For us, it also took some good old-fashioned legwork, too. Our goal involved opening a package store in a dry county, which meant hitting the bricks to collect signatures for a referendum. Fortunately, this wonderful community was behind us all the way – together with our neighbors, we got the Retail Packaging Stores Referendum on the ballot and put to a vote. The rest is history! The public voted in late 2018 and – shortly after – we were awarded the first liquor license in both the city and county. Our longtime dream was finally showing some traction – we would soon be what we still are today - the first and only femaleowned-and-operated package store in the area. On November 23, 2019, Mountain Spirits Liquor Store opened its doors to the public and has been thriving ever since. We worked hard to open those doors. Very hard. But the result makes every setback and challenge worth the effort. I can’t really describe how wonderful it feels to transform a long-term dream into a physical reality. I still feel a shutter of pride and accomplishment every time I walk through the doors of my business. If there was any advice I could offer anyone, it would be to “stick to your guns”. to you gu s . Establishing your own business is not accomplished by sitting alone doing research and daydreaming. It requires a dedication to routinely set goals and act upon them, as well as seeking support from those around you when you need it. Attitude is fundamental to success – the first steps toward pursuing your dream can be frightening, but with the assistance of others and some confidence in yourself, anything can be possible. The years we spent planning and building Mountain Spirits Liquor Store into a reality did more than refine our entrepreneurship skills, it empowered our sense of pride and passion. It also reconfirmed something we already knew – how truly supportive and wonderful our Tennessee community can be – we couldn’t have done it without you, Mountain City! Mountain Spirits Liquor Store and I thank you so much for your support.

Open 7 Days A Week 204 Pioneer Village Drive, Mountain City, TN 423-460-1990