Paula: I’m gonna share a little secret here. Serving hot, crispy Tater Tots at a party will make you the most popular person in town. Because secretly, everyone wants to chow down on tots.

Scott: True story. Tots bring people together. They are salty, crunchy - yet soft - and you eat them with your hands. I think of them as tiny, golden, comfort capsules.

Paula: Do you have a spirit animal? Or, more to the point, do you have a Rib Spirit Animal? Mine would be a Memphis-style dry rub made with peppery red spices and a kiss of brown sugar. My go-to technique, two hours over a wood-infused fire followed by two hours in a low oven, works perfectly every time.

Scott: Are you implying that one can have a multitude of spirit animals classified by bone type? Because I am intrigued by that possibility.

Paula: When I make burgers, I always go for freshly ground meat. If you buy packed meat that resembles a hockey puck, chances are your burgers will have the same dense texture.

Scott: I’ve eaten a few McDensities with cheese over the years and I couldn’t agree more. Freshly ground meat is a must for a killer burger. I’m not afraid to mix in a bit of pork sausage with my ground meat if I’m really trying hard to impress. Why is that so tasty?

Paula: After a 3-hour drive to the lake, the best quick meal is skirt steak, rubbed with warm Mexican spices, marinated long enough to shuck corn and build a fire, and charred over a hot grill (ideally barefoot), right?

Scott: Of course. With the possible addition that allowing your steak to continue to brine for the extra few minutes that it takes to saber some ice chunks into a glass and pour yourself a whiskey drink can be a real difference maker.