I still have skewers and the tongs from last year, along with the cast iron grill top. The other day I wanted to start a fire but couldn’t find a lighter, so I’ll need to get one of those — or find one of the many that I’ve bought and lost over the years!. I’m going to have to find a brush, too, since I know I have one somewhere in the kitchen. And we’ll need a spoon.

We ate through the last can of chickpeas I bought from Ollies, when I stocked up because they were cheap. I do have a lot of rice now, so I think I’ll make rice this year. J wasn’t too keen on the chickpeas, I don’t think. Rice it is.

Our skewers were also too “white.” They had just tofu, oyster mushrooms, and onions. This year, I’d like to add some color. Maybe sweet potatoes, peppers, and shrimp this year? Sweet potatoes will need to be pre-cooked slightly if I want them on skewers, or we’ll wrap them in foil and set in the coals. 

I’m also thinking corn on the cob, fish balls, spicy peppers, cherry tomatoes, and and zucchini or squash. Maybe I’ll get fancy and wrap things in tofu skin, or marinate tofu in beer or ale. Whoa there, Jenny…can’t make things too complicated… 

This year I’d like to prep the skewers ahead of time and take them out all at once. Last year my goats and pups thought I was setting the table for them, and they started nibbling whatever they could while I was brining things out from the house. 

I’m asking friends what they put on their grills.