D = Dog Days

The dog days of summer are known as the hottest, most sultry days of summer. The name comes from the ancient belief that Sirius, aka “Dog Star,” in close proximity to the sun was responsible for the hot weather.*

If you ask me it should be called, “It’s to damn hot to cook or do anything else for that matter” days of summer.

The Farmers’ Almanac lists the traditional timing of the dog days as the 40 days beginning July 3rd and ending August 11th.

So what are we suppose to do for these 40 days, not cook? No, of course not! We have to eat, so instead of heating up the house with the stove or oven this would be a good time to roll out the ole grill. Whether you prefer gas or charcoal this is a nice alternative to still making a good, home-cooked meal.

Now here are some basic, common sense do’s and don’ts to grilling: 

1. Don’t lift the lid unless you are turning the food or checking to see if it’s done.
2. Do keep the lid closed to prevent flare ups.
3. Don’t use a spray bottle with water to control flare ups if they do occur.
4. Do use long handled utensils and long BBQ mitts to protect yourself from the heat.
5. Don’t wear excessively loose clothing while grilling, it could catch on fire.
6. Do leave the lid open while lighting a gas grill.
7. Don’t use metal handled utensils on the grill, they will transfer the heat to your hand.
8. Do make a pyramid with your charcoal briquettes in order to light them.
9. Don’t use lighter fluid to light the charcoal, instead use crumpled up newspaper or a fire starter cube.
10. Do clean out the ash catcher beneath the charcoal before lighting to allow proper air circulation.

 Always remember just because your being safe doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun!

*definition courtesy of Wikipedia