Roast Chicken with Stuffing, Peas and Corn

"What would you like for dinner?" asks Raul.

Well aware that Raul already has something planned, Drew just nods non-committally.

"We have beef, pork or chicken. Pick your protein," insists Raul.

"How about a beef stir fry?"

"The dog wouldn't eat the tandoori chicken we saved for him. I think it was too spicy," says Raul. "I was thinking of roasting a chicken, he always likes that."

Raul's roast chicken recipe is simple and is a variation on a Galloping Gourmet creation. Raul stuffs the chicken with two halves of a lemon and places it on top of coarsely chopped and unpeeled carrots, celery, garlic, onions and a bay leaf in a cast iron frying pan. The chicken is sprinkled with kosher salt and black pepper. He drizzles cooking oil around the chicken and then bakes it at 450 degrees for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes he drops the temperature to 350 degrees and bakes the chicken for another hour and a half or until it reaches an internal of 165 degrees.

The result is succulent and tasty with crispy skin. The stuffing is a cheat - Kraft Stove Top that was on sale at Food Basics for 99 cents - but when it's jazzed up with cashews and dried cranberries, it's as good as from scratch. Drew does get to pick the vegetables. Peas and corn it is.

And yes the dog is wildly appreciative of non-spicy but still tasty chicken.

Tandoori Chicken with Aloo Gobi and Rice

Raul has been working around the clock but he still insists on doing most of the cooking. "What do you feel like for dinner?" he asks rhetorically.

Drew had made a stew that was less than successful (which is why it is NOT included here) and had found a jar of half-used Country Masala Tandoori Paste that he was planning to experiment with. Raul decides to put it to a safe use. There are also some multi-coloured baby potatoes left that did not fit into the stew. And a head of cauliflower that Drew bought after reading an article claiming that, "Cauliflower is the new pork belly," so he wanted to be ahead of the curve. He was thinking of roasting the florets - it was a great solution for curing his aversion to parsnips - but the brain-shaped vegetable sparks Raul's memories of his days in a yoga-based semi-cult of vegetarians. "Aloo Gobi," he announces.

Raul caramelizes two onions while steaming chopped potatoes for 20 minutes and chopped cauliflower for 10 minutes. Following the advice of his new hero, Lidia Bastianich, he juliennes the cauliflower stems into strips and steams them along with the cauliflower florets. He adds a teaspoon of Country Masala Tandoori Paste to the onions, combines everything together, tosses it and keeps it warm for serving.

Raul rubs the chicken with shredded ginger, a chopped chili pepper, garlic powder, paprika and a teaspoon of tandoori paste. He heats a cast-iron frying pan, puts the chicken breasts in and covers with another cast-iron frying pan to mimic the effect of a tandoori oven. "It makes it super hot," he notes. It only takes minutes before the spicy and succulent chicken breasts are ready.

The meal is delicious with a heat that sneaks up after swallowing. "Is this celery in the Aloo Gobi?" asks Drew.

"No," laughs Raul, "that is the cauliflower stems. They're really tasty. Thanks Lidia!"

Chicken and Bacon on Pumpkin Penne

For some reason the day is a rush and Raul has to churn out a dinner quickly. Fortunately there is Jamaican pumpkin left and Raul purées it and stirs it into a Bechamel sauce.

The result is a beautiful bright colour and the taste is just as vivid. For protein, Raul broils a chicken breast. And for flavour: some crispy bacon strips.

A hearty and healthy meal exploding with taste in a matter of minutes. "The only real time it took was in boiling the pasta," says Raul. "And isn't that pumpkin versatile? A great investment. And there is a little bit left . . ."

Salad with Chicken, Cashews, Daikon Salad and Pomegranate

After a few days of hearty beef stew, Drew is craving greens. "The stew is amazing but a nice light salad would be a treat. And it wouldn't hurt to eat some more vegetables."

"I was thinking the same thing," says Raul. "How be I add cubes of chicken breast for protein?"

"Sounds great," agrees Drew. "And some of the Daikon radish concoction for flavour?"

"Ideal," enthuses Raul. "And we have a pomegranate for crunch and colour. Dressing?"

"Caesar?" suggests Drew. "There's some in the fridge already."

Raul wrinkles his nose. "That will just not go with the radish. Something light and Asian-influenced and don't worry about it, I'll figure out something."

