Hey Joe! Welcome to Canada, Eh!

This post is dedicated to Jimi Hendrix. A unique and unmatched visionary in his time!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays Folks!

I'm hoping as per usual that all my grilling friends out there are rockin the decks even though the deep freeze has set in, "in the true north strong and free"! There's never a dull moment it would seem for yours truly as my adventures continue to lead me to some great people, new relationships and innovative products that relate to the "GTO" lifestyle and the world of ceramic grilling!

My latest story goes something like this. Star Date: Dec. 17, 2009, its 7am and -20 celcius but really feels like -30 with wind chill. I'm bookin eastbound at a buck thirty along Hwy 417 towards Montreal to conduct some business and over night it with family. The G-TOTE (Grilled To Obsession Toyota Enterprise) is fully loaded with all the necessary survival gear for the trip, LOL! I've got a head full of Hendrix going on as "Hey Joe" blasts through the speakers at the usual 400 decibels! I'm loving it as I haven't played any classic Jimi in ages and then I start thinking back to this great conversation I had with a gentleman by the name of Bobby Brennan who happens to be the commander & chief of a company called "Kamado Joe" based out of Flowery Branch Georgia and then it hits me! This is a perfect time to welcome what looks to be the possible and official contender/competitor to "The Big Green Egg" or any other kamado styled ceramic cooker for that matter to land in Canada to date and mark my words yet again fellow grillers, its time to sit up and take notice, especially if you are new to this grilling lifestyle and here's why.

Salvador Dali was once quoted for saying "genius's steal while talent merely borrows" and at first glance the "Kamado Joe" looks like a direct spin off of "The Big Green Egg", but not so fast I say, Jedi grilling knights, until you really take a good long look. As all of you know, I love it when I can speak and engage directly to the principle of a company who can share the same kind of passion as me for this cooking medium and I admit I've been fortunate to have spoken to almost all the owners with exception to only a few and that speaks volumes in my humble opinion to have access to these people.

So, I just took delivery a few weeks back of my brand new "KJ" cooker thanks to the help and generosity of the great folks out at Pacific Specialty Brands in beautiful Burnaby, B.C. As we all know, first impressions are lasting ones and to my pleasant surprise this baby which is the only model and size currently available in red go's toe to toe with the large BGE, comes fully assembled, incredibly well packaged and what do ya know, the entire kit n' kaboodle also includes bamboo side shelves ( major environmental plus and benefit I might add) and a stainless steel, powder coated cart for the record! While I'm on the topic of stainless steel I think its of huge importance to mention that these guys have done their homework in regard to the smaller details which make significant differences at the end of the day, especially for us Canuks because of the varying climates we live in.

You want examples as usual, right? Right, it only makes sense to justify my comments. We all know because I have been promoting, inspiring and engaging with people everywhere for a decade now on why anyone getting into outdoor cooking/grilling needs and should want a kamado style cooker wether on its own or to compliment the gas range as well. So, no more preaching about what you already know, here are the added features and benefits that no one else in the market place is offering currently like Kamado Joe.

1. stainless steel fittings and fastenings

2. stainless steel, powder coated side shelf brackets and band assist's.

3. stainless steel cooking grid with smoke chip trap door

4. bamboo side shelves and handle as already mentioned are extremely resistant to mildew and overall harsh weather like we get in Canada but great environmental story here indeed!

5. extra large, easy to read thermometer means no more squinting!

6. did the "griller" mention that it all comes fully assembled and all one has to do is unload, unpack and fire off the "GTO" invites to your friends and family for those weekly parties? If not, I just did!

7. as of 2010 "KJ" will be offering up color options as well!!!!!!!!! Yeah Baby! Finally, more color's to choose from!

If all this added detail isn't enough "KJ" will also be offering up the option of selling their clients a cooker without side shelves or a cart if you happen to be more inclined to want a larger table to house your new kamado. Now that's awesome, and yes, "KJ" will be selling and marketing their own full size tables in 2010! More details on this later! They have also got all the additional accessories cinched up to enhance your cook outs with a great pizza stone and their own very logical plate setter for those long low "n" slows. Price you ask for the entire enchilada? Hold on to your hats grillers! In and around $1200.00 Canadian currency out the door! That's literally hundreds in savings compared to BGE or anyone else currently!

If any of you "Grateful Grillers" are curious about warranty policy which you should be, no worries, Kamado Joe has you covered with the industry standard 20 years on ceramics, 5 years on metal parts (excluding cast iron topper) 1 year on cast iron parts and 30 days on gaskets and thermometer's.

I can already report that my early cooking test results are blowing my mind with this new product and I'm throwing everything and anything with the exception to the kitchen sink at it! At day's end what matters to me is can it cook and is it great quality and does the company stand behind it? The industry benchmark to date as we know is and has been the BGE but like I predicted a year ago and I've since made reference and drawn parallel's to my "shape ski" business analogy as it relates to the bbq industry a few posts back, healthy competition is a great thing and we are about to see that healthy competition take shape with Kamado Joe in the North American marketplace and quite frankly, I'M STOKED! Ouch, bad joke, I know!

What's not a joke however, is it would appear that this well organized, passionate bunch of folks down in Flowery Branch GA. have brought a shiny new "Smith & Wesson" to what has been up to now an amateur knife fight from a marketing perspective in the uber niche market of kamado styled cookers. For this reason alone I congratulate "Kamado Joe's" efforts and there's no doubt in my mind whatsoever that their guns will be blazing for many years to come as they like myself help spread the "GTO" message to the masses!

So my grilling friends, stay tuned for future updates and stories from yours truly as I continue to grill, smoke, bake and sear my way through life with those who matter most to me!

Feed the fire and the desire to always take it higher and next time you hear some classic Jimi Hendrix playing, just know "Kamado Joe" ain't far behind you.

The Grateful One

Stairway To Komodo Kamado Heaven! (Part 1)

This post is dedicated to Robert, Dennis and the best Zeppelin tunes ever written!

Hola grilling friends!

I am back from the beach in Mexico and even though its been a few days I'm still happily on mexican time and my head is full of beautiful images of my other home away from home! I must have a bit of Mexican in me because I love the people, the culture, the food and the endless adventures to be had in this epic part of the world that my family and I have been able to experience with each other for almost a decade now.

