Grill 'em all!

I'll allow those of you in the Midwest, South, and parts of the East Coast, all of you under the "heat dome," to get out your tiny violins.  I'll wait.

Ready?  Okay.

It is sooo cold in San Francisco this summer!  Cold, gray, wind, fog, tiny droplets of moisture hanging in the air and sticking to my hair as I walk outside.  Last month was the rainiest June on record, so I'd heard.  Definitely not ideal barbecue weather.

But despite the fact that it's not a great time to fire up the grill in San Francisco, and that it's probably too hot to cook over an open flame in most other parts of the country, I was still so taken with this tiny grill (and herb garden) that I thought I'd share it here, ready to be used when the sun comes out (or goes away).

 

 

Featured on Remodelista and available for sale at A + R, this "Hot Pot Barbecue Grill" from Black + Blum is a terracotta pot with a secret identity.  The top portion contains a planter, but lift it up and underneath is a little grill.  The whole thing is perfect for a tiny balcony or terrace, or even just your front stoop.  Clever cooks will use the top portion to plant a mini-herb garden, so that all you need to flavor your food is right at your fingertips.

But with the Bay Area weather being so chilly, I might use this grill for yet another purpose -- to keep me toasty warm.  Happy summer, everyone!