Zakary Pelaccio

Using this triple-threat sauce as a marinade, basting liquid, and finger-licking-good dip guarantees a depth of flavor that’s impossible to achieve with any single step.

Grilled okra, toasted coconut, and a punchy vinaigrette steal the show.

Keep the heads on in this grilled shrimp recipe; they've got good flavor!

Every Southeast asian country has some variation of green papaya or mango salad. Since it doesn't taste like much (nice texture, though), it's all about the supporting cast as far as delivering flavor goes. And in this version there's such a big cast that you can lose one or two items and the salad will still taste real good. You can even lose the papaya (shhhh) and make it with all the other goodies. Just don't lose the fish sauce, palm sugar, lime juice, or chili—deal?

LISTEN
Mayafra Combo, "Iffilah Ha-Ha"—Sonnie Taylor from Trinidad backed up by some Italian musicians. Beautiful vocals and a moving jazz-funk vibe to keep you dancing and cooking.

DRINK
A tall glass of water a little cooler than room temp. Seriously.

I'll barbecue the hell out of a goat: get the whole animal on the grill or do up just the head or maybe the legs—whatever strikes my fancy. But the shoulder is probably my favorite cut to treat to hours and hours of gentle smoky caressing. This is party cooking, because (a) everyone will want some of this tender, spicy action and (b) though it takes a while to cook, you're only not sitting on your ass and drinking for, like, 10 minutes. The goat shoulder smokes for approximately seven hours. The smoking should be done in an indirect smoker (Texas-style chamber smoker). A temperature of 225°F to 250°F (a big variation, as smokers can be hard to control) should be maintained for 7 to 8 hours. The time variation is big, too, as there are so many smokers, and often backyard versions don't hold heat all that well. At a constant 250°F, it should not take longer than 7 hours, but an understanding of the variable types of equipment should be acknowledged.

LISTEN
Idris Muhammad, Boogie to the Top—a fun, funky album. My favorite tune is "Bread" ("B-R-E-A-D, that's what I said!"). Dance with your goat!

DRINK
Laphroaig, a couple rocks. Goat, chili, and smoky Scotch—there should be a song about this trio.