How do you put on the best barbecue? Serve and use the best of everything, of course. Here are our primo tool, food and beverage selections to help you host a successful July Fourth or other outdoor summer celebration.

        Best grill: In June's Cook's Illustrated, the magazine's editors name the New Braunfels “Santa Fe” charcoal grill as their favorite, praising its value ($99) and features such as built-in thermometer and charcoal rack door for easy fire tending.

        Best charcoal: For most home grill jobs, we prefer Kingsford briquettes, which light easily and burn relatively long and slow. For higher heat and more pronounced wood flavor, use Royal Oak Natural Wood Charcoal. Kingsford charcoal is available at most groceries and many hardware stores. Royal Oak is sold at Humbert's Meats (3111 Glenmore Ave., Westwood; 481-5950) and Cincinnati Wholesale Supply (190 Container Place, Springdale; 671-4150).

        Best barbecue technique: Steven Raichlen and other barbecue book authors recommend this simple technique for grilling chicken, chops and extra-thick steaks: Pile hot coals on one side of grill and stack only a few on the opposite side. Sear meat over high heat (the big stack of coals) 3 to 5 minutes per side, then move to cooler side (small stack) and cover grill to finish cooking.

        Best brine: Brining is a mysterious osmotic process that helps grilled pork and poultry turn out extra juicy and flavorful. For four large pork chops or chicken breasts, dissolve 3/4 cup kosher salt (or 6 tablespoons table salt) with 6 tablespoons sugar in 3 quarts cold water. Soak pork or chicken in brine solution in refrigerator about an hour. Remove from brine, drain and pat dry before grilling. (From Cook's Illustrated.)

        Best barbecue cookbook: So many to choose from, including Mr. Raichlen's whimsical Beer Can Chicken cookbook (Workman; $12.95), but our favorite recent release is Let the Flames Begin: Tips, Techniques and Recipes for Real Live Fire Cooking (Norton; $30). Authors Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby, who wrote the seminal Thrill of the Grill (Morrow; $30), offer advice for cooking all kinds of food over charcoal and wood-fired (not gas) heat, with unusual, flavor-packed recipes, such as Barbecued Duck Legs with Peaches, Green Olives and Sherry and Grilled Swordfish and Clams with Black Bean Sauce. (Chat with Mr. Willoughby from 12:30-1 p.m. today at Cincinnati.Com.)

        Best Web site: Find barbecue recipes, tips and links to other Web sites at www.smokering.net.

        Best sausage: Nobody stuffs better links for the grill than Kroeger & Sons Meats at Findlay Market in Over-the-Rhine. They make 45 varieties, including a dozen types of chicken sausages, from scratch. A new favorite is their spicy smoked Italian sausage, but Kroegers' sweet Vidalia sausage still reigns as king of the grill. The Kroeger shop is open Tuesday-Saturday, but best days to buy sausage are Friday and Saturday. 651-5543.

        While you're shopping Findlay, buy the best mustard for your sausage at Mr. Gene Green's Organic Cornucopia. His Findlay Market Honey Mustard won a gold medal at the Napa Valley Mustard Festival this year. (Mustard is available at Mr. Gene Green's on Saturdays, and at several other Findlay shops during the week.)

        To build a better salad, buy locally grown organic lettuces and greens from Madison's at Findlay Market. (Open: Wednesday-Saturday; 723-0590.)

        Best seafood: More than chicken, pork and beef, it's important to buy seafood from a dependable authority — someone behind the counter who can answer your questions. Kevin Smith, owner of Bounty Seafood II in Anderson Township, is the fishmonger with the answers. A native of Maine, Mr. Smith offers advice on cooking and grilling everything from mahi mahi to lobster, and his cases are packed with the freshest fish and shellfish. (6675 Salem Road, Anderson Township; 232-5959.)

        Best beef: Consistently, the best-tasting beef we've found is Coleman's Natural, which is raised free-range in Colorado, without use of antibiotics or hormones. Available at Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton and Springboro (see www.dorothylane.com for store locations) and at Wild Oats in Norwood's Rookwood Commons.

