Fourth of July

What do you think of when you hear: "It's July 4th, bro?" Is it the Fresh Prince saving the planet from the uncle from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation?

Or is it a depressing look at Vietnam and Tom Cruise before the crazy got him? Scratch that, when the crazy got him.

Both answers, though cinematic, are wrong. Fourth of July is all about one thing: setting stuff on fire. Be it a grill, roman candle, or your neighbor's gazebo, July 4th is a time to kick the tires and light the fires. Break out your Weber or 28,000 BTU gas burning, Communist hating, planet polluting pit of fire and get to work.

You may want to make ribs. I bet you already know how to do that. In case you want to try something different with those tender morsels of a pig, Zack Gross of Z Grill was kind enough to write in and share his Dr. Pepper Fried Ribs Recipe. Now, I won't be frying them on Sunday, but grilling them (after they have braised) would be a killer idea.

Zack uses baby back ribs, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, Dr. Pepper and Thai sweet chili sauce (available in many grocery stores):

1. Place ribs in a 4 inch roasting pan.
2. Coat the ribs with minced garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour Dr. Pepper over the ribs (but don't completely cover the ribs).
4. Wrap with aluminum foil and put in oven for 4-6 hrs at 300 degrees.
5. When done, cool ribs for at least two hours, then cut into single ribs.
6. Drop single ribs in 375 degree oil for 1-2 minutes till crisp (or grill them or broil them).
7. Generously pour Thai chili sauce over the ribs, as if they were hot wings.
8. Eat them up.

So what are you cooking this weekend? Anything offbeat? What are you drinking? Here are some good ideas from some of the best bartenders in the city.

Sorry, folks. I know the last few days have fallen under the category of "mailing it in".I shall now go and punish myself by eating a Lean Cuisine. Plus, next week Peter will fill us in on his trip to Wine Country with the Pope and other consorts of his rowdy gang. Here is a quote from the Pope to hold your suspense:

"I'm moving to Napa to wash dishes and pick grapes."