Grilled Asparagus

We live too far from the beach for a day trip, so on Memorial Day around here, the neighborhood pools unlock their gates and all the friends and neighbors who we have barely seen since last August emerge from their houses, dust off their swim noodles, readjust their swim goggles, and anxiously approach the frigid water of the pool. Those of us who do not have kids so young that they need a lot of supervision by the pool spend most of our time gathered around the shared grills preparing lunch or dinner for our families, or if it's warm enough, slathering on some sunblock and reading a book or magazine on the pool deck.

For spring and summer barbecues, we love to make barbecue chicken and tofu and grill some fresh asparagus spears to serve with it. Grilled asparagus is also fun to eat because the tips get a little crunchy and we can pop the spears right in our mouths if we are eating informally. They can also be marinated in advance and then cooked when you are almost ready to serve dinner.