Like Cool have just posted some stunning fire-breather photography.

Taken (and more than likely, brilliantly retouched to some extent) by Bast-86, they really capture an incredible sense of energy.

As part of some recent PR work at Spring. I was asked to provide a quick doodle to The Drum magazine for analysis by a handwriting expert.

Here is said doodle…

Here’s what Joan – the expert (or gifted freak, as I like to now call her), said.

Hmm, talk about screw ball scramble, what a lot of internal struggle goes on with this person before actually coming to a decision. But when the decision does arrive it all stops are pulled out quickly and it gets done. They are good at recognising when an innovative idea comes to light and they work quickly to get it happening. The initial E stands out here. I am drawn to the fact that they could be a tall person who, on the outside looks as if they try and rise above things but internally put themselves through the mill. Also a group of five people may work closely together in a team in some way. I also think there may be three or four elements to their organisation that make it tick over. For some reason I sense baby talk, it may just be around them but it is strong. I feel they may have to spell things out for people and get frustrated as a result. They know themselves pretty well but can hide a lot from others until they get to know them well.

So.

• When I’m working on an idea/concept. I sleep really badly, bordering on chronic insomnia.
• Erika is MD at Spring, my desk is next to her and she is rather pregnant.
• I’m 6′ 4″.
• I’m usually quite shy when getting to know people
• If by rising above things, they mean I have a massive beard and tattoos, then yes, rise, I do.
• … and the rest.

I aim to be spooked about this for about 24 hours.

Summer is finally here by the looks of things, even this weekend – considering it almost always rains on the weekend of Glastonbury -  was amazing and perfect for getting a few cold beers on the go and firing up the Barbie.

Now, I consider myself pretty skilled when it comes to cooking stuff over hot coals, and whilst cooking dinner on the barbeque this evening – supping on a cold beer at the same time – I thought, maybe I should share some tips on BBQing for some of you that might be, well, a bit rubbish when it comes to outdoor meat-scorching.

1. Get the right kit.

Having the right equipment for doing a BBQ is very, very important. There’s nothing worse than lightly roasting your hands because you’ve gone and got some short-handled tongs. So, get yourself a good sturdy set of long handled tongs along with a metal fish slice for flipping those burgers.

Here’s a handy list of tools:

• Tongs – the most essential tool which saves you from burning your fingers.
• Spatula – perfect for flipping anything on the grill.
• Basting brush – so you don’t waste any of your marinade. Brush the meat/fish to add that extra flavour while cooking.
• Water spray bottle – grease fires are the enemy as they give food that bitter, charred taste, so keep this on hand to stop any flare-ups.
• Oven mitts – an essential when the heat is flared up.
• Wire brush – to keep your grill free from burnt bits. It’s important to keep the grill clean while you’re cooking, and easier to clean while it’s still warm.

When it comes to the BBQ itself, if you’re planning anything other than a quick BBQ at the beach, invest in something that’s easy to maintain and going to last you more than one summer.

Calor have been very clever with their SEO and bought BBQ.co.uk – which deserves a mention for not only the domain name, but also the equipment and advice they have on there.

Dancook do a (rather pricey) but excellent value range of BBQs. I use the Dancook 1000 – we’ve had it for a couple of years now. It’s easy to clean, great to cook on, and because of the way it draws air in through the body, very good to regulate. There’s also some space dividers (additional accessory) available, that mean you can partition the coal… which leads me onto.

2. Sectioning.

Sectioning off the coal space of your BBQ is important for two reasons:

1. It saves on coal
2. It means that there are areas of the grill that will not be over direct heat, meaning that if things are cooking too quickly, they will have a clear space to sit, and cook through properly. This is especially important when it comes to sausages and chicken.

Dancook and other manufacturers provide accessories that help divide the coal, however, it’s just as easy to make sure that you are only putting coal in one area of the BBQ, and not just covering the whole thing.

3. Be prepared

Do as much of the preparation as possible the day before your party. Meat and poultry will benefit from marinating overnight in the fridge, and you will benefit from the job already being done. Salads and side dishes can be made in advance and why not prepare an easy dessert that just needs finishing off on the day.

4. Lighting Aids.

Using anything more that a firelighter, (or even just a couple of sheets of newspaper, if you’ve got great coal), is going to either mean your coal burns out too quick, or your food is just going to taste like it’s covered in chemicals. Steer clear of the bags of soaked charcoal. They might be easy to light, but they burn out pretty quickly, the heat is quiet intense and it’s difficult to get the amount of coal right (one bag might be too little, two bags, too much!).

Also, for obvious safety reasons, don’t pour highly flammable materials (or, as I’ve seen in the past, spray the coals with a can of deodorant to “get them going a bit”) over the BBQ. Never fun, always pretty dangerous, and if you’re a man, the only wiener you could end up cooking is your own, along with your hands, face and thighs.

5. Gas or Coal?

Personally, I don’t understand why people cook with gas. To me, it’s just cooking outdoors, not BBQing. So it would be no great surprise when I say that I completely prefer coal.

Choosing the right kind of coal is important. Not only does using good dry coal aid the lighting/heating process, but it will also give you a much longer cooking time.

It’s worth looking in your local area to see if you can buy charcoal from a local producer. The Allotment Forestry web site, has a handy list of local suppliers. When I’m passing, I tend to try and get hold of White Dog Traditional Charcoal from a producer in Stowmarket (01449 766 434), Suffolk. It’s amazingly dry, and incredibly easy to light.

If you aren’t able to get any from a local supplier, just head down to your local garage and get some normal briquettes. They are reasonably easy to light, easy to section and burn very nicely for quite some time.

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Hopefully this little guide will have been of some use to you.

To aid in your journey of becoming a BBQ legend, you may also want to check out some BBQ recipes. BBQs don’t just have to be used for slabs of meat, you can also cook vegetables (sweetcorn wrapped in foil with some butter and black pepper is incredible), or even fish (foil wrapped whole salmon, with garlic, lemon, herbs and seasoning, slow-cooked is a real winner).

Now available from my Etsy store – a limited run of 10 giclee prints (A2 landscape) featuring an illustration of the legendary signature skate shoe from Jerry Hsu.

Get yours now.

A wonderful series of Mustache on a Stick by Because We Can. Perfect for photos or to quickly hide from your boss. Haha…

“The “Stash” itself is made of 100% recycled wood fiber, and the stick is sustainably harvested. The paint is water-based acrylic. So our ’stashes are all natural, just like the real thing.”

See more of this kind of thing over at http://www.likecool.com/