-Brush cold grill with oil to prevent sticking 
-Use one-gallon zip-lock plastic bags to marinate up to 1 pound of meats or vegetables in 2 to 3 cups of marinade; seal, pressing out air, set bag in a large pan or baking dish and marinate, refrigerated, turning occasionally 

-Glass baking dishes work well for marinating too, but avoid aluminum, which will interact with acids in marinades, and soft plastic or rubber containers that pick up odors easily 

-Trim excess fat from meat to avoid flare-ups; slash fatty edges to keep meat from curling 

-Fill a plant mister with 7 parts water and 1 part vinegar; use to spray grill when flames flare up 

-Preheat gas grills at least 15 minutes; for charcoal grills, light at least 45 minutes before, and let burn to hot embers, coated with ash 

-To flavor your barbecue, add aromatic hardwoods, such as hickory, mesquite or oak chips or chunks or aromatic fruit woods, such as apple or cherry or vine cuttings; soak wood in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then add to hot coals 

-Begin grilling when grill temperature stabilizes at 300 Fahrenheit 

-Use your hand to determine approximate temperature; hold your hand 3 inches above the rack and count the seconds you can comfortably keep it in place: 5 seconds for low, 4 for medium, 3 for medium-high, 2 for high 

-For kebabs: grease flat, narrow metal skewers or soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes 

-For small, delicate items such as fish, shrimp or asparagus use an oiled grill basket for easy turning 

-For long-cooking vegetables or fruits (such as potatoes, whole heads of garlic or apples) cut a large piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, oil well, fill with sliced vegetables or fruit and seasonings, drizzle with oil, seal and place on hot grill Use long-handled tools and tongs -- not forks -- to turn meat to avoid piercing and releasing juices 

-To prevent scorching, brush meat with prepared barbecue sauce only after it is cooked through Don't forget to use heavy-duty oven mitts, preferably asbestos

FROM ABOUT.COM

Beverages: ( add your favorite vodka or rum to any these to spice them up )

Italian Lemonade

Italian Lemonade 
2 cups lemon juice, about 12 to 15 lemons 
2 cups Basil Simple Syrup, recipe follows 
2 cups cold or sparkling water 
Ice 
Lemon twists, for garnish

Mix lemon juice, Basil Simple Syrup, and water together in a pitcher. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Pour over ice filled glasses and garnish with a lemon twist. 

Basil Simple Syrup: 
1 bunch fresh basil, washed and stemmed 
2 cups sugar 
1 cup water 
In a saucepan combine basil, sugar, and water and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 5 minutes. Cool, strain the simple syrup, and store in the refrigerator.

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Blackberry Lemonade

About 6 lemons 
4 cups water 
1 cup sugar 
1/2 cup picked-over fresh blackberries 
Garnish: lemon slices

With a vegetable peeler remove zest from 4 lemons and squeeze enough juice from these and remaining 2 lemons to measure 1 cup. 
In a saucepan boil 2 cups water with sugar, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Add zest, lemon juice, and remaining 2 cups water and cool. 

In a food processor or blender puree blackberries and stir into lemonade. Pour blackberry lemonade through a sieve into a pitcher or other container and chill. Chill lemonade, covered, at least until cold and up to 2 days. 

Serve lemonade over ice in tall glasses, garnished with lemon slices.

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Summertime Litchi Iced Tea

4 quarts water 
10 litchi tea bags 
1/2 cup ginger juice 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
1/4 cup fresh lime juice 
1/2 cup sugar 
2 cups cranberry-flavored vodka 
Lemon and lime slices, for garnish

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and remove from the heat. Add the tea bags, ginger, lemon, and lime juices and sugar. Allow the tea to steep for 10 minutes, remove the tea bags and cool the tea. Stir to be sure that the sugar is dissolved, and place in a large pitcher. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. 
Just before serving, add the vodka to the tea and serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish with lemon and or lime slices.

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Mint Iced Tea

1 quart water 
4 family size tea bags (recommended: Luzzienne) 
2 cups sugar 
1 bunch mint leaves 
1 lemon, slices for garnish

In a large pot bring the water to a boil. Remove pot from heat, add the tea bags, cover with a lid, and allow tea to steep in water for 20 minutes. Take a 1 gallon jug and pour the sugar into the jug and cover with some hot tap water. Stir the sugar around to dissolve while the tea is steeping. Once the tea has steeped, remove the lid and the tea bags. Pour the tea into the jug with the sugar, stir, and place the tea bags back into the jug. Stir the tea well, making sure the sugar dissolves. Fill the jug with cold water to yield 1 gallon. 
To serve, pour each glass of tea and garnish with a slice of lemon and mint leaves.

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Mango Iced Tea

1 1/2 quarts cold water 
6 high quality black tea bags 
2 cups mango nectar 
Sugar 
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves 
Thinly sliced mango

Bring water to a boil, turn off heat add tea bags and steep until tea is dark, about 5 minutes. Remove bags, add mango nectar and add sugar, to taste. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Place in pitcher and add mint leaves. Pour over ice and garnish with mango slices.  

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Iced Tea with Grenadine

4 cups iced tea (homemade or store-bought) 
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons) 
1/4 cup grenadine 
Ice, for serving

In a large ball jar (or other transporting container), mix together the tea, lemon juice, and grenadine. Pour over ice when ready to serve.

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Half and Half with Lemonade Ice Cubes

8 cups cold water 
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice 
1 cup simple syrup 
1 quart freshly brewed iced tea

Pour water, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a large pitcher or pourable container and stir until combined. Reserve 1 quart of homemade lemonade for making the Half and Half. Pour some of the lemonade into an empty ice cube tray and freeze until frozen solid. 
Transfer lemonade ice cubes to a large pitcher or easily transportable and pourable container. Pour the iced tea and 1 quart of the homemade lemonade over the lemonade ice cubes and stir to blend. 

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Aqua Fresca di Frutta

large cantaloupe or 1/2 a watermelon, seeded and diced (about 3 cups) 
1 1/2 cups water 
1/2 cup sugar, plus more to taste 
2 to 3 limes, juiced 
Pinch salt

Puree cantaloupe or watermelon in a food processor and pour through a fine sieve to eliminate pulp. In a pitcher, mix strained fruit puree with water and add sugar, lime juice, and salt, to taste. 

Chef's Note: This and other similar fruit drinks, which translate literally as "fresh water," are served all over Mexico and they're a cinch to replicate at home. The key is to strain the pulpy fruit to make a clearer liquid. Instead of melon, you could use strawberries, pineapple, mango, or any fruit that is soft enough to puree.