Fire, come with me! – grilling in 2012

Chefs have a new approach to grilling this season, and it's a far cry from the bacon-topped Kobe beef burgers and Berkshire pork ribs that have ruled for the past several years. Chefs are discovering ways to transfer the magic of grilling—the sight of fire, the delicious smells wafting in the summer air—to the seasonal ingredients they love.

If there's one dish that captures this year's style, it's the grilled Caesar salad. It defies convention—who would have thought that delicate, leafy greens taste so delicious with a char on them? It's cheap compared to beef or pork, for which we'll pay nearly 8% more this year than last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And, like any great grilling dish, it's ultra-easy.