All Hail the Bratwurst.

I can tell by the smell of pork fat and beer in the air. It's almost summertime. Bratwurst has been a part of my diet since younghood. I grew up in Chicago, and you eat lots of brats in this special city.

John and I have been trying out a local company called Farm Fresh Delivery, and we've really enjoyed it. It's an online home delivery service that provides organic produce and natural groceries to its members. Basically, you get this green bin for your porch, and these magical produce gnomes deliver fresh, (mostly) local organic produce and groceries. It's $35 and we have stuff delivered every other week. The brats included in our latest delivery were from Moody Meats, located in Avon. They are the best brats I've ever made at home — very smooth in texture with a really mellow flavor. I'm used to buying prepackaged ones at the grocery store that taste like this, so I won't be going back.

Anyway, this is a slightly altered Bobby Flay recipe for beer brats.

• 4 brats
• Beer, to cover
• 1 medium large sweet onion
• 2 ounces (1/2 stick) butter

Directions

Place brats in an iron skillet with onions and butter, cover the brats with beer. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer until brats are cooked. Remove brats and set aside beer mixture. Grill brats until golden brown and return to beer mixture until ready to serve. Serve brats on fresh baked brat buns with sauerkraut, onions, green peppers, ketchup, and/or mustard.