ESL Podcast 829 - Having a Barbecue
to step aside - to move out of the way so that someone else can do something
Step aside and I'll fix your TV.
the king/queen of - a man/woman who is very good at doing something, better than anyone else, often used humorously
Grant is the king of gardening. He gives fresh fruits and vegetables to his friends and neighbors all summer long.
cookout - an event where food is grilled over fire and eaten outside, especially as a party or celebration
Do you want to come to a cookout at our house this Saturday?
to work (one's) magic - to do something very well, better than anyone else can do it
You're always so organized. Can you work your magic on my garage?
barbecue - a large device that uses charcoal or natural gas to create a source of heat for cooking foods outdoors
Don't let the kids play near the barbecue - it's hot!
charcoal - black, round or square objects made from burnt wood, used in grills to produce heat for cooking foods outside
Fish tastes better if you cook it over cedar wood instead of charcoal.
to fire up - to light something; to start a fire burning; to turn something on
Sometimes it's very difficult to fire up the lawn mower.
lighter fluid - a liquid that is poured over wood or charcoal so that it burns more quickly and easily
The wood is a little bit wet from the rain, but I think it will burn if we use some lighter fluid.
smoky - with a lot of smoke (the grey-colored air that comes from a fire)
This restaurant is so smoky that I can hardly taste the food!
barbecue sauce - a thick liquid put on meat before and during cooking to give it extra flavor, usually sweet and/or spicy
After eating the chicken wings, Lacie licked the barbecue sauce off her fingers.
to baste - to use a small tool to spread a sauce or liquid over food while it is cooking to give it more flavor and not let it become too dry
Nancy forgot to baste the turkey, so it was really dry and tasteless.
to flip - to turn something over, especially with a spatula (cooking tool with a flat end) when talking about food
Quick! Flip over those pancakes before they burn.
corn on the cob - corn kernels (small pieces) that are still attached to the hard, inedible (cannot be eaten) part of the plant, held by putting one hand on each end so that one can bite off the kernels
Do you want to put butter and salt on your corn on the cob?
to grill - to cook something by putting it on a rack with evenly spaced metal bars held above a source of heat
Doctors recommend grilling or steaming fish instead of frying it.
to hurry things along - to speed something up; to make something happen sooner or more quickly
We need to hurry things along or we'll never meet the deadline.
perfection - a state that could not be better; a condition that has no flaws, errors, or problems
This birthday cake was decorated to perfection! Who made it?
Michelangelo - an influential Italian Renaissance artist who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and created the Statue of David, among other great works
It took Michelangelo about four years to finish painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.