        Best chicken: Overall, we like the full-flavored Miller Amish Poultry, especially for whole-bird grilling. (Available at Bigg's and some Kroger stores.) For grilled chicken breast, hormone-free Wellington Farms boneless “frenched” breasts are our choice. Unlike most, these boneless breasts are sold with skin on, which delivers crispy, rich flavor when grilled — and helps keep the chicken moist. (Available at Dorothy Lane Market in Dayton and Springboro.)

        Best cocktail sauce: While waiting for the entree to come off the grill, the time is right for dipping chilled shrimp into zesty cocktail sauce. We haven't found anything in a bottle to beat author Shirley Corriher's “Traditional” Cocktail Sauce, easily made with chili sauce, lemon zest and juice. (See recipe below)

        Best all-purpose sauce: Based on an old family formula from Kentucky, Mrs. Wright's Recipe is like a cross between salsa and steak sauce — but better. Bobby Wright and her daughter, Jamese, make and distribute the sauce in Dayton. It's available in most Kroger stores and Jungle Jim's Market in Fairfield.

        Best drinks: For grilled chicken and pork, beer columnist Ed Westemeier recommends hoppy East India Pale Ale from Brooklyn Brewery ($6.99 per six-pack). With steaks and burgers, the beer guy suggests sipping chocolatey Edmund Fitzgerald Porter from Great Lakes Brewery in Cleveland ($7.99 per six-pack).

        If wine is your barbecue beverage of choice, Tim Hue of Cork n' Bottle in Covington recommends three good-value wines from sunny Provence: A white, Mas Des Bressades Roussane Viognier 2000 ($14.99); a red, Cuvee Sommelongue Brunel Cotes du Rhone 2000 ($11.99); and a rose, Chateau Grande Cassagne 2001 ($9.99).

        Barbecues are a prime time for pouring pitchers of sweet sangria and tart margaritas. Yes, the best are still homemade. (See recipes below)

        Best takeout side dish: In a blind sampling of a dozen takeout potato salads, our Taste Team rated the creamy, herby “Homemade” Potato Salad from Production Line Cafe in Oakley tops. (3210 Madison Road, Oakley; 321-1205.)

        Best dessert: After all that filling food, go light with fresh melon balls and berries swimming in sweet sparkling wine. (See recipe below.)

        If you still have room, there may be no better summer dessert than your favorite flavor of Graeter's ice cream, with or without fresh fruit. After declaring it the best ice cream anywhere this month, we're guessing Oprah Winfrey will be spooning Graeter's on the patio this summer.

Recipes

Topolo Margarita
        Finely grated zest of 1 1/2 limes, about 1 teaspoon
        1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 large limes)
        1/4 cup, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
       Lime wedges
       Coarse salt
        3/4 cup Sauza Conmemorativo or other premium tequila
       2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Gran Torres orange liqueur, or 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
       About 1 cup coarsely broken ice cubes

        To make limeade, combine lime zest, juice, sugar and 10 tablespoons water in glass or plastic pitcher. Stir to dissolve sugar, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but no longer than 24 hours. Strain into another pitcher.

        To serve margaritas, rub rims of 4 glasses with lime wedge, then dip into salt. In cocktail shaker, combine limeade, tequila and orange liqueur. Add ice and shake, then strain into glasses. Makes 4 margaritas.

— Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen (Scribner; $35)
       

Sangria

        2 cups sugar
       Zest of 2 oranges and 2 lemons
       1 cinnamon stick
       1 bottle dry red wine
       2 ounces brandy
        1/2 ounce triple sec or Grand Marnier
       Sliced orange, lemon, lime, apple, strawberries or other fresh fruit

        Bring sugar, 1 cup water, orange and lemon zest and cinnamon stick to boil. Simmer 5 minutes and strain. (Syrup will keep, covered in refrigerator, indefinitely.)

        To make sangria, mix 1/4 cup sugar syrup with 1 bottle red wine, brandy and triple sec. Add sliced fruit, stir and refrigerate a couple of hours. Serve over ice with a splash of soda (the Spanish prefer Sprite). Makes 6 drinks.

