For a healthy serving of grandparental advice with a side of home-cooked ravioli, don’t miss the upcoming marathon of My Grandmother’s Ravioli with the charming host and humorist, Mo Rocca, starting today at 12pm ET. If it wasn’t already obvious, grandparents have seen and done it all, and here’s a glimpse of why you should tune in to get schooled on food, granny style:

• Mary Gray and The Golden Gals get down with polka and a pile of pierogi, plus multiple pours of Pinot Grigio.
• Italian grandfather Tom Napolitano gives you the Neapolitan know-how for wooing ladies with a leaf of basil tucked behind your ear.
• The feet of 79-year-old Peggy Guiliano fly in a bout of Irish river dancing with a fiddler friend.
• The Black Forest meets Elvis Presley in Cookie Oma’s kooky German household, complete with loads of leopard print and pflaumenkuchen (plum cake).
• You can revisit the series premiere, which serves up rustic Romanian sausages and rabbit cacciatore while divulging grandfatherly wisdom from Pop, master of the kitchen.

These grandparents can teach you a thing or two, so tuck in your shirt and take a seat for this sweet and spicy, completely addictive cooking marathon with Mo by your side. You just might learn something! Oh, and give your grandma a call; she’s got cookies in the oven.

Need even more reasons to watch? Salivate over these season-1 recipes for a spell and we’ll see you at noon:

• Tom’s Prosciutto-Wrapped Figs
• Pop’s Focaccia
• Mary’s Tomato Orzo Soup
• Peggy’s Chocolate Chip Walnut Scones

Get more recipes from the show and watch the grandparents’ audition tapes.

It’s Friday. For most, it’s the last day of the work week we have to get through before we finally reach the weekend. For some, it’s a day for recovery. Hangovers are never fun, but if you are going to wake up tomorrow wishing you never turned 21, you may as well savor every sip as it goes down. In honor of The Hangover Part III, we’ve put together a list of the top five most-delicious ways to get a hangover.

1: Tequila Lemonade (pictured above) – For the tequila fans out there: Clear your schedule for tomorrow morning. You’re going to need some R&R after you gulp down a couple of these adult lemonades. Meyer lemons, fresh mint and a whole lot of tequila come together to make a refreshing yet simple cocktail with a kick.

2: Blueberry Ginger Mojito Pitchers – Spend more time hanging out with your guests, and less time mixing individual drinks, with this delicious and tangy family-sized recipe, courtesy of our very own Tyler Florence.  Double or quadruple the ingredients to enjoy pitchers for any party size.

3: Tiziano – Looking for a light buzz and a way to cool off, Giada style? Check out her perfect brunch cocktail, the Tiziano. A variant of the well-known Bellini, and extremely popular in Venice, her recipe combines Prosecco and grape juice for the ultimate bubbly treat. Delizioso!

4: Blackberry-Bourbon Iced Tea – Steep your very own bourbon-infused tea with Bobby Flay’s five-star favorite. Whether you switch it up and use your own preferred tea, or you go with the suggestion of black tea, this is sure to be an unforgettable drink (or forgettable, depending on how many you have!).

5: Cajun Hurricane – Transport yourself to the Caribbean with this tropical and fruity treat. The mix of dark and light rum with grenadine, passion fruit syrup and orange juice is sure to give you a killer headache in the morning if you overindulge. But you won’t, right?

What’s the best way to kick off your summer? Hosting an intimate backyard picnic with good friends, good eats and, of course, good tunes.

We love the combo of Watermelon & Heirloom Tomato Salad, The Ultimate Patty Melt, Blueberry Coleslaw and Peach Ginger Bellinis coupled with Talking Heads, Bill Withers, Edward Sharpe and Amy Winehouse.

Here’s a playlist of 10 great tracks to get you started on the first of hopefully many summer soirees at home.

Get our full Backyard Picnic Menu.

Get more easy summer entertaining tips.

Get 100 Ways to Love Summer.

You can learn more about Andrew and The Beat Advisory at www.facebook.com/thebeatadvisory

It’s more than just alliteration; it’s a statement, a proclamation that Thursdays are when the weekend should really start. Kicking it off right is the key, and what better way than with a cocktail that not only takes the edge off, but tastes good too. A hard thing to disagree with, we know. Drink up, get down and go to sleep happy.

