Summer Grilling Menu

There is something about the smell of a grill in use–that ineluctable mingling of smoke and charcoal and fat–that relaxes our bodies into the warm lull of summer.

We're so taken with this effect that we've devised ways to conjure that feeling wherever we go this summer–and you can too.

Our June menu (click here to download) features six recipes for grilling on the go, all of which are ideal for prepping ahead and then finishing at the (fill in the blank: beach/lake/park/backyard).

Start with a tequila cooler, in which the traditional components of a margarita are upended in favor of summer's sweetest watermelon; sip on one while you snack on black-bean hummus with grilled pita. Our grilled romaine salad with cotija cheese and lime vinaigrette requires no utensils and plays well with the main event: a beer-can chicken inspired by the ultimate outdoor cocktail, the Michelada.

As the sun sets and you drain the cooler of its last offerings, finish with grilled shortcakes struck with a current of lime zest and kissed with the sweetness of macerated strawberries.

This summer, stay packed.