July 4 Food Guide: Three Village Merchants Spill Their Grilling Secrets

No patriotic party is complete without a menu to do the nation's birthday justice. With that in mind, several local merchants shared their tips and tricks for putting together the perfect barbeque menu for the July 4 weekend.

Seafood

You can't go wrong with a marinated and grilled swordfish or tuna steak, cooked on a medium-high grill and flipped only once, according to Ray Ortiz of .

"They are born for the grill. They go directly on the grill and they don't fall apart," he said, adding a side dish for them: grilled fresh pineapple slices.

But if you really want to impress your guests, Ortiz shared his recipe for steaming clams in a beer broth on the grill. Combine beer (any kind will do) with parsley, oregano, thyme, black pepper, and butter in a flat pan, and put the closed clams in the broth. Put the tray on a high-temperature grill and close the top to trap the steam. Grill up some corn on the cob to serve on the side, and pair with a light, citrusy beer like Brooklyn Summer Ale ($10.99 for a six-pack at ).

"They steam open in that broth and you eat them just like that," he said.

Chicken

manager Sean Gafary recommends grilling chicken breasts in a marinade, like balsamic, barbeque sauce or honey mustard. Slice a grilled chicken breast on top of a fresh tossed salad for a lighter option, or top with cheddar, lettuce and tomato for a classic chicken sandwich.

Gafary said chicken is also great in salads, like the deli's honey mustard, bacon, and chicken salad. "Everybody loves it," he said. "We sell a lot of it. People get it on a wrap or sandwich, too."

To go with chicken dishes, Caitlin Lee of recommends a light red wine such as the Cantele ($11.99) or a chardonnay with a wood-like texture such as the La Crema ($16.99).

Beef

When it comes to barbeque parties, the hamburger is sort of the key ingredient. And when it comes to burgers, Ben Saraydarian is known to cook up a good one at his .

"I'd say the two biggest keys are fresh, high quality meat and a nice, hot grill," he said. "If you use quality meat, you don't have to disguise the flavor. You let the meat speak for itself."

Simpler is sometimes better, he said. His own preference is for a lean ground sirloin with just a bit of fat for extra flavor. Lean meat won't shrink as much as fatty meat on the grill, either.

But don't be afraid to get creative with the bun. At Country Corner, Saraydarian serves a burger in between two grilled cheese sandwiches. You can vary the grilled cheeses with other toppings, too. It's a top seller.

Whereas many barbeque lovers will opt for a favorite beer with their burger, Lee said there are actually wines that will pair well. A heavy cabernet sauvignon like the Louis Martini ($16.99) works.

"I had this at a barbeque a few years ago and my friends really liked it," she said.

Grill Like a Pro

Ortiz shared one final grilling tip so your meats don't stick to the grill. After you've turned it on and scrubbed down the rack, cut a raw potato in half and rub it on a really hot grill. The starchy coating will make it easier to flip fish and other meats.

Don't Forget Dessert

Lee made one final recommendation: the Murphy-Goode sauvignon blanc, a citrusy white aged in oak, which she described as a refreshing summer wine that would pair well with a light dessert such as fresh fruit.