Drew loves pomegranate but usually doesn't bother because of the mess. Fortunately Raul has discovered a way to extract the seeds with ease. He slices the whole pomegranate in half and submerges the halves in a bowl of cold water. With his fingers he scoops out the heart of the pomegranate. The seeds sink to the bottom and all the surrounding fleshy mesocarp floats to the surface. He scoops off the excess and strains the seeds. Voila.

Raul broils two chicken breasts, cubes them and lets them cool. He shreds lettuce and scoops on a good helping of the Daikon radish salad. The cubed chicken goes next and then halved grape tomatoes, handfuls of cashews and the pomegranate seeds. There is so much flavour in the Daikon radish salad that nothing else is needed but Raul splashes on a few drops of Nuku Cham Vietnamese Salad Sauce.

"Each bite is different," raves Drew. "And those radishes have a great kick."

"Proper kimchi - we didn't add any cabbage - marinates for three days before eating," notes Raul. "This batch is just hitting its prime."

Pumpkin Ale Chicken with Daikon Salad, Broccoli and Rice

Raul sets butterflied chicken breasts to marinate overnight in Drew's autumnal favourite, Great Lakes Brewery's Pumpkin Ale. He bought the first bottle because the label made him laugh but discovered he loved the taste - a smooth ale infused with real pumpkin and spices. Raul adds a few more spices to the beer to accentuate the flavours: white pepper and Botanica's Fine Herb mixture. Drew happily polishes off the remaining ale.

A simple process follows: toss on the bbq and enjoy.

Raul serves the moist and flavourful chicken with blander rice and simply steamed broccoli. Of course the addition of the carrot and Daikon radish salad adds a real bite and Drew is grateful for the extra bottle of pumpkin ale to wash it down with. A bit of heat soothed with a slug of pumpkin brew.

Bbq and Halloween are blended into a perfect taste treat.

"Now if we only had Halloween chocolates for dessert," says Drew. "Oh wait. I just happened to drop by Rexall for some Russell Stover samplers in their little pseudo-coffins decorated with ghosts and black cats and leering Frankensteins and . . ." And pumpkins.

Raul rolls his eyes but doesn't comment. Sometimes Drew's easily distracted eye does find a true treat.

General Tso Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce and Noodles

"What do you feel like having for dinner?" asks Raul.

"Pizza," replies Drew.

"We still have two thawed chicken breasts from yesterday," notes Raul.

"Bbq?" says Drew hopefully.

"Pho?" counters Raul. "No. Let's save that for winter. Something heartier. A stir fry."

"Sounds delicious," says Drew.

Raul slices the chicken breasts into strips and then rolls them in corn starch and then fries them until they brown. "The corn starch acts as an adherent," he explains. "When I add them to the:

Sweet and Sour Sauce: 
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar, two tablespoons of white sugar 
2 tablespoons of soya sauce, 
2 tablespoons of water 
1 squirt of ketchup
1 teaspoon of hot chili sauce

it will coat them perfectly."

Raul stir fries onion slices, red pepper strips, sliced mushrooms and thawed frozen vegetables (cauliflower, carrot and broccoli). He layers the serving bowls with noodles, the chicken, the stir fried vegetables, pours the sweet and sour sauce on top, and then sprinkles with chopped green onions. "Stir it all together," he suggests to Drew.

Drew does and it is even better than pizza.

Basil Chicken wrapped in Bacon, Greek Potatoes, Peas and Bean Salad

Raul buys bacon on extreme sale and is horrified at how fatty it is, not a bargain at all. It sits in the fridge but has to be used creatively at some point. He thaws some chicken breasts and layers them with a thick layer of basil from the balcony - the season is sadly ending but there is still a large crop growing - and then wraps them in bacon. He bakes them at the same time (350 degrees) as the Greek potatoes from food.com that have become a favourite. The bacon bakes up crispy and the chicken - being wrapped in all that fat - is moist and flavourful. A few grinds of Spicy Garlic and the taste explodes.

"The bacon was a disappointment but the chicken is magnificent," admits Raul.

"Not as great as the pork loin," notes Drew. "But then it was bbq'ed and not baked. That was before we started the blog but it was one of your greatest successes so you should really make it again and we'll document it."

As much as Raul hates to repeat himself, he entertains the idea.

