Ten on Tuesday

This is a good one, so I'll get right to it.

Ten Favorite Cookout Foods

1. Lobster. This probably doesn't make anyone else's list, but I don't know of any better way to eat lobster than in my parents' back yard.
   
2. Burgers. Hamburgers, lamburgers, garden burgers — anything you can pat into a patty works for me.
   
3. Sausage. This includes the humble hot dog, which I do enjoy, but not as much as kielbasa, sweet Italian, or my all-time favorite, cheddar wurst, an evil concoction resembling a kielbasa with cheddar cheese in the middle of it. If you ever get these do not, whatever you do, read the nutrition label. Just enjoy them. Not too often.
   
4. Kebabs. Lamb, chicken, veggie, anything you can put on a stick.
   
5. Spareribs. Probably my all-time favorite, though it's hard to pick just one.
   
6. Corn on the cob. I like the kind with the small, slightly crunchy kernels, but I'll take it any way I can get it.
   
7. Chicken. With barbecue sauce, or lemon basil pesto sauce, or chutney sauce, or... sauce it, I'll try it.
   
8. Pie. Blueberry, or strawberry, or apple, or... any fruit pie, really.
   
9. Jalapeno cornbread. This isn't strictly speaking a cookout food, but my friend Linda usually makes it for cookouts, and while I'm not a big fan of cornbread in general, I adore hers.
   
10. Grilled endive. After last summer's unfortunate experience we may not be able to enjoy this for a while, but I hope we can get back to it someday. It's a wonderful thing if it doesn't get anywhere near a grill brush.