Put The Shrimp on The Barbie

Happy Memorial Day! This is one of those days I look forward to all year (and of course it undoubtedly always sneaks up on me) because it's the "unofficial start" of summer. (You know, it's so close to the start of summer, why don't they just make it the "official" start of summer. We're so controlled by tradition, eh?)

I like grilling so summer is one of my favorite time of year. But since I don't have an outdoor grill or a patio, I keep my grilling pretty simple, and you don't get any more simpler than shrimp. Shrimp is so easy to prepare and fast to cook, so you can get the taste of summer in seconds. My basic preparation of shrimp and vegetables for the grill is some olive oil and herbs de Provence. Herbs de Provence is a mix of dried herbs from the famous French culinary region, and it contains one of my favorite herbs (10 points to someone who names it quickly!) -- lavender. You can find Herbs de Provence at most of your gourmet grocery stores like Williams Sonoma or Dean and Deluca. So grab some herbs, olive oil and salt and get grillin'. Enjoy the summer!