(NAPSA)—Somethings go hand in hand,like root beer and cooking out. In fact, a newly released independentnational survey reveals that 85 percent of Americans regard root beer as a classic all-American soft drink and nearly everyone in the Es ile country (98 percent) views outdoor cooking as a classic all-American activity. To honor this summer ritual, A&W Root Beer is conducting a national contest with over $75,000 in total prizes. From April through June 30, A&W is asking, “From Alabama to Wyoming...Who Throws the Best All-American Cookout?” for the chance to win a trip to Los Angeles for the ultimate cookout and concert with Jim Belushi and The Sacred Hearts Band. “There are icons of culture that are undeniably American clas- sics,” says Belushi, who is serving as celebrity judge for the contest. “T am looking forward to working with A&W Root Beer to see who throws the best All-American cookout.” A&W Root Beer is asking entrants to submit their “ultimate party plan” in 300 wordsorless describing their version of the AllAmerican cookout. The party plan also must include an estimated budget not exceeding $5,000. Five finalists will be chosen and awarded $5,000 to actually throw their cookout. The finalist selected as the grand prize winner will win a trip to Los Angeles for a cookout and concert with Jim Belushi and The Sacred Hearts Band aswell as the A&W Root Beer Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen. The four remaining finalists will receive the “A&W Root Beer Classic Grilling Package,” including a grill and grilling accessories and a one-year supply of A&W Root Beer. In addition to the contest, A&W Root Beer is compiling a cookbook of recipes submitted by aU ia Television star Jim Belushi serves as a celebrity judge in a national outdoor cooking contest. governors of all 50 states that best represent their state’s “signature dish.” If you plan to submit yourultimate party plan—orif you just want to improve your grilling skills—the following tips will help this summer as you fire up the grill. * Tongs are one of the most useful tools for grilling. They let cooks grasp meat firmly and eliminate the transfer of burnt material from the grate to the meat. Marinate or lightly brush food with vegetable oil to prevent it from stickingto thegrill. Clean it up! Make sure that you clean the grill after each use—even if it doesn’t look dirty —in order to extend the overall life of your grill and to keep your food tasting as good asit possibly can. Contest entries can be mailed to A&W Root Beer “Who Throws The Best All-American Cookout,” P.O. Box 809014, Dallas, TX, 75380 or submitted online at www.rootbeer.com. Root beer aficionados also can visit the Web site to find some unique summer recipes featuring A&W Root Beer.
