You can make this soup using virtually any bean, but the cooking times will vary accordingly; some beans cook faster than others, a phenomenon that results more from the age of the bean than the variety. The secret to this soup is the smoke from the ham bone, ham hocks, or bacon. If you don’t have all three, just use more of the one(s) you do have.

Stay in the zone. Just about everything from asparagus to zucchini tends to cook best over direct medium heat. The temperature on the grill’s thermometer should be somewhere between 350° and 450°F. If any parts get a little too dark, turn the vegetables over. Otherwise turn them as few times as possible. When ears of corn are done, many of the kernels are golden brown and some are much darker. ..

Very few foods are as satisfying as a perfectly grilled steak. Grilling steaks also affers an occasion to gather guests around the grill and give opinions about when the steaks are ready. Remember, if you're in doubt, there's no shame in cutting into a steak to see whether it's done. Makes 4 main-course servings.