Pumpkin Alfredo Penne with Chicken

Drew's Mom goes to bed while R&D head out to cover a theatre opening. It is a late night and they are all up at 5am in order to get Drew's Mom to her flight on time. After seeing her off (and a brief nap) R&D are famished. Raul contemplates the contents of the fridge and tries to ascertain what they feel like eating. Something that provides energy for sure. "How about an alfredo pasta?" suggests Raul.

"Sounds delicious," pipes up Drew who is completely distracted by the computer screen as he works on the theatre review. "With pulled pork?"

"No," says Raul. "Too spicy and we're too sleepy. But I have an idea . . ."

He mixes two tablespoons of flour and two tablespoons of butter in an enamel lined cast iron saucepan and cooks them into a roux. He adds a cup of hot milk, whisking constantly, to make a bechamel sauce. Salt and pepper are added and then he stirs in four tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. He brings the bechamel to a boil to thicken before adding a cup of mashed pumpkin (left over from last night's dinner). For colour and vitamins he adds a half cup of frozen peas and slices of last night's leftover bbq'ed chicken. The resulting concoction is mixed with cooked penne pasta and sprinkled with more Parmesan. 

"This is amazing," enthuses Drew. "Classico Alfredo with pumpkin? It's such a unique and subtle flavour, just what I needed when suffering from a lack of sleep but have to concentrate."

"Oh it's just a basic bechamel sauce whipped up from scratch," beams Raul. He must remember to break a sweat next time.

BBQ Chicken with Jamaican Pumpkin, Rice, Bean Salad and Coleslaw

Drew's Mom is stopping over for the evening on her jetsetting way to Thunder Bay to visit her brother and youthful stomping grounds. Raul is feeling the pressure to produce a gourmet but traditional dinner, so while Drew and his mom wander the nearby Danforth and thrift stores - though mainly they are just visiting and catching up - Raul works in the kitchen.

He rubs chicken breasts with his favourite combo of spices - paprika, Greek oregano, pepper and, for Drew's Mom's tastes, just a touch of garlic powder (he omits the usual salt) - and sets it aside to marinate for bbq'ing. He puts brown rice in the rice cooker and is confident having ascertained that brown rice requires a bit more water and some extra cooking time to be perfect and for the grains to not clump. The bean salad and coleslaw are already prepared.

Raul has purchased a large slab of Jamaican pumpkin after the eventual success of Drew's spaghetti squash debacle. Drew's Mom loves squash and this will, hopefully, be a taste treat with a bit of a difference. He slices the squash into inch and a half squares and then tosses them in olive oil and cumin. The pumpkin bakes in a glass baking pan for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Drew's Mom has brought carrot cake so the pressure to bake dessert is lifted. He plans to serve the cake on the Halloween plates that were a gift from Drew's Mom from one of her nostalgia trips to the shopping mecca of Thunder Bay.

The meal is a big success and the pumpkin is flavourful and tastes of the best of autumn and the tropics. Drew's Mom has nothing but praise and Raul is proud and relieved. Now if there was only space for a proper dining room table so that she didn't have to eat on the coffee table . . .

Grilled Garlic Chicken on Penne Alfredo with Peas and Bacon

"This does not go on the blog," says Raul. "I used Alfredo sauce from Classico. From a jar."

"Just the sauce from the jar?" prompts Drew.

"Well no," admits Raul. "I simmered it with the leftover roasted garlic from the spaghetti squash that you didn't take enough time to pry out. And I added crispy bacon for flavour and peas for colour and vitamins. And put Parmesan cheese on top."

"And the chicken?" asks Drew. "What did you rub it with?"

"I used paprika," says Raul, "and some of that Dean Jacob's Spicy Garlic that your mother gave us." Drew's mom had found the adjustable grinder line of Dean Jacob's spices for her summer home where her spice choices are limited as she is far from her massive spice drawer. The Spicy Garlic was her favourite but the grinder clogged from moisture and she ultimately found it frustrating. Raul took the grinder apart, cleaned it and, aside from occasional maintenance, it is now working fine. Drew is puzzled when he tries to google a webpage for Dean Jacob's spices - there are lots of places offering them for sale but not a site for the manufacturer. Or at least that he can find.

"And isn't one of the points of this blog to describe how you, oh so valiantly and stylishly, turn ordinary and inexpensive foodstuffs into gourmet meals that are delicious, nutritious and cheap?" reminds Drew. "All while being hampered by a rather small kitchen, the dog underfoot and my interference?"