I have been looking forward to posting this next story for about a month now and it is the first time I am mentioning a product that I haven't actually tested myself but I have done my homework, spent countless hours on the forum and heard nothing but stellar things about a chap named Dennis Linkletter and his product, originally from southern California who now resides and has done so for the past number of years in Bali, Indonesia and who happens to be the principal owner of Komodo Kamado Inc.

It's funny if not ironic that while I was putting the pieces to this story together I was on the beach taking in the high noon Mexican sun one day while reading an amazing not to mention thick as a brick novel called "When Giants Walked The Earth" by Mick Wall. To date, in my opinion, the best and most detailed Biography of Led Zeppelin. Now, some of you know but most of you don't, I had the pleasure of meeting Robert Plant, Zepp's frontman in our little village in Wakefield a number of years ago and it was one of those incredible moments when you get the chance to meet an artist who you, in this case me, have admired ( more like worshipped) since the age of ten. FYI, I am the biggest self proclaimed Zepp fan in the world and if anyone wants to challenge that claim, be my guest, LOL! Seriously, it was an epic August day back in 2004 and the singer walked into our store at which point I did the triple take and finally got the nerve to introduce myself to confirm my assumptions and what do you know, I was right!

Within moments we were heading out the door and down the street to get a coffee and a quick chance to show him around our beautiful village. We had a great chat while discussing his latest tour that was in Ottawa that night, he compted a tiny group of us tickets to his show and afterward came back into our store to autograph some old disc's I had of both his solo work and vintage Zeppelin I always have in the office. All this was going on and I was trying to maintain a cool-as-a cucumber demeanor on the outside while on the inside I felt like an adolescent teenager juiced up on way too much caffeine and sugar who'd just witnessed the second coming of Christ himself!

Good time to get back to my new found friend Dennis and Komodo Kamado! You see, as I sat there on the beach contemplating my naval, I thought to myself how appropriate it would be to title this post after one of the most famous and one of my favorite Zeppelin songs ever, "Stairway To Heaven" with a twist. Well, it just makes sense that after all the ovens I've tested and worked with and after all the meals and smoke and fire and all the rest of it that I've gone through ( it sounds tough but its truly been a pleasure) the one oven that clearly combines the best of art meeting superior technology is without any doubt at all, Komodo Kamado! I mean let's face it grilling friends, this guy's done his homework and designed a true masterpiece of a cooker.

Dennis is clearly an out of the boxer thinker and has put his money where his mouth is by tirelessly researching the world over to ensure his clients get the very best in kamado technology and who can argue. From the New Gen 2's self opening lid to CNC laser cut frame assembly not to mention a laser cut airflow wheel this kamado sounds like more of a space ship destined for some far off land of milk and honey than just your average cooker. It evens boasts a stainless machined inner rod that has an acme thread to allow easy and simple adjustment of the damper top, go figure! Its body make up is refractory and not ceramic and thanks to companies like Harbison-Walker ( a world leader in materials designed for high temperature) Dennis has been able to not only master the production process, but prove that his cooker is the most efficient when it comes to fuel consumption, 16 lbs of lump over 85 hours at 200 degrees!!!!! That's impressive!

If that's not enough, these cookers can be customized with an exterior mosaic tiled and exquisitely colored finish that would make even the most accomplished of ceramicist's blush with envy. They also come with casted interior bands that support the lid and guarantee a perfectly aligned not to mention sealed fit all the time and are delivered fully loaded with all the necessary parts and gadgets to enable you, the "griller", to get off the tarmac and start grilling up a storm and impressing your friends! Now, for those of you wondering and who can't help but ask about price, its kinda like shopping for an Aston Martin DB9. If your already shopping and serious, price shouldn't matter, because we can all afford an Aston DB9, right, right! About $4000.00 CAD landed into the country and shipped out of Los Angeles, USA is the round about figure depending on exchange, plus taxes and shipping etc.

Personally, I will have to keep saving my pennies but thanks to Dennis he has connected me with one of his clients here in Canada for whom I will be dining with at some point and I will get a first hand look and culinary experience with this client for which I am truly looking forward to so that I can write Part 2 of what's been a most amazing experience thus far after getting to know the man behind this company.

So my grilling friends, another tail from the "Grateful Griller's" vault comes to an end but the culinary day dreams live on as we all ascend our own "Stairways to Kamado Heaven". I leave you with a few verses that will ring some bells for some.

And as we wind on down the road

Our shadow's taller than our soul

There walks a lady we all know

Who shines white light and wants to show

How everything still turns to gold.

And if you listen very hard

the tune will come to you at last.

When all are one and one is all

to be a rock and not to roll.

Lyrics: Plant/Page

Feed the fire, and the desire to take it higher!

The Grateful One

Lose The Tie, Kill The Crackberry, Decant The Wine, Start The Fire, Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

Hola fire & food grilling fanatics!

As always, I am hoping you are all well and taking your ceramic grilling adventures higher and higher with each meal! I thought I would write some random thoughts about the "GTO" lifestyle that came to me while on a spectacular drive back to my home town last week to see my father in the Laurentians. The color's were still beautiful and the autoroute was virtually empty so it gave me great time to loose myself in thought about food & fire.

As the title of the post suggests, at least the first half, we all live pretty hectic lives today. Wether we are married or single, have children or not or perhaps we have stressful work environments to deal with or more than one job in order to make ends meet, one thing's for sure, life these days is hectic and we all need to disconnect and what better way than with family, friends and food cooked over crackling lump charcoal. I loved the fact that while I was on my drive my cell battery was dead, I don't own a blackberry and there was no way anyone could reach me for those few hours and it really felt great! My mind wondered on to thoughts of our next meal or meals for that matter, pork or beef or perhaps some fresh arctic char drizzled with lemon & honey served up alongside some delicious ginger glazed yellow string beans, topped with smoked malden salt, WHOA! ( note to self! keep eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, thank-you Jim Morrison!)

I guess what I am getting at hear my friends is that even yours truly has to disconnect sometimes even though my work, like my life, revolves around food and beverage and the next deck party and as my wife often reminds me that even though I wish it were Friday, it is merely in the words of "The Bangles", another manic Monday and we have to focus on getting to the weekend, I know you can all relate, I hope!