— Summer Cocktails (Chronicle; $12.95)
       

Traditional Cocktail Sauce
        1 cup bottled chili sauce
       Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
       1 tablespoon lemon juice
       2 heaped tablespoons prepared horseradish
        1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce or to taste

        Stir all ingredients together in bowl. Chill before serving. Makes about 1 cup.

— CookWise (Morrow; $30)

Grilled Swordfish and Clams with Black Bean Sauce
        3 tablespoons sesame oil
       3 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
       2 tablespoons minced garlic
       2 tablespoons minced fermented black beans or black bean paste
       4 swordfish fillets, 1-inch thick, about 8 to 10 ounces each
       Salt and pepper, to taste
       2 dozen (about 1 1/2 pounds) littleneck clams, scrubbed
       2 tablespoons dry sherry
        1/3 cup white wine
       3 tablespoons soy sauce
       5 dashes Tabasco sauce, or to taste
        1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, green and white parts

        Build multilevel fire in grill, leaving one-quarter of the bottom free from coals. Bank coals in remaining three-quarters of grill so they are three times as high on one side as the other. Allow coals to burn down until medium-hot, until you can hold your hand about 5 inches above grill 3 to 4 seconds.

        In shallow baking pan or disposable foil pan large enough to hold clams in single layer, combine sesame oil, ginger, garlic and black beans; stir to mix. Place pan over the side of the grill that has no fire.

        Sprinkle swordfish generously with salt and pepper, then put both the swordfish and the clams directly on the hottest side of the grill. As clams open, transfer them to the pan with the sesame-black bean mixture; discard any that don't open. Grill swordfish until just opaque all the way through, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. When done, transfer fish to large, rimmed platter and cover with foil.

        When clams have all been transferred to pan, add sherry, wine, soy, Tabasco and scallions. Stir a few times to combine and place pan over hotter side of the grill to heat sauce. To serve, remove clams from sauce, arrange them around the swordfish on the platter, and drizzle clams and fish generously with sauce. Makes 4 servings.

— Let the Flames Begin (Norton; $30)
       

Warm Salad of Grilled Eggplant, Summer Squash and Zucchini

        DRESSING
        1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
        1/4 cup lemon juice
        1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
       3 tablespoons cracked coriander seeds
        1/2 cup roughly chopped parsley
       Salt and pepper, to taste
       VEGETABLES
       2 large eggplants, cut into 1-inch thick slices
       3 medium summer squash, cut lengthwise into planks about 1-inch thick
       3 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into planks about 1-inch thick
        1/4 cup olive oil
       2 tablespoons peeled and minced garlic
       1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
       Salt and black pepper, to taste

        Build a multilevel fire, leaving one-quarter of the bottom free of coals. Bank the coals in the remaining three quarters of the grill so they are three times as high on one side as the other. Allow coals to burn down to medium. Combine dressing ingredients in small bowl, whisk together and set aside.

        In large bowl combine sliced eggplant, squash and zucchini, oil, garlic, pepper and salt to taste. Toss gently to coat vegetables. Place vegetables on grill and cook, turning once, until well-browned, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Remove vegetables to cutting board and cut into large chunks, then return them to large bowl.

        Stir dressing again, add to vegetables and toss gently. Serve salad warm or at room temperature. Makes 10 servings.

— Let the Flames Begin

       
Chilled Fruit & Bubbly

        Honeydew, cantaloupe or other melon, cut into balls or chunks
       Blackberries, raspberries or strawberries, left whole or sliced
       Sugar, to taste
       Proseco (Italian sparkling wine), extra-dry champagne, other slightly sweet sparkling wine or non-alcoholic sparkling wine, chilled

        Combine melon and berries in large bowl, taste and season to taste lightly with sugar. Cover and refrigerate before serving. (No more than 6 hours.)

        Just before serving, pour in generous amount of sparkling wine. Serve in balloon wine glasses or parfait glasses.

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