Raul shrugs and tastes the final result while Drew rebelliously takes a photo. "It's very garlicky," says Raul. "But delicious. The bacon makes it a little salty."

"And bottled sauces are always a little salty," notes Drew. "How hard is it to make an Alfredo sauce from scratch?"

"Not at all," says Raul as the wheels begin to turn in his head. "It's just a Bechamel sauce."

Drew smiles, sensing a new blog entry in the future and returns to eating.

Spaghetti Squash, Chicken and Coleslaw with Guyanese Chow Mein Noodles

There is still more spaghetti squash to be consumed so Raul decides, uncharacteristically, to improvise. He dry rubs two chicken breasts with paprika, Greek oregano, garlic powder, black pepper and salt, and sets them aside. He chops some green onions and carrots, and thaws a handful of frozen chopped vegetables. The chow mein noodles, imported from Guyana, are from the Danforth Variety & Fruit Market and are infused with turmeric for extra oomph. The noodles are boiled and stir-fried with the vegetables while the chicken breasts grill on the bbq. A dash of Nuku Cham (misspelled or mistranslated on the bottle R&D use - it is actually called Nuoc Cham) Vietnamese Salad Sauce in the stir fry, a handful of spaghetti squash for calorie light bulk and a sprinkling of Drew's sister's leftover coleslaw to add some vivid colour and the base is ready for the chicken. Raul chops the chicken into bite-sized pieces and layers on top.

"I wanted to play with different temperatures," says Raul of the way the cool squash and crunchy coleslaw contrast with the hot chow mein which is tasty and bursting with subtle flavour.

"Hmmm," says Drew. "A different explanation from my lukewarm spaghetti squash . . ."

BBQ Chicken with Dirty Mashed Potatoes, Carrots and Corn on the Cob

There is a big sale on chicken breasts at Food Basics. And when the sale is over there is a 40 percent off sale of the remainder that is about to reach its "best before" date. Raul grabs four trays of 10 breasts each (average price per breast is 60 cents) and the freezer is filled. And there are lots of breasts ready for a feast on Justin's second visit. And lots for him to take home to eat for the week.

Raul rubs the chicken with pepper, Greek oregano and  paprika, and leaves them to marinate overnight. Justin is skeptical about "dirty" mashed potatoes until Raul notes that it just means that the peel, where most of the better nutrients are, is left on. By the time the potatoes are mashed (actually blended) they are so creamy and rich that the peel is more garnish than anything resembling dirt.

The corn is left in the husk and soaked for two hours in water. After that it is just a matter of placing them on the bbq and as the husk steams, the corn is cooked to perfection.

Everyone is eating happily when Raul notes that he didn't put any salt on the chicken and that he will not be offended if anyone feels they would like some.

Drew pops up, grabs the shaker and sprinkles his breast. Justin demurs that his is delicious and perfect and then surreptitiously puts a small amount in the palm of his hand and sprinkles it on the chicken. Raul just takes the container and shakes some onto his plate.

"Is the chicken ok?" asks Raul. "It tastes bland to me. But whenever I cook corn on the bbq the flavours are overwhelmed by it."

"The corn is overwhelmingly good," says Drew. "But the rest is just as good."

"Agreed," says Justin who has very generously saved some chicken for the dog who is also very complimentary in his gobbling.

BBQ Chicken, Plaintain, Rice and Black Beans

It is Raul's birthday so Drew offers to cook whatever Raul would like. What Raul would like most is to cook some of his favourites himself. Drew pretends to pout but is secretly pleased. Breakfast is waffles with butter curls and real maple syrup. Lunch is burgers and, Drew's contribution, Drumstick ice cream treats of the plain vanilla variety because vanilla is Raul's favourite ice cream flavour. Dinner is more elaborate.

Raul skins and debones chicken thighs before rubbing them with Greek oregano, crushed red pepper and a dash from a birthday gift to himself of a giant jar - 650 grams for $2.29 at the Danforth Variety & Fruit Market - of Cool Runnings Plus Granulated Garlic Powder. He presses the thighs flat and sets them aside to marinate.

He chops four green onions (saving the tops for garnish), a third of a bell pepper and two cloves of garlic that are then softened at a low heat for five minutes. He then adds a can of black beans (drained), a dash of salt and cumin, a juiced lime and half-cup of water. The mixture is covered and left to simmer.