If you all own a ceramic oven like the BGE or Primo or maybe a GrillDome you all know what I am talking about when it comes to wanting and needing to cook, it becomes part of the daily routine that is the "GTO" lifestyle. It is about forgetting what's in or not in your bank account temporarily, forgetting what you were supposed to do for your boss or the fact that the winter tires have to go on the car at some point or even the fact that the dog has been begging you with her eyes to go for a walk for the last two weeks! No my friends, this is about the ritual of prepping what you need in order to take your grilling game higher and to make your family love you even more!

This is about leaving the office, and jumping in the car as you rip that tie off from around your neck faster than a speeding bullet you jam that crackberry into the glove box until morning and as you "reach down between your legs and ease the seat back" as David Lee Roth once wrote, you gently apply ample pressure to the gas pedal and head for home where your ceramic grilling utopia waits for you at the ready for the magic and alchemy to begin.

I know that cooking takes time and one needs to be organized in order to get proficient at having the luxury of mid week grilling/cooking but it can be done with a few simple steps so I have taken the liberty to put together what I have coined The "GTO" Ten Commandments to Easier Cooking and they go like this!

1. have a plan the night before and know your menu ahead of time

2. make sure you are good on charcoal & firestarter

3. light the fire first to heat up your oven, then get on to everything else

4. spice is nice, have it ready to season your culinary creation

5. cold beverages and ice, locked & loaded

6. wine is divine, decant or chill or perhaps both, you decide!

7. keep it simple, cause simple = delicious every time!

8. if using extra smoke, don't forget to pre-soak your wood

9. timing is key! will it be direct or in-direct on this day

10. Like Sly & The Family Stone said " I want to take you higher" so have that ipod ready and loaded with the best tunes to compliment the deck party and then simply welcome your guests to the "GTO" lifestyle.......

Ok my grilling friends, that's another one in the bag and I hope it helps! Until my next creative drive into the country, keep it real and delicious and remember, feed the fire and the desire to take it higher!

Many thanks to Van Halen, The Doors and Sly & The Family Stone for inspiring my drive on that day!

peace, fire, smoke, food.....

The Grateful One

If "Service" Is The Rent We Pay For Living, Then Colin, This One's For You!

Hello grilling friends!

A few weeks ago I received an interesting yet disturbing email from a guy named Colin. In a few words Colin introduced himself, commented and complimented my blog which he checks in with once and awhile ( thanks for that Colin) and then proceeded to tell me that he has been an enthusiastic griller, (understatement) for the last few years since he purchased his BGE.

Colin then explained that one night a few weeks back some really stupid yet I have to admit "ballsy" crooks walked onto his west end Ottawa property in the middle of the night and stole his BGE right out of his back yard! Now, I've heard some crazy things but this is up there, wouldn't you say? I mean, of all the things to rip off, why take someone's ceramic oven that dam near becomes part of the family once you own one, ( yes I realize I'm talking about an inanimate object here) but for those "grateful griller's out there, you all understand where I'm coming from. It pains me to think the crooks probably totaled it as well or maybe threw it into the Rideau river to see if a BGE actually floats as opposed to getting to their hide out and actually using it for what its intended, great food to be savored and enjoyed by kind hearted friends and family, go figure.

I promised Colin I would say my bit on the blog as these blogs go viral and hope that perhaps somebody would have a lead or two as to the whereabouts of his oven but part of me also knows I'm grasping at short straws. What ever the case, let it be a lesson to those of you with any one of the better ceramic ovens in our marketplace that there are people out there who care less and who will do their part to ruin your day let alone your next cook out. So start getting creative with the way in which you secure your property so this kind of thing can't happen. Booby traps, trip wire and rabid German Sheppard's who haven't eaten in awhile could work but realistically and kidding aside, now would be a great time to seriously think about locking down your oven in order to make it that much more challenging a feat to anyone considering a potential heist.

For the record, Colin's BGE was a large model, well used with a distinctive medium sized chip out of the dome just above the thermometer and if anyone has any info please contact yours truly and I will get the info back to our grilling friend Colin asap.

Colin, my heart goes out to you and your family man but I know you will get another oven unless yours in fact shows up and if we ever do get the chance to meet and cook with each other, let's make it your place so I can admire the artistic, medieval not too mention razor sharp cast iron spikes you've installed on your new fence!

Chin up brother and here's to getting back on the "grateful grilling" road.......

The Grateful One

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN & THE Jenson Button REGIME!!!!

This post is dedicated to Jenson Button, Team Brawn and Andrew & the gang at Absolute Authentic in the UK! Keep doing what you guys do so well!!!!

Hola Grilling Friends!

Well, where do I start and how do I explain the connection between my passion for fire, food and ceramic cooking with my other obsession, F1 racing! To hell with it! I'll just spit it out and for the record, it has nothing to do with the "Sex Pistols"! Yesterday, history was made in F1 racing with the World Championship title going to my favorite of racers being Jenson Button of England at the Interlagos Circuit in Brazil. JB raced to a sixth place finish but was able to clinch the title based on the overall points spread and what a day and season it has been!

It's a family tradition in our house and has been for the past 11 years since I got married to my wife Eva to gather every other Sunday around the tele, spark up the Primo and in most cases the BGE as well and indulge in a real english breakfast, fried tomatoes and all. BTW, grilling note, seared/marinated field tomatoes over charcoal is simply to die for! All this and a few pints of Guinness while our eyes and ears are glued to the screen hoping that our favorite driver will pull out a victory.

For me and every other true JB fan, it was special indeed because I, like millions of other fans around the world have waited almost a decade for this to happen and gone through the highs and many lows that come with the sport. I can remember in the painful B.A.R. Honda days getting laughed at in the Montreal grand stands dawning my BAR hat which has seen better days and on many an occasion almost getting into fist-a-cuffs with more than a few wannabe fans flying their typical, trendy, on the day prancing horse colors, no offense Equipe Ferrari, but it's true. No my friends, this is about raw talent, passion, loyalty, sticktoittiveness, guts, sweat equity and pure faith in a driver that has what it takes and always did and finally the universal powers and karma that be have come together and granted this champion his day on top of one of the most sought after podiums in the world of sport.

