Instructions: The message is not news by now: Americas open season on grilling is ever longer, in many areas year-round, and theres almost no kind of food we are not marinating, basting and browning on the grill.

Still, however often grilling mitts are pulled on, tongs are brandished and eyes start to smart from that appetizing smoke, the May-June trifecta - Memorial Day, graduation, Fathers Day - gives most of us a holiday around which to focus festive preparations.

The art of grilling inspires major statements.

"Grilling is the worlds oldest cooking method," says Steven Raichlen, grilling authority and cookbook writer. "I believe barbecuing begot civilization. Its central to the human experience." and grilling gives us the chance to conquer something, to get in touch with our inner caveman, he asserts.

"Theres a challenge element," Raichlen says. "I would say its the culinary equivalent of scaling a mountain. No fire is ever the same.

Particularly if you work over charcoal or wood, every fire is different, so its sort of man against the elements."

Raichlen has about 15 different grills where he can feel primal.

They include a charcoal grill, a Weber Performer with a gas ignition system and an Indonesian satay grill he picked up in Jakarta.

His books include "The Barbecue! Bible" and his newest, "How To Grill." The word barbecue can mean several things, he pointed out: a style of cooking; the equipment on which you cook; the food or preparation you cook, and an occasion.

"Its meaning differs by region," he added. "Real barbecue may be one of the few last truly regional American foods."

He defined terms: "Grilling can be direct - right over the heat - or indirect, always covered, a sort of outdoor oven. True barbecue is always indirect, slow, with a lot of smoke."

Barbecue blankets the menu

Among points made:
Your chicken will burn if its basted too early, especially if theres a lot of sugar in the sauce.

Use a rub before cooking, perhaps some combination of a little sugar, paprika, salt and pepper.

Later, with a brush, "mop" on a sauce that could be a mix of vinegar, salt, pepper and chili; another sauce might be a mixture of ketchup (it has everything in it), Coke (or Sprite or beer), steak sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, liquid smoke ("its very effective, its a natural product, made from wood").

Use soaked wood chips to give extra smokiness.

And, "Dont throw away the pineapple trimmings," he said.

"Throw them on the coals, too, to add to the smoke flavor."

Take care of the grill itself, for good grill hygiene: Always make sure its clean before you begin (give it a final scrub with crumpled foil), then oil it, using paper towel and oil.

Arrange your chicken pieces or whatever youre cooking at an angle across the grate, so the sear marks are diagonal - that makes for a nicer look.

The art of the grill

"Barbecuing is to me the perfect technique - your kitchen never gets dirty," he said. "The key to it, all you have to have is an understanding of your food and then marinating.

Its a very easy process, to cook when you get home from work, almost everything can go on the grill."

With enviable ease he put together imaginative selections of grillable ingredients, skewering combinations of apple, walnuts, kumquats and ham; and plump shrimps marinated in green tea ("a fantastic concept of a very old idea from the Chinese tradition"), to serve with sweet-and-sour sauce.

Sprinkle the apple-ham skewers with a pinch of ground coffee - "Its less sharp than, say, chili powder; it gives a nice little extra flavor and crunch."

He likes to put a little coffee in his barbecue sauce, too.

The cook should: "Taste. Think. Taste again. Dont use your fingers, our skin is salty. Take a spoon - sniff, taste and adjust." He finds charcoal and gas grills work equally well, but recommends a few safety habits.

Always have some baking powder next to the grill in case of a flash fire.

Throwing baking powder on it kills it straight away (milk works, too).

Use tools with long handles so you dont get burned, and take care of your knives.

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