About

Meet Nikki

Hello! I’m Nicole Stover, the creative mind behind the turquoise tongs and Beach Girl Grills. I love the entire process of taking ingredients and transforming them into something anyone can easily prepare at home. Ingredients themselves inspire me, from recipe development, to cooking, and finally bringing the recipe to life with words making it easy and fun to recreate on your own grill.

What started as a hobby of sharing my photos and recipes on my Instagram account has led me to be lucky enough to work with companies such as Aspire by Hestan and Weber Grills. In addition, I have also created recipes for the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, PK Grills, The Orlando Sentinel, and been featured in Southern Cast Iron Magazine as well as receiving the Taste of the South Taste50 award for 2023.

Why Beach Girl Grills?

As a proud Florida native, if I am not at the beach, I am always plotting my next escape to the sea. The spectacular array of colors of a beach sunrise renews my soul. The sound of waves in every shade of blue lapping at the cool sand inspires me. I am always at my happiest throwing fresh seafood or a steak on the grill beachside.

The abundance of fresh ingredients combined with vibrant flavors you can find in all types of coastal cuisine, from the Caribbean to California, influence my way of cooking just as my childhood experiences do. Growing up in Florida I was exposed to all of the incredible rich food traditions of this state. Jamaican jerk, Cuban ropa vieja, Menorcan clam chowder, Bahamian conch salad to name just a few.

I also grew up saltwater fishing with my parents. It was a summer tradition and I started young being neck deep in the warm turquoise Gulf waters of Sanibel. My dad would clean the fish we caught while my mom would use bright flavors like white wine and lemon to highlight the often-grilled seafood. It didn’t take much to allow that beautiful fresh fish to shine.

Where most people learned to cook in the kitchen first, I went from being a passive watcher in both my mom and grandmother’s kitchens to jumping tongs first into learning to cook everything on the grill. Florida grilling is sometimes an Olympic sport that involves dodging thunderstorms and mosquitos the size of chihuahuas, but it truly is 365 and a lifestyle.

What You Can Expect from Beach Girl Grills

Cooking is a celebration of family and friends and a way to show our love. The act of getting outside and grilling is both a social occasion and a great way to add that magical and mysterious ingredient of smoke and fire.

While most of my recipes are created on the grill, the majority of them can easily be recreated in your kitchen. Cooking should be fun and interactive, but never overwhelming.

I get my inspiration from all different types of cuisine, but Caribbean, Floribbean, Italian, and Mexican flavors are my favorite to draw from. I also just love letting the ingredients themselves inspire. My preferred flavor profile is bright and fresh with an occasional sassy kick of heat.

Quick and easy recipes perfect for weeknight grilling make up most of my cooking repertoire but I also love creating those family-friendly dishes meant for Sunday dinner like turkey Marsala meatloaf and ricotta meatballs.

Fun Facts About Me

1. I am the daughter of a former vegetarian from California with a Norwegian heritage and very much meat loving dad from Texas with a Mexican heritage. I grew up being exposed to everything from meatloaf made out of lentils to tamales with pigs’ heads.
2. The single food that makes me happy every single time is the perfect farmer’s market tomato still warm from the sun. That first bite always reminds me of my grandparents. The salt has just gotten a little flakier and fancier.
3. The first dish that I distinctly remember preparing on the grill was Wolfgang Puck’s maple brined turkey and how fragrant it was with all of the fresh herbs. My vegetarian grandma stole a piece.
4. I am obsessed with traditionally Floridian foods…smoked fish dip, the grouper sandwich, both conch and Minorcan clam chowder, and all things datil pepper just to name a few. And of course, key lime pie.
5. I don’t have much of a sweet tooth. I am the weirdo that hates chocolate and thinks buttercream frosting is gross.
6. My favorite food is wings, preferably grilled. I don’t care if they’re dry rub, marinated, or all saucy with buffalo sauce. I am an equal opportunity wing eater.
7. My favorite seafood dish is shrimp scampi. I had a sweet and sassy cat named Scampi.
8. I hope to eventually live in the St. Augustine area someday. It’s absolutely my favorite spot in Florida. Experience a beach sunrise and you’ll understand.
9. Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love spooky season and live for the abundance of scary movies.
10. I have a smooth haired fox terrier mix named Harlow and a feisty, sassy cat named Newman. They’re both rescues and best friends.

Favorite Ingredients

Whether it’s the sweet back note of Marsala or the sunny pop of lemon, there are certain ingredients that make up a well-stocked Beach Girl kitchen.

• Seafood – Fresh is always best but armed with a bag of good frozen shrimp you can have dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.
• Citrus – Both the juice and the zest can instantly bring life to just about any dish. Perfect for quick marinades and also as an easy way to finish a dish. Don’t forget to char it for a little extra flavor!
• Wine – Just like citrus brings brightness to food, so does wine. Give your cast iron skillet a splash and then pour a glass for yourself.
• Aromatics – Garlic and ginger make everything better. Always measure with your heart! Fresh is always best.
• Soy Sauce/Worcestershire Sauce/Fish Sauce – These are all easy ways to add not just a different layer of salt, but also umami to any recipe. Wake up your shrimp scampi and cocktail sauce with any of the three.
• Fresh Herbs – Hearty herbs like rosemary and thyme are ideal for bringing freshness to marinades or anything roasted. Soft herbs like basil, dill and cilantro are perfect for finishing sauces, and waking up flavors. When it comes to cilantro, I can never have enough!
• Parmigiano-Reggiano – We all have our little luxuries in life, mine happens to be cheese. Invest in the chunk. It will instantly bring a nutty, salty bite to any of your favorite vegetables. Don’t forget to save the rind. It keeps in the freezer and will add a depth of flavor to any of your sauces, soups, or stocks.