From the first drive at BMW to Renault, BAR and now Team Brawn, I say, Ross deserves to get the lead role as Gandalf in Lord of The Rings 4, not that its going to happen but technical magic like this with a new team in their first year, going toe to toe in the Piranha pool that is F1 is beyond magic, beyond wizardry, it's GENIUS! Yes indeed folks, it would be a blast and an honor to sit around the table or better yet, grill up a storm "griller" style for this entire team and toast them all from Canada with love for what they have accomplished for loyal fans like me around the globe for the last decade.

In Sir Frank William's words, "talent like JB's is not extinguishable". "It is a part of the man's spirit and part of his soul".

Here's to you Jenson! You deserve it and when your in Canada next, the steak's on me, thanks a million mate! Feed the fire and the desire to take it higher..........

The Grateful Griller

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Inside the Dragon's Den lies a DragonFire of a Cooker!

Hello Grilling Friends!

Dedicated to some fine Canadian musicians I have been listening to lately!

I hope this latest post finds you all well and ready for cooler weather because like it or not winter's coming and quite frankly it makes me salivate thinking of all the low & slow sessions I intend to partake in with my family, friends and favorite foods as we all wait for snow to fly!

Over the last year and half or so I have had the pleasure of getting to know a gentleman by the name of Jack Hobbs from Louisville Kentucky USA, principal owner and creator of a kamado cooker called the "DragonFire". I had the pleasure of meeting Jack thanks to some fine folks south of the border who connected me with him while I was conducting my personal research as to how much if any competition "The Big Green Egg" had in North America. You see, anyone who knows me or is a client of mine knows that my passion for this cooking medium started thanks to the BGE product and I got so "stuck in it" as Jamie Oliver would say I never looked back. Now I take great pleasure in making sure that people everywhere know as much as humanly possible about all the cookers and respective companies that exist before making their final decision.

Presently, there are only three kamado styled cookers available in the Canadian marketplace, Primo, known for their oval shaped ovens (that rock for the record), BGE, (the big green machine that owns the lion's share of the market in North America) and a relatively new company called "Kamado Joe" who have recently found a distribution partner out of western Canada called "Pacific Specialty Brands". I have yet to test the product but at first glance it looks like a direct spin off of the BGE but in a reddish, orange like color but more on these guys later.

Enter the Dragon! I have tested this cooker for about six months now and take it from me folks, its a force to be reckoned with once it officially hits our soil in 2010 if all goes well! Dragonfire Kamado's, produced in Asia, come with a lifetime warranty on all ceramic components and 1 year warranty on all other parts. Its spacious 19.25 inch stainless grill is impressive and all other steel components are 304 stainless as well. It's charcoal/black baked on glaze is pretty stealth to look at and the overall shape of the DragonFire is more bulb like than anything else out there currently and in discussion with Jack on more than a few occasions he has made reference to the shape being more efficient when lighting it up and after many a fire, I see his point. The internal ceramic components fit neatly in place and a wide flanged cast iron fire grate has a no nonsense esthetic about it. The seal is the thickest I've seen to date and works very well in tests conducted thus far and whatever the adhesive is I hope they don't change it anytime soon.

DragonFire has been shipping product within the USA since 2006 and could very well be the first Kamado cooker of its kind to make people turn their heads once it gets into Canada and here's why! I figured I would save the best for last. You see, the DragonFire will come pre-assembled and complete with a 304 stainless steel stand ( and you all know how I feel about stands if you've been reading my posts) which goes together in a cinch with a few turns of an allen key plus a greener approach to foldable bamboo side tables and a stylish bamboo handle to boot! All this and more will be retailing at around $999 Canadian funds!

There's no doubt in my mind that as this cooking medium gains momentum and gets more mainstream/popular in North America in the years to come, there's going to be more and more innovation and ceramic cooking options for the public at large to choose from and after all doesn't that make things exciting? So, stay tuned for update's on this great product and if you see a dragon out there, remember, they like their steak RARE! Until next time,

be passionate, be creative, be grateful.....

Griller

The Boys, The Bacon & a belly dancer too.......

Hello grilling friends!

What a few weeks it has been indeed! From the indian summer ending to the magnificent Fall colors peaking , yours truly has been deck hopping and man handling more than a few fires and in typical "GTO" fashion, they have all been amazing gigs with great food, music and people, but one I must admit sticks out above the rest. Over the past few months I have been in conversation with a client I will call "Juan" about the "GTO" grill package he wants for his deck and at the same time Juan wanted me to throw a small but delicious deck party with a "bachelor" type theme for he and twenty or so of his good friends.

Without hesitating I said, Juan, you name the time and place and I will bring the soiree! Done deal he said and that was that and the soiree happened a few weeks back in the beautiful Gatineau Hills and what a night it was! I rolled my rig into his driveway right on time and as I approached what looked like a very retro yet modern house nestled on a beautiful wooded lot I couldn't wait to see where the deck was located.

I jumped out of the truck, inhaled some refreshing fall air and proceeded down the stairs to case the joint and see what kind of grilling area I had to work with. As I navigated a rock cut at the side of the house and then rounded the corner I knew right away that not only the grill but the space was perfect for this number of guests who would be rolling in by 7ish or so. I wasted no time and got down to setting my stage, a few chairs here, a few chairs there, the table here and finally the grill table and oven right in the corner, a perfect fit I might add. I had met Juan halfway up the road going the other way to pick up some last minute party snacks and such and as we rolled by each other he said doors unlocked, make yourself at home, I'm back in ten minutes.

Seeing that my outside arranging was done, I unloaded the rest of the truck and cooler full of the evenings eats and made my way back down and into the house. Upon entry I was instantly intrigued by the homes angles, decor and retro vibe. Unusual artifacts and intriguing artwork hung from the walls while Miles Davis played in the background. Built in the seventies by a well known local architect, Juan had decided to keep it as it was built and change very little. The kitchen, my favorite place, reminded me of the kitchen I grew up in back in the Laurentians and every view from every window was epic. When Juan got back he was kind enough to give me the quick tour and we shared a good few laughs over stories about family, life and work and then we proceeded to get down to having fun.

