Grills, and the women that love them by Darryl Beeson Men claim domain over cooking by fire. But I suspect that women do it better, though.   Women can bring to the grill world a certain complexity- garden herbs, wine as a marinade, sea salt and most importantly, subtlety.   Men rule with the bursts of flame that threaten eyebrows, big slabs of meat  that are unevenly cooked, and lavish coats of bottled sauces that are blackened and burnt. They intimidate the fairer sex with their brash assertiveness. Please note that the man's resulting platter of grilled meats, dogs, whatever looks closer to burnt offerings than dinner.   The following recipe (and suggested wines) might allow the lady of the house to reclaim the honor of trial by fire. The source of this savory meal idea is from Spring Mountain Vineyard in Napa.   Grilled Lamb with Lavender Serves 6-8 Preparation time: 45 minutes "The vegetable gardens flourish in the summer, flanked by lush borders of fragrant lavender. The massed tall spikes are a mecca for bees; their drone is relaxing and intoxicating," says Shanon Martin who has the most coveted job at Spring Mountain Vineyard as the head of the estate's extensive gardens. "The seasonal bounty of the estate can always be found at our table. No season surpasses summer for simple and sensational, fresh ingredients. Whether it is fresh herbs, tomatoes, green beans, squash, onions or strawberries, the garden basket is always full of good things to eat, and to be simply prepared with a focus on the purity of the flavors."   Ingredients: One butterflied leg of lamb, 4-5 lbs. 5-6 garlic cloves, mashed into a paste 1 T. fresh rosemary, stripped from the stem and minced 1 T. fresh lavender buds, stripped from the stem 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup dry white wine Sea salt, black pepper, freshly ground Lemon wedges for serving   Instructions: Have your butcher butterfly the lamb for you. Combine marinade ingredients and spread over the lamb. Place in a covered, shallow dish to marinate overnight in the refrigerator or for several hours at room temperature. An hour or so before you are ready to cook, bring the lamb to room temperature and build a good charcoal or wood fire. Remove meat from marinade and wipe it as dry as possible. Grill the meat to medium rare. The center should remain moist and pink. Slice the lamb and arrange on a large decorative platter with lemon wedges and lavender sprigs. Serve the grilled lamb with tabbouleh, a delicious, easy-to-make bulgur wheat salad with fresh cherry tomatoes, mint and cucumbers. The tabbouleh can be made several hours in advance and kept chilled until dinner. To round out the menu, grill ears of fresh summer corn alongside the lamb.   "If you are fortunate enough to have an herb garden, pick your favorite to chop and blend into softened butter. Then slather it on the hot corn with plenty of salt and pepper," adds Martin.   To this day, the French continue to send baby lamb to graze in fields of lavender, so their meat will be tender and fragrant. For a fragrant infusion of flavor, use stripped lavender stems as skewers for fruit or grilled shrimp brochettes.   For wine pairing, Syrah (or red wines from the Northern Rhone) could be perfect. Try some of the following California selections, listed in no particular order.   Spring Mountain Vineyard Syrah CO-FERMENT, Napa 2004 ($50, very limited production) showing strength and spicy individuality from the Syrah and the floral nuances of the subtle addition of white grape Viognier.   Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve Syrah, California 2004 ($15.99, Double Gold Medal – 2007 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition) offering "intense black currant and bold, jammy blackberry and blueberry flavors," according to wine maker Randy Ullom.   Kenwood Syrah "Jack London Vineyard" Sonoma 2004 ($27) obviously asking, if it is good enough for Jack London, then it it is certainly good enough for us. A call of the wild with flavors.   Shannon Ridge Syrah, High Valley 2005 ($19, available from www.shannonridge.com/store.php) being high in the mountains above Clear Lake, California, this is a producer to watch in the future.   Brassfield Estate Syrah "Monte Sareno Vineyard" High Valley  2003 ($29.99, limited distribution) WE 91pts. - "Complex aromas of dark fruits, lavender, cola nut and toasty oak are present and intertwined amongst the elegant flavors."   Jade Mountain Syrah "Snows Lake Vineyard"Red Hill Lakes County 2004 ($20) from 2,000-foot elevation on volcanic mountain slopes.   Ravenswood Syrah, Sonoma 2004 ($10, a contrast to their Australian sourced Shiraz) is another success from wine maker Joel Peterson.   Arrowood Syrah "Saralee's Vineyard" Russian River Valley, 2003/2004 ($30) "which includes 3% Viognier in the blend, is one of the greatest Syrahs Arrowood has produced. Dick Arrowood has always been ahead of the...curve," says Robert Parker.   Bridlewood Estate Syrah, Central Coast 2004 ($19) delivering rich flavors of blackberry, spice and plum followed by powerful tannins and a smooth, succulent finish.   Curtis "Crossroads Vineyard" Syrah, Santa Barbara 2003 ($30, limited availability) offering aromas of black fruits and pine forest, a luscious palate unfolds. For more great wine suggestions, click here Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.