PAN-ASIAN GRILLED CHICKEN

Beautiful autumn weather here yesterday demanded a session with the grill, so I continued variations on a theme I've been playing all summer: Grilling meats with similar-only-different slathers and rubs using liquor or wine and spices that span Asia from east to west.

I called this one a "semi-dry" rub because I started with a wet slather and finished up with dry spices:

Place four chicken breasts (bone in, skin on or off to taste) on a large plate and turn them several times in 2 or 3 tablespoons of hot-pepper vodka. Without letting them dry, sprinkle them all over with a mixture of equal proportions five-spice powder, cinnamon, cumin, salt and black pepper. Turn once or twice and leave at room temperature for at least an hour.

Grill over direct heat for five minutes on a side (bottoms first) or until they start browning well; then move to indirect heat and cook for another 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

That's all there is to it!