I whipped up and dished out the fresh appetizer's which consisted of home made tzaziki, brushetta and grilled pita chips. Juan got the bevies organized and I proceeded to hit the deck and put fire to charcoal and declare the party started! Within moments, cars started arriving and friends started congregating on the deck as if it were a staged film shoot. One by one I was introduced to Juan's guest's all curiously throwing stares at his new prized ceramic possession and my prep table full of the evenings fare. I could tell almost instantly that this crew were close and had long lasting friendships with each other.

Wine started flowing and Cohiba's were being lit and savored as the aroma's of assorted cheeses and baguette were being smoke infused and crusted up for my guests. One by one I had the pleasure of engaging in conversation as I normally do at these events with some of the guests who's curiosity about the oven was getting the better of them. I am fortunate to be able to meet very interesting people from all walks of life doing what I do as "The Grateful Griller".

As the first round of food rolled off the grill and got consumed as fast as it was smoked the next "tapas" style fare hit the metal grid pattern and instantly sizzled as it met its dance partner. Smoke infused, maple glazed pork tenderloin with a light "GTO" steak spice crust was next on the list accompanied by a favorite of mine, maple/balsamic soaked portabellos, to die for and every client learns how to make them, its a must! As our daylight faded and the night sky took over our evening took an intriguing twist as Lady B. entered the scene but more on her later!

As the pork and mushroom medley neared completion I was putting the finishing lemon pepper touches on platter #3, some fine atlantic salmon I had purchased fresh that day. I continued to carve baguette at a bionic rate and I was in full "gto" mode at this point and loving every minute of it. Shortly after the final entrees were being served up Juan came around the corner to announce the main event was about to begin and to please gather in the spacious sitting room. Re-enter Lady B! A tall, slender, beautiful Moroccan woman with eyes as black as her hair. Lady B was hired as the evenings belly dancer to entertain Juan and his friends and no sooner than she made her entrance, the lights went down and I'm certain that the intoxicating sounds of drums and finger symbols could be heard all the way to Hull and back!

As I looked on and took the scene in I prepped dessert, while champagne was poured for the guests, none other than "The Tropical Black Eye", roasted oreo's, vanilla ice cream and seared pine apple drizzled with Calvados and a dash of cinnamon. It occurred to me as it always does that this is what the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle is all about, food, family, friends, music and evidently a belly dancer once in awhile, too much!

Feed the fire my grilling friends and the desire to take it higher!

The Grateful One

Does Size Matter?

ATTENTION ALL READERS! THIS POST IS INTENDED FOR AN ALMOST MATURE, ADULT MALE READER. SOME MAY FIND THE CONTENT OFFENSIVE, SOME MAY FIND IT FUNNY, WHILE OTHERS MAY SIMPLY RIGHT IT OFF AS RIDICULOUS, BUT MARK THE GRILLER'S WORDS MY FRIENDS, SIZE DOES MATTER!

Hello grilling friends!

What a fabulous start to the Fall with the last few weeks of awesome weather! Now then, if any of you guys are like me, the first thing you do in the morning once you wake up is touch it, right? Sure you do, and you probably adjust it a few times and make sure its in the perfect position so no harm can come to it throughout the day right? Right. I spend almost every waking hour thinking about it and what I've accomplished with it. As a matter of fact, if I had a trophy for every time I've scored with mine, I'd need an addition put onto my house just to store my metal. Yup, there's nothing I love more than getting mine right up to speed, red hot, and impressing the Mrs. with it for hours on end, and I'm proud to report that happens almost four times a week, not bad for a happily married man after almost eleven years. My wife prefers when I take it nice and slow and quite frankly I do to and the results have always been outstanding if I do say so myself. I have many friends who like showing theirs off and the various tricks they can perform with it and I'll admit I love performing a trick or two with mine as well but I don't swing this way all the time.

I remember once upon a time my wife thought mine was a bit on the small side and I agreed with her, but thanks to modern day technology and a phone call or two we fixed the size issue and today I feel the most confident I've ever felt and every time I fire mine up it sure feels great to be alive! So, gents, take it from the "Griller", SIZE MATTERS, and you need to be able to utilize every square inch of what you've got, so take control of it, own it, for its yours forever and why should you live with regrets?

By now, you all know that I am talking about something I call "grilling real estate" and making the right decision on how big your ceramic oven of choice needs to be before diving in head first, right? Right. In other words the total size, measured in inches around or across the total cooking surface of your ceramic oven of choice. Its very important that before you invest this kind of money and commit to this "grilled to obsession" lifestyle, you get the facts from a pro like yours truly or your nearest retailer who specializes in ceramic ovens. I remember dealing with a gentleman who was awfully nice and professional but didn't really have a clue about "The Big Green Egg" when I was first introduced to it, hence, I was sold the wrong size oven. Instead of up selling me into the large BGE, I ended up with a medium and for the record I have had many wonderful years of great meals off it but the truth of the matter is that I should have left the store with a bigger model.

I ask all my "Grateful Griller" clients four key questions before they commit to the purchase of a new ceramic cooker.

1. how often will you be cooking?

2. how many people on average will you cook for?

3. what kind of space do you have on your deck or back yard?

4. what kind of budget do you have for the purchase?

Based on the answers I get back I start to offer my clients choices that vary in size for both the oven's and tables and slowly but surely we are always able to make sure the decision on which package to go for is the best package for the client. I remember that feeling well, of thinking that after I had spent close to $1600.00 on my medium BGE package that it was the wrong size but I fixed all that by starting my own brand and company and here I am today with almost every size oven imaginable as it relates to the ceramic cooking world and I get tremendous satisfaction out of steering people in the proper direction in order to make sure their experience is outstanding not to mention exciting for them.

Big Green Egg produces five sizes of ovens ranging from the mini to the XL. The most popular model sold for the folks at BGE is the large followed by the XL followed by the medium. If you are leaning toward anything bigger than the large BGE, "The Grateful Griller's" advice is to take a good look at the XL Primo Oval instead. You will get more cooking surface on the Oval's and due to the nature of the shape you don't lose any depth in the XL Primo like you do in the XL BGE. The other issue in my humble opinion is the XL BGE rear hinge mechanism is very tricky to assemble and not the best on functionality but it does work. Rumor has it that the fine folks at BGE are working on improving this hinge moving forward. The XL Primo Oval has a proper spring hinge and works very well.