The key to Memorial Day weekend is simplicity and relaxation with some good food and drink. Any backyard Memorial Day bash should feature sizzling hamburgers off the grill and refreshing pitchers of cold, sweet cocktails. We’re choosing to celebrate with our favorite libation hailing from Cuba, the cooling and minty mojito.

Start by gently muddling the mint to release oils for an herbaceous accent to this spectacular mojito. Then this cocktail is played up with freshly-squeezed lime and lemon juices, light rum, bubbly club soda and lots of ice. There’s no better refreshing, simple and delicious summertime cocktail to whip up for a crowd.

Bottoms up, folks.

Mojitos

Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello

In a large pitcher, muddle mint sprigs with sugar and lemon and lime juices until well combined. Add ice, rum and club soda and stir together. Pour into glasses, straining out mint. Enjoy!

More ideas and recipes for Memorial Day.

Want more top cocktail recipes and expert bartending tips? Sign up for our free cocktails newsletter.

Pizza. The great unifier. The one thing pretty much everyone, aside from the lactose intolerant, agree on. I’d be hard pressed to find a time when I don’t want pizza. It’s just a matter of when I allow myself to have it. Now, thanks to Domino’s Brazil, this temptation is going to be even harder to resist.

Domino’s Brazil has teamed up with a series of local DVD stores to replace the label on popular DVDs to a heat sensitive one. What does it do? As the movie plays, the player heats it up, giving off an aroma of a pizza baking. The label also changes visually, going from a plain old title card to a delicious looking pizza. It’s just a little reminder that next time you watch a movie, maybe you should also dig in to a slice or three.

There has been no word on if and when this technology would invade the rest of the world. Here’s hoping nobody actually tries to eat the DVDs.

All-American Cheeseburger by Neighbor Food

5 Hot Links We’re Loving:

1. Neighbor Food’s All-American bacon cheeseburger is the perfect recipe for Memorial Day.
2. Calling all snickerdoodle lovers: Shugary Sweets’ cookie dough truffles are just for you.
3. This Tuscaloosa Tollhouse pie is a cross between a chocolate chip cookie and pecan pie. Check out Laura’s Sweet Spot for the recipe.
4. We’re drooling over Dine & Dash’s asparagus pizza topped with bechamel sauce and a runny egg.
5. Willow Bird Baking lightens up lobster rolls and serves the filling atop a bed of greens. Don’t worry, the garlicky croutons add just the right amount of buttery indulgence.

Craving More?

• From barbecued ribs to beer can chicken, we’ve got you covered with the best cookout recipes.
• For burger inspiration, check out our 50 top recipes.

Grab some high-quality ear plugs: the cicadas are coming. This spring, billions of these noisy insects will be emerging from the ground to annoy the living pants out of us. This collosal invation happens once every 17 years — the result of their lengthy gestation cycle — and this year’s influx is known as Brood II. You know what that means. Let’s eat ‘em!

Wait… what? You heard that right. A New Haven, Connecticut restaurant called Miya’s Sushi will be putting the soon-to-be-plentiful ingredient all over their menu. This is no marketing gimmick, however. The restaurant’s owner, Bun Lai, has stated that he prefers eating bugs to meat and Miya’s Sushi already features several grasshopper dishes.

So while our ear drums and gross-out muscles are getting an extra work-out, at least we can bask in the knowledge that we won’t go hungry. There will literally be billions of tasty morsels flying all around us. Yum.

San Francisco is one of those places in the country that’s just all-around incredible. The views, the weather, the people, the food: There are plenty of reasons why it attracts so many visitors. When you visit, be sure to embrace the active lifestyle. There are great places to hike inside the city and around it.

Banjara Bistro

Once you’ve picked up on the car-free lifestyle of the San Fran locals, stop by this food truck to eat like one. Banjara Bistro’s specialty is the crepes, and the Southern Soul can’t be beat: It includes pulled pork, braised greens, honey bacon and cheddar.

Rosamunde Sausage Grill

I love Haight Street. It’s constantly bustling with characters. For a great place to people-watch, check out Rosamunde Sausage Grill. This is the restaurant’s flagship spot, serving more than 19 fresh sausages and loads of craft beers to wash them down.

Mitchell’s Ice Cream

Mitchell’s has been around for about 60 years and still serves what some say is the best ice cream in San Francisco. A nice rotation of seasonal flavors is offered, but some, like mango, Mexican chocolate and guava, can’t be missed.

