Everything tastes better cooked outside

KP is in town for the What Made Milwaukee Famous show, so we're going to be hanging out in a little bit. In the meantime, I thought I'd tell everyone about my dinner tonight.

Since it's another beautiful day in Iowa City, I got my grill out and cleaned up, and prepared to do some cooking. I had gotten an onion and portobello mushroom cap earlier in the day, and a two liter of Diet Dr Pepper. Unfortunately, I didn't think to check the charcoal situation before the store; when I got my bag out, there were probably 5 or 6 coals. And since they had been outside, they had gotten a little waterlogged. Luckily, the grill I was using is a small one, so I piled up my meager coals and doused them with lighter fluid. After 3 or 4 more dousings, they were ready to cook. First up was the portobello cap with a little olive oil and salt for seasoning. I was sauteing the onion to go with the left-over kielbasa, so I had to keep an eye on two fronts. Of course, I didn't plan the timing very well, so the onions were done well before I had even put the sausage on the grill. Since it was taking so long, I pulled the mushroom off the grill, and finished it off in the toaster oven, with some Norwegian Ridder cheese (pictured). I also toasted the heels of a loaf of Pepperidge Farms Soft Oatmeal bread, then put the portobello on with some of the onions. It was delightful. The cheese has a smooth, mellow flavor, similar to many white French cheeses, something that I just kind of picked up on a whim. I'm glad I did, it has turned into one of my favorite cheeses. (I feel like I'm kind of a cheese buff, but there are so many kinds out there I haven't had.) It went with the smokiness that the portobello had picked up very well, and although a Swiss cheese may have been a little better fit, I was pleased with the outcome.

Next was the main event, the whole reason I wanted to grill tonight. Polish kielbasa. With the grill now picking up heat, I tossed it on and sat outside, eating the sandwich and enjoying the day. I didn't have any fancy buns, just a regular-ass coney, but I toasted it and put some onions and ketchup and horseradish mustard on to sort of spice it up a little. Once the sausage was done, I put it all together in what can only be described as a work of art. With the weather as nice as it is, and the grill being kind to me, it was a great evening experience, one of the better meals I've made in quite some time. And I can't wait to grill again. I just need coals.