Primo produce three models being the Junior Oval, XL Oval ( most popular) and Kamado which goes head to head with the BGE large model and any other round shaped ceramic cooker on the North American market in its size category. I have tested and sold a number of the Primo Kamado's in 2009 and the results have been stellar to say the least from all clients who purchased. A small word of caution on the BGE plate setter if being used in the Primo Kamado. The BGE plate setter is produced to be compatible with the BGE specifically and although it works in other round cookers its not a perfect fit so be mindful before purchasing.

GrillDome are also as stated in past posts a fantastic option if you want to get into this cooking form and the cool thing about their product is that you have five color's to choose from and a 304 stainless steel component package which really takes the bar up as far as I'm concerned. GrillDome's best seller is the Infinity Series XXTall cookers and the SuperDome which goes toe to toe with the likes of BGE and Primo's XL Oval.

So before you rush out and purchase your new ceramic oven, get the facts from the pro's and make sure you ask a lot of questions and with "The Grateful Griller" on your side, you can't go wrong but remember my friends, SIZE DOES MATTER, and besides, in twenty years when your looking at your unit, you don't want to wish it were bigger, do you?

Until we meet again, keep chillin and grillin, "Grateful" style........

Griller

Nests or Stands? Griller says go for the "GTO" Table!

Hello Grilling Friends!

Now that Spring's over and Summer's begun I'm anticipating a great looking September and October and predicting that the leaves should be changing no later than December 1st, wouldn't that be awesome? As we know the reality is that Fall is closing in, like it or not, and quite frankly, I say, bring it on!!! I love the Fall for many reasons but a few stick out above the rest. First off, the leaves up in this part of Canada are nothing less than spectacular and the cool night air puts me in the mood for food, "GTO" style without a doubt. Its also the time of year that we all start to cocoon a bit and get our nests ready for winter, hence my motivation to share a few words about nests. No, no, no, not the ones we live in but the ones that our ceramic ovens/cookers sit in.

Wether you own a Primo or a Big Green Egg you know by now that both companies manufacture and sell powder coated metal stands to house their respective units and I get asked all the time how I feel about them and wether they are worth the investment, and my simple answer is no, and here's why. If a person is about to invest over $1100.00 for one of these fine ceramic beauties in their larger sizes like the large or XL BGE or Primo XL Oval, (which for the record are the most popular models sold) a beautiful hand crafted eastern Canadian cedar table that acts as a great work station and doubles as a perfect place to store all your essential cooking tools seals the deal in my opinion, so why opt for an over priced metal nest or table mates that aren't going to last the test of time?

After all, if you have longed for that special car, wether it be a hybrid coupe, or a soft top two seater or perhaps your the performance sports car type, are you going to rush out to WalMart and purchase some mediocre tires and plastic seat covers that smell cheap to enhance the overall experience? Of coarse not! You'll most likely want performance tires that look and feel great and who can argue about plush leather seats underneath your butt on those long cruising get away weekends.

If your wondering what the Griller's getting at here folks, its simple. Esthetics, nothing more, nothing less and you deserve it when spending this kind of money!. I know, I love looking at my various cookers on my deck and feeling good about the fact that they are housed well, braced well and look beautiful and are complimented by the artistic nature of the wood itself and all this for a fraction more money out of my bank account.

The BGE company as well as Primo do a great job on their cookers for the price and the product that they manufacture for the North American marketplace and I think they all would agree that their metal nests/stands are at best, satisfactory. For the record, I prefer and have more faith in the BGE nests because they are sturdier and come with additional braces unlike their closest competitor being Primo. All this said, both the BGE nests and side tables (now produced in composite material as well) and Primo stands are expensive for what you get, considering you'll be spending just this side of $300 CAN funds when in fact you can currently have a "GTO" Country Classic or Compact Griller table of choice by yours truly starting at $350 and going up from there.

Now, some would argue that they don't have the space for a large table and this could be true, hence if you want to go for the BGE nests, go for it, but just be aware that you have options that are a better value and can be offered in wood. If you happen to be a Primo owner, the "Griller's" words of wisdom, steer clear of their metal stands. They simply aren't made well enough. This whole topic and issue motivated me to create a division of my company solely dedicated to the production of customized Canadian tables made right here in beautiful Wakefield, QC. by my affiliate partner Bizier Inc.

As of 2010, "The Grateful Griller" in conjunction with Bizier Inc. will be open for business across Canada and will be doubling our models moving forward. We will be offering various designs in various wood species and quality control, not to mention our attention to detail will be our top two priorities. If you happen to have the gift of being a carpenter or generally good with wood we would be more than happy to assist you with basic plans to do it yourself.

That's it for me my friends, so have an awesome weekend, enjoy this god given weather while it lasts and keep the fires and "GTO" lifestyle burning like you mean it!

maple planks & salmon too.....

The Grateful One

Griller Zero to Griller Hero!

Hola grilling friends!

I am hoping that this latest post finds all of you well and right into the daily "GTO" lifestyle as you all continue to expand your culinary horizons with your cherished ceramic oven of choice. Now let's be honest with each other for a moment and admit that we all like to be good at something in life and find that place where we can impress or perhaps show off our skill set and knowledge with our loved ones or our close friends or possibly perfect strangers. Some of us are great educator's while other's are great carpenter's or maybe you know someone who's got incredible all around athletic ability. Whatever the case, it feels great to be good if not great at something and I think we can all agree on that point.

I get asked almost daily if I'm a chef and if so where did I train, what are my credentials, how long have I been cooking for etc, etc,etc. When I answer people and explain to them that in fact I'm the furthest thing from a trained chef the first reaction is utter disbelief and confusion because the question always comes up after they have eaten a steak I have grilled them, or, a beautiful salmon filet that's come off any one of the six or so ceramic cookers that I own and they have truly loved the meal, hence the confusion. Now I'll admit that I have had close to a decade of practice and I have cooked thousands of meals and spent well in excess of 10,000 hours of my own time completely immersed in this ceramic grill world over the last few years but the bottom line is that I'm not a chef and I'm learning new things everyday when it comes to this cooking medium.

