According to the folks in Washington, D.C., who are in charge of such things, summer officially begins on June 20 when the summer solstice occurs.

But according to folks in backyards all across America, Memorial Day is the officially unofficial commencement of the thing we call summer. It’s that roughly 100-day period when schools are closed and backyards become the place to host gala food fests.

And since it is the first official party weekend of the summer, it behooves us to treat it with the importance that it deserves.

Almost by default, the menu will almost certainly be focused on cooking something outdoors.

Lots of folks prefer to barbecue or grill, while others will boil shrimp or crawfish. More recently, amateur chefs have taken to firing up a griddle for smash burgers or whatnot.

But whatever it is, it will almost certainly be prepared, and maybe eaten, al fresco.

It doesn’t matter which of these formats you choose; there are no wrong answers to the question of “What are you cooking?”

Me? I’m a fan of seafood, which is no great state secret. Summer just puts me in a briny state of mind, and isn’t it fortunate that brown shrimp season in Alabama is about to commence?

Here is a recipe that I got a long time ago from the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama. They ought to know how to cook shrimp, since they are the ones out there catching them, right?

Bacon-Wrapped, Jalapeno and Cheese Stuffed Shrimp

6-8 servings

• 2 pounds large brown shrimp, peeled and deveined 
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder 
• 2 teaspoons paprika 
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground 
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
• 2 ounces Monterey Jack Cheese, cut into thin strips 
• 3 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded, and cut into thin slices 
• 1 pound bacon, halved 
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1 lime, quartered (for garnish) 
• Plenty of skewers 

In a small bowl, mix together the garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and season with 3/4 of the spice mixture, tossing to evenly coat the shrimp.

Working with one shrimp at a time, make a slit about 3/4 inch long at the base of the shrimp and place one jalapeno slice and one cheese slice in the slit, then wrap the shrimp with half a slice of bacon.

Thread the shrimp onto skewers and season lightly with remaining spice mixture, then brush the shrimp lightly with melted butter.

Place the shrimp on a clean and oiled grilling grate and grill over high heat until the bacon crisps and the shrimp just cook through, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Not everybody likes seafood; I can’t understand it, but it’s a fact. But just about everybody loves cheeseburgers, right?

Here is a good recipe that I sort of stole and adapted from tasteofhome.com.

Smashburgers are a very popular trend in restaurants and home cooking. It is basically taking a burger, mashing it very thin and cooking it quickly so that it is comprised mostly of the browned bits that make a burger special.

And if you don’t have a griddle (and why don’t you?), you can use a cast iron skillet instead. Cook burgers in batches so as not to crowd them, please.

Smashburgers

4 servings

• 1 pound ground beef (preferably 80% lean) 
• 1 teaspoon canola oil 
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper, divided 
• 4 slices sharp Cheddar cheese 
• 4 hamburger buns, split 
• Mayonnaise, sliced American cheese, sliced tomato, dill pickle slices, lettuce, ketchup and yellow mustard 

Heat griddle to medium/high heat.

Shape beef into 4 balls, shaping just enough to keep together, making sure not to compact the meat too much.

Add beef balls to griddle. With a heavy metal spatula, flatten each to 1/4- to 1/2-in. thickness; sprinkle each with salt and pepper.

Cook until edges start to brown, about 1-1/2 minutes. Turn burgers and sprinkle each with additional salt and pepper.

Cook until well browned and a thermometer reads at least 160 degrees, about 1 minute. Top with cheese to melt.

Serve burgers on buns with toppings as desired.

OK, sometimes the weather doesn’t go along with your plans, and it becomes necessary to take the party inside.

Since for most of us, grilling inside is pretty much a hard no, I recommend breaking out one of my favorite kitchen tools – the slow cooker – for a very tasty dish that will serve a crowd.

I came up with this one several years ago and use it from time to time when the party requires air-conditioned air. It’s very easy and very tasty. The thing is, you need to start it the day before because, as the name implies, slow cookers cook slowly.

Slow Cooker French Dip

10-12 servings

• 3-4 pound boneless beef chuck roast 
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can beef broth 
• 2-3 cups water 
• 1 package dry onion soup mix 
• 1 teaspoon dry Italian seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 
• French or other crusty po-boy rolls 
• Sliced Swiss or provolone cheese 

Trim fat from the beef roast and place in the slow cooker. Add broth, water, onion soup mix, Italian seasoning and garlic powder. Make sure liquid level comes almost to the top of the meat.

Cook on low setting for 8-10 hours.

After meat is done, remove roast from crock and place on a platter. Cover with foil. Be careful because roast will want to fall apart.

Transfer liquid from the crock to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and adjust seasonings.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take meat and shred or slice it thin, removing any fat that may have lingered after cooking.

Split rolls lengthwise on one side and lay open. Place rolls onto a cookie sheet or baking pan and top with a healthy dollop of the beef. Give them a good soak with warm juices.

Top with a slice or two of cheese and place into oven. Cook 3-5 minutes or until cheese melts and become bubbly.