Lindsey Nair

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A week at the beach with rarely seen friends is typically not a recipe for arguments.

Anytime the hubby and I make this trip, however, there's sure to be one small tiff, and it's always over the gawas.

"Gawas" is a word that, as far as my research has been able to determine, means nothing to anyone but us. I wasn't even around when my husband and his pal, Mike McCoy, invented this hobo dish, so I have no idea why they named it what they did.

I do know it has become my favorite cheap concoction to cook on the grill.

Gawas begin with a big sheet of aluminum foil, which is then slathered with butter. Next comes a thin layer of potatoes, sliced about 1/8-inch thick. That is topped by matchstick potatoes (all skin-on).

Step three involves piling on the contents of a bag of frozen vegetables, any kind. Fresh veggies such as broccoli or asparagus can also be used.

Next comes the most important process: cover the whole pile with another, slightly larger sheet of aluminum foil and then crimp all four edges tightly.

It is important to get the crimp just right. This is why Mike always elbows me out of the way and starts complaining that I'm not doing the crimp correctly. If you don't crimp it right or you accidentally poke a hole in the tinfoil, he says, it isn't going to Jiffy Pop.

In gawa parlance, Jiffy Pop is not a popcorn product. It is a verb meaning "to swell up like a balloon, signaling the time to move the gawas to a cooler spot on the grill and throw on the meat."

When everything is done, we slash open the gawa packet lengthwise with a spatula and cover the whole pile of potatoes and vegetables with slices of American cheese (it melts quickly).

If done correctly, the finished gawas will have crispy, brown potatoes on the bottom and perfectly steamed vegetables with melted cheese on top.

Photo illustration by Sam Dean | The Roanoke Times

Gas grills

• Detach and remove burners. Use a venturi brush (it has a long handle with short brush at the end) to make sure there are no blockages in the burners, then brush the tops of them with a wire brush. If any of the burner ports are sealed over with food residue, use a one-sixteenth-inch drill bit to reopen them.
• If your lava rocks or ceramic briquettes are badly crusted with food, replace them with new ones.
• Clean sear plates and grates with hot, soapy water.
• Clean the outside of your grill. For cast iron, use hot soapy water. Once it is dry, brush a little olive oil all over the surface to return luster. For porcelain, use hot, soapy water and a soft brush or sponge. For stainless steel, use a special cleaner made for stainless steel.
• With a spatula, scrape grease from the inside of the base to the drip pan. Take out the drip pan and wash with hot, soapy water. Replace the foil grease catcher.
• Inspect hoses and tubes. If you find cracks, punctures or crimps, replace them.
• If the grill has been in storage or you are replacing a major component, do a leak test. Napoleon Gourmet Grills has a handy video tutorial on this subject at www.napoleongrills.com.
• Check the ignition. If it is battery-powered, put in a fresh battery. Check electrode leads and make sure the tips of the electrodes are clean and have no grease or rust build-up. If they do, clean them with sandpaper.

Gawas are really not difficult to make. Families everywhere have been making these "hobo packets" out of foil for ages, using them to cook everything from fresh garden vegetables to fish.

But for my friends and me, gawas represent everything that is relaxing and fun about cooking on the grill. And although many a grill master has hunched over his fire-breathing beast in snow, sleet, rain and hail alike, spring truly is the time to celebrate the arrival of grilling season again.

I wanted to know what some other food lovers would call their favorite meal off the grill, so I surveyed my blog readers.

Every answer was distinct, offering yet another delicious idea for supper off the grate. Here's a sampling of those responses to help you spiff up your grill for summer.

Ground sirloin mixed with a liberal amount of A.1. Steak Sauce, a touch of brown mustard, a hefty amount of black pepper and a dash of heavy cream. Mix thoroughly and form into burgers.

Grill those babies over some charcoal and serve on a potato bun. Keep the ketchup away and pair with a Zinfandel. Don't forget a decent cheese!