As I explained at the top of the post about people being good if not great at something, my unique ability and professional background is in sales and marketing and I happen to be incredibly passionate about food and beverage and without a doubt the ceramic cookers that have inspired me to create my company and concept "The Grateful Griller". I get a tremendous amount of pleasure and satisfaction as stated in past posts by taking ordinary people like myself and turning them into their own "Grateful Griller" in no time at all, hence the title of the post, "Griller Zero to Griller Hero". I often compare the ceramic grill experience for the potential newcomer to this cooking form to that of the ski industry back in the nineties and the massive impact that "parabolic" skis had on millions of people who for the most part couldn't really carve a turn and feel that rush or excitement of what its like to carve a turn on ice or snow and actually feel like they were a confident intermediate at best.

So by now your thinking where's the "griller" going with this post and why is he comparing apples to oranges? In fact I'm not and here's why. The ceramic cookers or at least the ones I have researched and extensively tested to date being Big Green Egg, Primo, GrillDome, Kamado King, and Dragon Fire have been nothing short of fantastic and they have all had one consistent character trait and that is that they are all forgiving, like those infamous parabolic skis. I have dealt and spoken to thousands of people in the last few years and personally sold and serviced hundreds of others who always come back to me raving about something they have grilled, baked, smoked, seared or whatever and most of these energetic new "GTO" enthusiasts have only had their brand new cookers for maybe a month or two along with a professional demo by yours truly at the very most. Like the marvelous hour glass shaped skis that I referred to that changed the ski industry forever and turned millions of beginner skiers into over night advanced intermediates sensations, I predict the same could be true in the bbq industry as it relates to ceramic cookers and here's why!

Due to the fact that these cookers retain their heat so well the risk of flare up is all but eliminated and as long as a person follows a few simple start up techniques like making sure the fire box is in line with the bottom draft door, and all vents are wide open, top and bottom when lighting, and the proper lump charcoal is being used, the novice can focus attention on learning how to regulate heat with the draft doors and voila! In no time at all one can be feeling like a guaranteed intermediate grilling gourmet, as I remember I did once upon a time and that's a really great feeling, especially if you've always been nervous about cooking, let alone over natural lump charcoal.

Thanks to modern day technology by some of the best ceramic bbq companies in the world, we can and should be confident that with a little practice and the desire to learn and share our food, our techniques, our stories and most of all our enthusiasm with each other for this cooking form, anyone entering into it will as I did, fall in love with it and become "grilled to obsession". Until next time my grilling friends, feed the fire and the desire to take it higher!

The Grateful Griller

Fire has its own language, spoken in

the realm of heat, hunger, and desire.

It speaks of alchemy, mystery, and,

above all, possibility.

It is a slumbering voice inside me

The ever-present beast within my soul

It is beyond words, beyond memory,

It comes from a time long before I can recall.

"Seven Fires" by Francis Mallman

Griller's GaGa over GrillDome!!!

Hello grilling friends!

I am really excited to share some very exciting news with you all! I have had the pleasure over the last year and a bit to make friends with a man I have come to know as T.K. Its short for Tarsem Kholi and he is the man responsible for creating by far one of the best Kamado style cookers/ovens on the market today called GrillDome. Now, for those of you who have never heard of GrillDome worry not, as I had no clue the company existed either a little over a year ago but after my initial research into this wonderful cooking medium we found each other and have had some great conversations since about cookers, food, technology, evolution of his product etc. I also made friends online with a great guy and distributor for GrillDome in Australia by the name of Michael Jones for whom I also feel indebted to so Michael, if you catch this post mate, I owe you a few cold ones for turning me onto a fantastic product that I have really enjoyed firing up since I got my first one. For the record, Michael owns a company called "Kamado Cookers Australia" so if you want to check out a cool site and some great pics of the GrillDome product in action check it out and enjoy!

GrillDome have been in business for twenty years and in that time have produced an incredible product and story. Engineered and designed in the USA and produced in India Tarsem and company have really honed their skill at producing great cookers. Not only do they come in six color's but GrillDome have taken their game to a whole new level by including a 304 stainless steel component package on their cookers which for us Kanuk's and our ever popular weather patterns, its a huge advantage and I must admit GrillDome win hands down for having the best spring hinge mechanism I have ever seen or used. I often hear concerns from people that the lids to these cookers are heavy, and they are, but rest assured GrillDome have nipped this in the butt, no questions asked.

GrillDome have a number of different sized cookers but the most popular sellers are the new generation "Terepex" technology XXTall and SuperDomes which are available in red, blue, copper, black, and green. I purchased myself an XXTall copper model for testing and love it to bits! Unlike anything else on the market currently GrillDome take on a slightly different shape similar to that of a tandoori oven and are hand finished which adds a special unique touch to a truly artistic vessel. Now although GrillDome are not available in Canada as of yet through any distributor you can purchase online (warranty included) from the USA and have it shipped up to Canada and mark my words folks, you won't be disappointed. Tarsem and his team down in Atlanta pride themselves on great customer service and the attention to detail is impressive for sure. GrillDome's come pre-assembled ( huge bonus) and packed nice and tight and safe for the trip and all one needs to do once you get it is give "The Grateful Griller" a call for your start up demo and deck party and let the rest take care of itself. After testing this product extensively I think it is fair to say that "The Big Green Egg" and any other company has some serious competition in the marketplace as it relates to the circular/kamado styled cookers that exist currently and this is one hell of emerging brand that people need to be made aware of indeed!

GrillDome have a number of different accessories for their cookers and the food result is simply incredible. There are slightly different procedures when using GrillDomes compared to BGE's or Primo's. GrillDome are the only company in this marketplace that provide color options and that's going to fare very well for these guys as they grow their business in the coming years. I also have to say that T.K being the principle owner is incredibly up front and accessible to anyone and everyone it seems who wants to enter into this cooking lifestyle and he has been just awesome when it comes to discussing his product and trying to help make the experience great for everyone. Think about folks, how many owners of their own brand big or small can you get on the phone regularly to make life easier for you. I can count them on less than the fingers I have on one hand so T.K, many thanks for your product, passion and straight forward approach when it comes to cooking with ceramics!

You have sold "The Grateful Griller" and have an ally forever up here in Canada! Keep on grilling my friends and spread the word on the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle! See you on the deck soon.

fire, ice, bevies and food,

The Grateful One

Cracked but not Kaput!!!

Hello grilling friends!