Brenda’s French Soul Food

Brenda is bringing true Creole cuisine to San Francisco at her restaurant. I couldn’t come to this city without showcasing her fresh oysters and classic red beans and rice. Her restaurant is a great warm welcome to the city.

Alioto’s

Fisherman’s Wharf is a popular visiting spot in the city — and with good reason. There are so many fun things to do, especially getting a freshly cooked crab. I had a wonderful time at Alioto’s, both in the restaurant enjoying the views and down on the streets serving at the crab stand.

Hops & Hominy

This new hot spot in the Financial District does Southern hospitality right. The space really showcases the owners’ personalities by being trendy yet friendly. The drinks, like the gin and jam cocktail, are well thought out, and the entrees have enough Southern soul to be called comfort food.

Tune in to a new episode of Road Trip with G. Garvin G. Garvin tonight at 9pm | 8c to watch G. hit the best Southern food in San Francisco.

Recipes from this episode:

• Brenda’s Catfish Po Boy

Grilled romaine is one of those things that I order every time I see it on a menu. It’s just such a fascinating hybrid to me of two things that I wouldn’t at all think belong together: the grill, with its rough, hot brutishness juxtaposed with the tender, crispy leaves of “spa food” infamy. What sounds like failure in the making may in fact change the way you feel about romaine forever.

Grilling romaine at home is not a complicated or lengthy process. A quick spritz with some nonstick spray, 30 seconds of high-heat contact and BAM! Otherwise boring greens take on new life with a smoky aroma and toasted flavor with enough depth to let them stand on their own as a dinner centerpiece.

I stole a page from my friend Charissa’s recipe book and charred a grapefruit to serve as the base of this salad’s dressing. Its subtle tartness plus the charred leaves and a few toasted almonds make beautiful culinary harmony.

One note on the prep: Since leeks tend to be very sandy, I sliced them in half from root to tip and ran the cut side under cold water, gently pulling the layers apart to rinse away any sediment. This cleans the leeks out and also puts a bit of moisture in them, which helps to steam and tenderize them while they’re on the grill.

Grilled Romaine With Charred Grapefruit Dressing

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes

1 large or 2 small ruby red grapefruits, halved
1 small leek, split lengthwise and rinsed
Nonstick cooking spray
3 tablespoons high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
2 large heads romaine, split lengthwise
1/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup shaved Manchego cheese (from about a 1-ounce chunk)

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Lightly grease the cut sides of the grapefruit(s) and leek with nonstick cooking spray. Grill them both, cut side down, until they are charred and the leeks are tender, about 2 minutes for the grapefruit and 3 minutes for the leeks. Let cool slightly.

Juice the grapefruit into a large mixing bowl (you should have about 1/2 cup juice). Chop the leeks and add them to the bowl with the grapefruit juice. Add the olive oil, honey, and some salt and pepper to the bowl and whisk to combine. Reserve.

Lightly grease the cut sides of the romaine with nonstick cooking spray. Grill the lettuce, cut-side down, until aromatic and charred, about 30 seconds. Transfer the lettuce to serving plates. Drizzle it with the prepared dressing and garnish with almonds and shaved cheese. Serve immediately.

SERVING SUGGESTION: Because my husband is one of those “this is good, but I’m still hungry” kind of people, I added some grilled chicken alongside. Do as you please — this would be perfect with a fillet of salmon, pork chop or all on its own.

Patrick W. Decker’s life revolves around food. Always has, probably always will. As a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America and past member of the culinary teams for Food Network stars Rachael Ray, Sandra Lee, Bobby Deen and Paula Deen, he now works as a food stylist and producer in NYC by day and a food writer and recipe developer at his home in New York’s Hudson Valley by night. You can see what he’s up to by following his latest tweets on Twitter at @patrickwdecker or visiting his website at patrickwdecker.com.

In the past few years, websites that let you order restaurant delivery food have really blown up. Gone are the days where you have to interact with fellow humans in order to eat a pizza. You simply head to your favorite site and click a few hungry clicks. Technology! Now, two of the biggest delivery sites are merging to form a mega-verse of dining laziness, combining their restaurant databases and unique technologies.

GrubHub and Seamless — once fierce competitors — have announced a merger to create an as-yet-unnamed super-company. GrubLess? SeamHub? The deal, which is still subject to that wascally regulatory approval process, will give you even one less thing to remember when ordering food. Just type G or S into your web browser and autocomplete should take care of the rest for you.

In the meantime, you should probably just stay home and cook.