Plantain strips are fried and basmati rice bubbles in the rice cooker. When all is set to go the chicken thighs go on the grill and all is plated with chopped basil and the green onion tops as a garnish on the rice.

The chicken is spicy, the beans are tart, the plantain is sweet and the rice allows everything to blend. "Every bite is different," enthuses Raul. "A perfect birthday meal."

Chicken Cordon Bleu with Mango Salad and Bean Salad

A slight head cold has put a damper on the long weekend's festivities and menus. Big bowls of Pho soup with extra herbs and garlic have lessened the symptoms butsuddenly there are hunger pangs. Drew offers to put together basil chicken but Raul builds on the idea. And builds on it. Suddenly the kitchen is a hive of activity. The chicken breasts are sliced and stuffed with basil leaves, mozzarella cheese and prosciutto. "The mark of a great chef is the ability to keep the whole thing from falling apart and for the contents to stay inside the chicken breast," pronounces Raul as the mini-processor whirs, turning toasted bread and buns into crumbs. The crumbs are cooled and stirred with grated Parmesan cheese and Greek oregano.

"I wanted to cheat and wrap the breasts in prosciutto," says Raul. "And I thought of twine or toothpicks but that feels like cheating. I hope this works." The breasts are dipped in an egg and milk mixture then rolled in the crumb mixture. This process is repeated repeatedly until Raul is sure that all is sealed tight. The results are placed on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and baked for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

While the chicken is cooking Raul creates a mango salad using Drew's Mom's recipe for bean salad. He slices an half an onion, half a red pepper and two large mangoes into strips, adds the vinaigrette solution and puts it in the fridge to marinate and cool. "I was thinking of a mango salsa," he says.

"Isn't a salsa usually spicy?" queries Drew. "Salad is fine by me especially when it is this delicious. And look! The chicken held together. Well there is one little extruding blob of cheese . . . But it is delicious."

"Yes. And all from scratch," says Raul proudly.

"Yes, you are a great chef," agrees Drew.

Dinner and a Show: Dining at Mysteriously Yours

R&D do not dine out at restaurants very often - partially budget constraints but mainly because Raul enjoys cooking so much. When there is an opportunity it is embraced whole-heartedly and when, for work purposes, there happens to be a meal involved: all the better. This is R&D's fourth visit to Mysteriously Yours Mystery Dinner Theatre, 2026 Yonge St and Raul begins planning his choices before they have even left the apartment. Or he has even seen the menu. "Salmon or chicken, salmon or chicken," he ponders. "I know you'll go for the beef."

R&D began attending Mysteriously Yours when Drew was invited to do theatre reviews of their productions but this is the first time that they will be casting critical eyes and tastebuds on the culinary offerings. Dinner theatre has a bad reputation for the food being an afterthought - the show takes precedence, everything must be prepared and served in large quantities and quickly, the average dinner theatre patron is not gastronomically adventurous, etc - but this has never proven to be the case at Mysteriously Yours. Executive Chef Rossy Earle takes pride in her offerings and also sells a line of specialty products under the banner SupiCucu including a popular Diablo's Fuego hot sauce. Officially the food is labelled "fusion" reflecting Earle's Panamanian heritage, unofficially it means that familiar dishes have just a little more bite.

The current production is Upton Abbey which could loosely be described as Downton Abbey played for farce and with the addition of a few murders and a character based on Columbo. To this end the menu - and cocktails - have been tweaked to reflect and upper class British sensibility, more Upstairs, Downstairs than Coronation Street or pub fare. It is a warm summer evening so both choose to start with a Baby Spinach Waldorf Salad ("cherry tomatoes, grapes, celery, walnuts & apple vinaigrette"). "Fresh and lively," enthuses Drew though he notices that both eat the grapes first rather than blending all the flavours. They can be picky eaters.

Raul has the Chicken Lyonnaise ("with caramelized onion gravy, buttermilk red potato mash & green beans") while Drew, as Raul predicted, has the Braised Beef Pot Pie ("boneless beef rib, potatoes, mushrooms & vegetables braised in stout, topped with pastry"). The chicken is moist and tender and the gravy has a nice little after bite. The green beans absolutely glow with goodness and are cooked just the far side of al dente so that they are firm but don't quite crunch. The pot pie bursts with flavour and is packed with more meat and mushrooms than potatoes - no filler - and somehow the pastry remains flaky and light despite mass production.

