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Faustian Barbeque

Michael Dauphinais, Weekend Morning Announcer

"Faustian Barbeque"

"Since such a thing is possible year-round in Arizona, I thought I´d offer a Barbeque Menu." 

Menu:  Steak, Baked Potatoes, Shish-kabob style veggies;

Dessert:  BBQ Peaches

Preparation:

Before baking the potatoes, moisten the skins and rub them with sea salt-- the finished potatoes will then be crisp and tasty!

For the steaks, prep them by patting Colman´s mustard powder into the meat with a fork.  Squeeze some lime juice onto the steak, then add a bit of worcestershire sauce, freshly ground white pepper and sea salt.  Treat both sides of the steaks this way.  Use a good, hot fire to char them on the outside, leaving the insides medium rare.

Shish kabobs-- this is the fun part. Anything goes!  I like Zucchini, Squash, Red Onion, Mushrooms, cherry tomatos-- be creative!

some ideas of things to brush on the kabobs before cooking:  melted butter with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder; olive oil; teriyaki sauce; Raspberry Chipotle sauce; Jamaican jerk seasoning (warning: very spicy!)

Clean the grate after the Steaks and kabobs are done.  Slice some peaches in half, remove pits.  Drizzle the open face with honey, sprinkle with cinnamon and/or ginger. let the peaches roast (open face UP) on the cooler parts of the fire while you enjoy your dinner!

Recommended CD:

Samuel Ramey, A Date with the Devil; various arias from Berlioz´ "Damnation of Faust", plus devilish arias by Boito, Liszt, Gounod. Naxos. 

Also called  ´Faustus´ or ´Doctor Faustus´, the story of the German necromancer and astrologer who sold his soul to the Devil in exhange for knowledge and power is one of the most durable legends in western folklore. There was an historical Faust, possibly even two, one of whom more than once alluded to the Devil as his ´Schwager´, or crony. One (or both) died around 1540, leaving behind a tangled tale of sorcery and alchemy, astrology and sooth-saying, studies theological and diabolical, necromancy and excess. Contemporary sources indicate that he was widely travelled and fairly well-known, but all commentators testify to his evil reputation.

Hector Berlioz was inspired by a French version of the german poet Goethe´s "Faust" to create his own dramatic cantata, ´The Damnation of Faust´, which was first performed in 1846 and is still regularly staged as an opera. Gounod´s ´Faust´, premiered in 1859, was based on part 1 of Goethe´s epic. –Lloyd Hawkins, "The Faust Legend"