St Martin & St Johns, VI

St. Martin & St. Johns is a great place to vacation.  The people are great and the islands are beautiful.  If you ever get a chance to visit, please take your time an soak up the food, culture, and traditions of the Virgin Islands.

Pack Light

I purchased the Samsonite Silhouette 11 20" Spinner a few months ago, and it has turned out to be a solid little travel companion.  Since the airlines started raising their baggage fees, I travel only with carry-on luggage.  Depending on the length of my trip, I pack about 3 days worth of clothing, and I find a local laundromat to wash a load in order to make through a long trip.  The Samsonite Silhouette 11 20" Spinner meets the international standard for carry-on luggage, it is light weight, and the wheels are fantastic for navigating around the airport.  Here are the specifications for this great travel bag:

-Tri-Core Nylon Treated With Dupont Teflon Nanotechnology To Resist Stains

-Four, multi-directional spinner wheels for easy mobility

-Features 3-1-1 bag which aids in expediting security checks

-Expands 2" for additional packing capacity

The Best BBQ Chicken

I have spent a large amount of time perfecting BBQ Chicken, and here is my simple recipe.

Ingredients:

4 cups apple cider
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons black peppercorns 
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
8 cups dark beer
1 (4 to 5 pound) roasting chicken, well rinsed and patted dry
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce
1 shot any type of Tequila
1 lime zested and juiced

Combine the apple cider, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves in a large pot or bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Combine the mixture with the beer in a plastic container. Place the chicken (cut in half) in the brine and, if necessary, weigh down with a heavy dinner plate to completely submerge. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Pour BBQ Sauce in small pot and add Tequila, lime zest, and lime juice, and bring to a boil.

Take chicken out of the brine and pat completely dry, then lightly salt and pepper the chicken.  Put chicken on a 250 degree grill (using the indirect heat method) until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees (approx. 2 hours), then brush BBQ sauce all over the chicken for the last 5 minutes of cooking.  Take chicken off the grill and cover with foil for about 15 minutes, to let the juices rest.

The Big Green Egg

This is one of the greatests purchases I have ever made...The Big Green Egg (BGE) has been in my family for the past 6 years, and still going strong.  This purchase is for a lifetime...if you can afford to buy one...just do it, you will not regret the purchase.  I have added some information from the Big Green Egg website http://www.biggreenegg.com/

The EGG is a unique barbecue product, with unmatched flexibility and capabilities that surpass all other conventional cookers combined. It is a smoker, a grill and an oven and you can cook literally any food on it year around, from appetizers to entrees to desserts.

Here are some of the benefits of the Big Green Egg:
•Fast lighting -- ready to cook in 10 minutes with no lighter fluid
•Ceramic walls retain heat with accurate temperature control and no hot spots
•Fuel efficient so there is no need to add more charcoal while cooking; unburned charcoal can be reused
•Constant tending not required; with enclosed cooking there are no grease flare-ups
•Withstands temperature extremes from below 0° to 1800°F
•Can be used year around, even in freezing temperatures and rain
•Surface stays cooler and is safer around children than metal grills
•Weatherproof ceramics won't rust
•Handsome, decorative and unique design
•Produces the juiciest, most succulent food you'll ever taste