Desserts arrive during the first intermission and Drew is extremely pleased, for the fourth time, with the Chocolate Brownie ("served with Triple Sec chocolate ganache"). He muses that he should have perhaps got into the theme of the evening and gone for the English Trifle but a chocoholic has to do what a chocoholic has to do. Raul is equally pleased with the Apple Crumble Tartlet ("with caramel sauce & whipped cream") and announces loudly, with a pat on his stomach, that it is surprisingly filling.

The service is, as always, impeccable, efficient and friendly (thanks Adrian) and the show is hilarious. Add in a delicious meal and Mysteriously Yours turns out to be a bargain. Raul crunches the numbers and pronounces the evening a smashing success.

Beer Can Chicken, Broccoli Salad, Bean Salad and Potato Salad

A summer is not a summer without a visit to Drew's Mom's summer place. It is a lengthy drive to a remote area - horror of horrors there is no cell phone service and one must rely on conversation, reading and contemplation - but relaxing and idyllic. Despite the dearth of grocery options - the nearest general store that sells more than canned goods, bags of chips and gasoline, is a 20 minute drive - Drew's Mom always manages to pack a hefty cooler and produce a series of spectacular salads. It always amazes Raul, though you'd think he would catch on, that she recycles the salads in different variations and in different bowls. Combining and mixing three basic salads this expedition (broccoli, bean and potato) makes each meal seem like a whole new menu. This evening the various salads are to accompany Raul's bbq'ed Beer Can Chicken.

Drew's Mom's Broccoli Salad actually has an explicit recipe (that she improvises within quite happily).

Dressing:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon white pepper
Mix the above ingredients and pour over:
1 head of finely cut broccoli
1/2 cup of halved grapes
1 cup of sunflower seeds or sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped red onions
Combine and refrigerate.

The bean salad is created by slicing an onion, a red pepper and a green pepper into strips. Cans of beans - any combination of french cut, green, red kidney, cut wax, romano, lima, edamame, but ALWAYS garbanzo (they are Drew's favourite only because the name is so much fun to say) - are mixed with the sliced vegetables. A cup of red wine or malt vinegar is mixed with a half cup of corn oil and then brought to a boil. As soon as it begins to boil a cup of white sugar is stirred in. As soon as it melts the resulting sauce is poured over the bean mixture, stirred, shaken and refrigerated.

The potato salad is simplicity itself. Small unpeeled potatoes are boiled in salt water for 20 minutes and then cooled. The potatoes are cubed and then mixed with chopped green onions, white pepper, two chopped boiled eggs and whatever Drew's Mom feels inspired to accentuate with - in the past there has been garlic, more onion, diced pickles or olives, pickled red pepper, etc - and dollops of mayonnaise. Everything is mixed together and then refrigerated.

Once all the salads are in the fridge it is Raul's turn to tackle the chicken. "I just impaled the chicken on a beer can," he shrugs, "And stuck it on the bbq. The little rack is very handy - I've done it before just standing the chicken on the beer can but it sometimes falls over, a little three pound chicken can't handle an entire can of beer."

Much to Drew's chagrin and surprise - the evening before Drew had marinated chicken breasts in white wine, Jack Daniels, sweet chili pepper flakes and mesquite spicing for several hours before they were bbq'ed - Raul doesn't rub the chicken or give it any special treatment and it turns out moist and delicious. An hour and a half standing in the bbq and the skin is brown and crunchy and the meat falls off the bones. Raul has sharpened all of Drew's Mom's cottage knives (including the one brought over by Drew's great-great-grandmother that is still in use and has a mysterious handle made of a mysterious bone) so the chicken is elegantly and easily carved into multiple portions. The bones go in a pot for stock and the platter of meat joins the salads on the table on the deck overlooking the lake. It is a feast.

The only mishap occurs when the beer can, fragrant and rich with drippings and no longer held upright by the nether end of the chicken, falls on its side spewing hot liquid over the deck. The dog's paw is splashed but the flavour outdoes the pain and he has to be restrained from licking up more of the nectar until it cools. "We'll put the leftover beer into the stock," says Drew's Mom.

"Burp," hiccups the dog. Turns out an eight pound dog can't handle much beer either.

