For Memorial Day weekend, we’ve decided to build a grill(able) menu inspired by my kids’ yearly school camping trip. Whether you’re at home with friends or gathering around a campfire, these offerings are great to have on hand for impromptu gatherings and barbecues. We all could use some ease in our lives these days, so here’s to a menu that can be thrown together effortlessly. 

Mel is marinating grass-fed skirt steaks in a delicious citrus soy marinade, and making a batch of our much-loved spatchcocked chicken Vesuvio. (Note from the chefs: you can freeze these marinated meats for the weekend. :) Mel’s also marinating and sous-viding salmon so that it’s cooked and ready to flake and eat as is or can be flashed on the grill. There’s marinated portobello mushrooms in a tasty rosemary garlic marinade and we’re getting some wild swordfish steaks, a favorite (and easy) fish to grill. 

To sauce any of these, we’ve got chimichurri, a bright, herby, Argentinian sauce. It would also be delicious on potatoes or the grillable vegetables (asparagus and summer squash) in the produce box. Mix the chimichurri with a little mayo for a creamy herb-packed sandwich spread. Delish! 

For the classic grillers, we’ve got you covered with grass-fed ground beef, salt & pepper sausages from Peads & Barnetts, and Niman Ranch’s all-beef hot dogs. And, of course, some hook’s cheddar for the burgers.

Jason Kim of Forage is making us a batch of his creamy macaroni and cheese with breadcrumb topping, ready to go in the oven or freezer. We’ve got some organic dragon beans from Two Peas in Pod similar to pinto beans in taste and texture and make a great creamy pot of beans. And we’re excited to introduce one of my favorites, pickled green beans from Coldwater Canyon Provisions. Great in a bloody mary, but mostly I serve them with cheese and crackers. Speaking of favorites, we finally have lemon vin dressing on the menu that will complement any salad.

For those camping, there’s nothing more important than a hearty breakfast. We’ve got you covered with Mel’s mix and make pancake mix (we’ll have blueberries in the box…), Nueske sliced bacon, Peads & Barnetts breakfast sausage, and we’re ordering chocolate hazelnut babkas from Cake Monkey. This brioche loaf has a deep chocolate swirl and crunchy hazelnut brittle topping. It’s delicious fresh, or you can slice and freeze or french toast it.

For a sweet treat, take Mel’s classic choc chip cookie dough to the next level: pick up some ice cream and make otherworldly ice cream cookie sandwiches. 

And we still have a few bottles of Dom de Fontsainte’s rosé from our friends at Small Town – Cheers!