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Steven on Italian TV

Steven on Italian TV

If you happened to be in Italy last week watching Gambero Rosso (the
Italian food channel), you might been surprised to see Steven interviewed by Alfredo Antonaros. The occasion was the publication Tutto Barbecue, the Italian translation of The Barbecue Bible.

The interview required a quick trip to Rome (twist Steven’s arm).
Steven’s command of the Italian language is limited, so here are the
questions he thinks he was asked and he answered:
A: Why this fascination with barbecue?
S: It’s the world’s oldest cooking method–you could really say our
early hominid ancestors made the leap from animal to humankind over a
barbecue pit.
A: Why is barbecue so popular?
S: Because it’s done in virtually every country, and virtually every
country has its own unique style of grilling.
A: What’s the difference between barbecue and grilling?
S: True barbecue is done indirectly, at a relatively low
temperature, in the presence of a lot of wood smoke. Grilling is a
hotter, quicker method of cooking, done at a higher temperature,
directly over the fire.
A: How does live fire cooking differ in Italy and the U.S.?
S: Italians prize simplicity above all else in their grilling.
Most dishes are seasoned solely with salt and perhaps a drizzle of
olive oil. In the U.S., we aim for complex layers of
flavor. One single rack of ribs might be seasoned with a dozen
spice rub, a mop sauce, a glaze, and a barbecue. And of course, a
pungent whiff of wood smoke.
So what dish did the Gambero Rosso chef prepared to illustrate
Steven’s book? Grilled pineapple with coconut milk.