BBQ'ed Chicken on Caesar Salad

The heat is overwhelming on the second day of a heat advisory: 29 degrees, feels like 37. Even a brief thunderstorm fails to clear the humidity and only the dog ventures out on the balcony to bask in the sun until staggering in panting to shove his entire head and paws into the water dish. The air conditioner is installed and is turned on but it is taking time to cool the sweltering atmosphere.

No-one is hungry, except for the dog, but nourishment is required before heading out for the evening (hopefully it will be cooler when the sun goes down) and heat-induced lethargy is not an excuse for eating poorly or dining without taste. Drew douses the herbs on the balcony with water - they seem to dry out every few hours - and decides on bbq'ed chicken. It is too hot to turn on the oven or even elements. Of course that still means Raul will still have to brave the heat briefly, and he is suffering the most from the barometric pressure. Fortunately he is a good, if melodramatic, sport and agrees.

Drew whips up a marinade of chopped basil, coriander, chives and garlic stirred into coconut water with a bit of red cider vinegar. The chicken breasts are cross-hatched, dropped into the liquid, sealed tight and placed in the fridge for four hours. Drew gives the breasts a good shake whenever he remembers to do so. The bed of salad is simple: romaine lettuce, chopped tomatoes, Caesar dressing and grated Parmagiana-Reggiano.

The chicken breasts have absorbed a good quantity of the marinade so they are plump, tender and flavourful. Straggling herb pieces crisp over the flames to accentuate the grill marks and crunch. Eight minutes on the bbq and they are done to perfection. Raul wipes his brow, dreams of a mint julep but settles for a cold Coke, and digs in. The dog dances with excitement but the high level of garlic renders his portion negligible. He pouts but is soon asleep in the sun again. R&D stay inside on either side of the humming air conditioner.

Couscous with BBQ'ed Chicken

An early breakfast to prep for a busy day is a mini-cheese omelette, prosciutto and avocado on a bagel - Raul's gussied-up gourmet variation on Park Snack's notorious Bundalicious Bundle of Joy breakfast sandwich or, his own invention and Justin's favourite, Heart Attack on a Plate. Full stomachs naturally lead to a discussion of dinner. "What do you feel like eating before rehearsal?" queries Raul. "You'll need your energy to rock. And you'll need a full stomach to keep up with Patricia. There may very well be shots."

"She did get a fresh bottle of Red Stag," agrees Drew. There is salmon in the freezer, it would be great bbqed."

"No fish on the bbq," interjects Raul. "We don't have a hose so I'd never be able to get it completely cleaned. It will smell."

"Then we could have burgers. Very summery."

"We just had burgers and I'm not totally happy with those ones we bought."

"We can disguise them with multiple toppings."

"Your topping combinations are the best but I was thinking chicken."

"I like chicken. Especially bbq'ed."

"With pasta or rice?"

"Rice sounds delicious."

"I'll make couscous then."

Raul makes the dressing first. In a mason jar he mixes a squirt of chili sauce, a bit of green Thai curry, a tablespoon of honey, two tablespoons of olive oil, juice of a lemon and a quarter cup of orange juice, and then shakes vigorously. He adds a cup of couscous to a cup of boiling water, slaps on a lid and turns the burner off. When the water is absorbed, it is ready. In a large salad bowl he mixes chopped celery, onion, olives, mango and red pepper, and the half can of garbanzo beans left from yesterday's salad. The couscous is fluffed with a fork and added to the vegetables and legumes. He stirs, adds the dressing, stirs again and lets it sit so the medley of flavours can blend. Just before serving he mixes in a handful of chopped basil, mint, chives, coriander and parsley from the balcony garden.

Because the couscous is so packed with taste, the chicken breast is simply sprinkled with salt and pepper before going on the grill.

While Raul is plating, the dog vomits; not out of criticism of the kitchen aromas, but out of excitement and for having basked in the sun amongst the herbs until he was overheated. Drew quickly removes the minute offending puddle but the damage is done.

"I think the couscous tastes of summer," says Raul. "It would be a light vegetarian meal all on its own."

"It would," agrees Drew as he digs in, even the olives he was skeptical about have blended in deliciously. "I think I'm going to add some cashews."

"I meant to do that," laments Raul. "It was the sick dog that threw me off."

"He's not sick, he's just a dog," shrugs Drew. "They puke. Look he's already begging for bits of chicken. It's a miraculous recovery."