Paula: This morning while navigating Austin traffic, I used the classical station to calm nerves and heard “Impromptu in Two Keys” by George Gershwin. It occurred to me that the title describes my approach to this recipe. That may be a high brow approach to chicken wings but bear with me. 

Scott: That’s weird because I was listening to “Learning to Fly” by Tom Petty during my commute and that song is also clearly about a plaintive longing for the comfort of chicken wings.

Paula: Lately I’ve been obsessed with baking on the grill. There have been brownies with a smoky “bark,” apple galettes, and smoked date sticky pudding. I don’t know why it took me so long to get to cornbread. 

Scott: The PK Grill is so good for baking and the portability of it means you don’t have to leave baking behind now when you cook outside whether it’s on your back porch or camping or tailgating. I’m excited for this “true” cornbread recipe because of the char flavor you incorporate by blistering the corn and serranos on the grill.

Paula: Autumn has officially arrived, so I assume you’re splashing your face with Pumpkin Spice After Shave, and lighting an Apple Cobbler Yankee Candle each evening.

Scott: You know me too well [sips a Pumpkin Chai Soy Latte, adjusts turtleneck].

Paula: Speaking of turtlenecks, it’s especially fun to fire up dinner now that the evenings are delightfully cool. In fact, I become downright giddy when pyramids of pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash appear in the market. Delicata Squash is my favorite variety, because you don’t have to peel it. In fact, the skin is arguably the most delicious part after it becomes crispy and caramelized over a charcoal fire.

Scott: Exactly. Grilling vegetables produces some of the most deliciously complex flavors. If only people had a super easy, low risk way to discover the flavor-bomb that is a perfectly grilled veggie.

Scott: Pork and Beans is one of those dishes that takes you way back. My mother was fond of Van Camp’s brand Pork and Beans. She also kept plenty of Beanee Weanee on hand. I have to confess I felt a little weird typing that just now.

Paula: Meanwhile, I needed to Google Beanee Weanee to see if they’re still around (your nostalgic dreams can come true here.) A throwback combo for sure--canned pork and beans remind me of a Brady Bunch episode in which Bobby and Peter hid the mixture in a flashlight, as a meal for their lost Native American friend. Promise me you’ll never serve me food from the barrel of an emptied out metal flashlight.

Scott: I promise not to do that because that is precisely where I would keep my collection of tiny Jack Daniels bottles and single package of waterproof matches.