I was going to do some grilling at a friend's house in San Francisco. Was he ever particular about the kind of coals he wanted me to bring ...
"Don't go getting any of the standard charcoal briquettes! Those are made with old used-up tires and all kinds of junk. Get REAL mesquite charcoal if you're going to be using my grill, please!"
Yes, sir.
But he was right. Suddenly, years of grilling over "standard charcoal briquettes" came back to me. It dawned on me that there was a sinister reason why my throat felt like I'd burned through 4 packs of unfiltered cigarettes in 30 minutes after a "fun" afternoon of grilling.
Now I just use real mesquite coals. They burn unevenly, and run MUCH hotter than briquettes. But the taste they impart to the food can't be duplicated, and they are much easier on my eyes and throat.
