I HATE to say it, but summer is on its way out. The nights are drawing in earlier, it is starting to get colder and some shops are even stocking Christmas items – already.

Although the weather may be deteriorating, it appears to be hanging in there as best it can. This means that there is probably time for one last summer barbeque, to give the season the send off it deserves.

Italians simply adore al fresco dining. Getting the family together somewhere beautiful outdoors like the beach, the woods or even in the garden can be a great excuse to fire up the barbeque and cook something delicious for everyone to enjoy together while the weather is still nice.

Many Italians will barbeque their food over wood fires, which gives you much more flavourful food than a gas barbeque does – of course, this is a lot more work.

It is less common for Italians to cover their barbequed meats in sauces. Instead, they want to be able to taste that wood smoked flavour in their meat, with maybe a little light seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.

Italians take their barbequing so seriously there is actually an annual ‘Italian Barbeque Championship’ competition.

This year the barbeque festival was held in Perugia, and saw teams competing in a number of categories to win a cash prize and - of course – the prestigious title.

Perugia is in the region of Umbria, known as the “green heart of Italy”. It boasts jaw-dropping views, historical, religious and cultural heritage and – most importantly - it is rich in gastronomic tradition.

Teams from all over the world gather here to be judged on how they prepare and cook different meats, such as brisket, ribs, pork and chicken.

The great thing about throwing a barbeque is that, no matter which meats people prefer, you can cook something to suit everyone – all with that unmistakable, unmatchable barbequed flavour that is synonymous with summer.

Whether you are planning on cooking chicken, beef, pork or all of the above, my Italian meat glaze recipe will help you cook up the ultimate Italian mixed grill, that is as simple as it is delicious.

The great thing about this guide is that you can cook whichever meats you want – or even swap some for others – and you can serve your food with whatever you fancy.

You can serve your sausages in brioche rolls to make delicious hotdogs. You can cook sweet potato chips to have with your steak. You can serve your chicken with a beautifully crisp salad, your pork chops with risotto or you can even sauté vegetables – it’s completely up to you.

The meat will be the delicious cornerstone of your meal but how you serve it is completely up to your preference.

The amount of meat you need for this recipe depends on how many people you are cooking for – and how hungry you are all feeling.

The recipe for the glaze will be enough for four steaks, so multiply accordingly depending on how much meat you are cooking.