I hope and trust that everyone out there in "GTO" country is having a remarkable summer and coming up with all kinds of fantastic creations off your ceramic oven of choice! I have been cooking like a devil since March and there are no signs of slowing down as of yet as we head into August. I thought it would be a good idea as I have had quite a few questions about the durability and life span of the interior fire boxes in both the Primo and BGE units and I have also addressed a number of questions on the potential "spider" cracks that can occur and for the record are totally normal with these two great brands of ovens.

Due to the fact that these wonderful earthen vessels expand and contract sooo much over time it is normal as I have come to realize that one may experience a small hair line fracture on the fire ring or box of the BGE units or the same thing on the Primo firebox over time. Fear not and most importantly worry not as both companies as I have stated before in past posts come to the table with great warranties and although these fractures look like they are right through the interior components, they usually aren't and if they are and come apart in more than a couple of pieces you can simply contact your local retailer where you purchased for a replacement. I have to stress the fact that this is only in the case of normal cooking use and does not apply if negligence is to blame or if they have been dropped on the ground etc, common sense rules in this case.

I own three BGE units and two Primo units to this day and I have only ever replaced my firebox on the interior of my first BGE medium unit once in almost a decade so worry not about the situation if it happens to you and also be confident that these "spider" cracks do not in any way shape or form have a negative impact on your cooking result so grill on friends and see you on the deck soon!

sticky loins and a few legs too......

Griller

The "GTO" philosophy

Hello grilling friends!

Well things are rolling along just fine this summer and even if we have been getting more of what I call "irish sunshine" referring to the rain, it hasn't put and never puts a damper on the fact that if you own a ceramic oven and its on your deck at the house or cottage or where ever it may be, everyone is smiling knowing that there's great food cooking all the time! I'm often asked since my concept got going about this expression, "GTO" that I use religiously all the time when referring to this emerging lifestyle and I thought it would be a good idea to explain myself and this deep passion I have to inspire people everywhere on this truly awesome cooking medium and deliver on my promise to educate, demonstrate and guarantee sensational service and value when you invest in your first ceramic grill package.

For almost a decade now I have been honing my passion for this type of cooking and putting the pieces in place for the concept and brand that is "The Grateful Griller". I feel really fortunate to be able to be given access to my clients decks in order to introduce them to my sales/marketing concept meets food entertainment show of sorts and it gives me a huge amount of satisfaction to experience the excitement that they feel as I get them as I've coined "grilled to obsession"! I don't think I'm all that different from most people and for me the four driving forces in my life are food, family, friends and music and I would guess that a lot of people feel the same way.

Where I differ perhaps is in the fact that I not only got interested in ceramic cooking but down right obsessed with it and once I caught the bug after purchasing my first medium Big Green Egg which for the record I still own and hopefully will always own, my curiosity took me on a fantastic adventure to explore and research this cooking method and find out more about it and what I've learned along the way has been truly fascinating. I now have friends and business contacts in places like Australia, China, India, USA and Canada thanks to my investigation into this wonderful world and I am taking what I have learned and sharing it with anybody and everybody who wants to know more about it.

I call this the "facts without the fiction" campaign with the ultimate goal being to get everyone "grilled to obsession" meaning in short, excited to the point of being giddy about what you are going to cook, create, smoke, sear, bake and devour in these devices with the people who matter most to you. Yup, that about sums it up for me. I love the daily routine/ritual of planning and creating new foods and dishes of all kinds and sharing them and being able to cook them with the elemental powers of earth, wind and fire with these ancient earthen vessels that have been revolutionized for modern day use in any kind of climate imaginable.

I also love the quality and artistic nature that these cookers take on while they sit quietly on the deck always ready and prepped for whatever you are going to throw at them. They are environmentally sound and once you own one its yours for a very, very, very long time hence the reason you need to get educated and have a go to source that's trustworthy and straight up about all you need to know. For the record I don't work for any of the ceramic grill companies that I endorse and promote as "The Grateful Griller" hence I have made it my mission to test and study and use any and all ceramic cookers that I know of and talk about them and make sure that people understand all aspects of all the various grills that exist currently in this niche market and assist people with their purchase in order for it to be a great experience from start to finish.

Now, with that said, the two companies that I stand behind currently in Canada are Primo and Big Green Egg. These are the only two companies with distributors set up currently in Canada in the ceramic grill market and who support and service their customers with an incredible level of professionalism. Both companies make superb cookers that come with superb warranties and mark my words folks, having a support team working for you is re-assuring without a doubt. There are very few things that can go wrong with your cookers but if ever you need a warranty taken care of or a spare part perhaps, having a friendly customer service person is sure nice. You will get that with these companies hands down.

So if you love food and you want to catch the "GTO" bug, look no further, give me a call or fire me an email and let's talk ceramics and get "grilled to obsession" together! Until next time, keep on grilling, chilling and living life to the fullest!

peace, fire, smoke, food,

Griller

Fish, Fowl and Fruit Salad too!!!!

Hi Folks!

It always amazes me even after all these years of cooking with ceramics at the results I get with any combination of food I throw at these beautiful earthen vessels. I love my Primo's as much as I love my Big Green Egg's and depending on the party or day or how many people might be on my deck one thing is for sure, come hell or high water nothing gets in the way of the delicious food that's produced using this cooking medium. As the title of this post states, wether its fish, fowl or fruit salad, all one needs is a bit of imagination and the guts to throw it ( whatever it is) on the grill and wow your guests! Once you walk the plank and commit to your menu for the day, do what I do and walk away from the grill and enjoy the most important thing about your deck party, family, friends and cold bevies. What could be better!

For more info on Primo and Big Green Egg just hit my website and click on links to the companies and welcome to the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle! See you on your deck!

fire, smoke, food,

Griller

The Grateful One on board with Ivo Cutlery Canada!

Hello my grilling friends!

Big news from the "GTO" corner! ( grilled to obsession) for those not in the know, I am very pleased to announce that I have aligned myself with Ivo Cutlery Canada as the official knife of choice for all my ceramic grilling endeavors! I would like to personally thank Mark Logan for his time and efforts in getting me dialed up with an extraordinary product which I absolutely love using and his support for "The Grateful Griller" concept. Ivo are a premium European company that has been in existence for over 100 years and are based just outside Lisbon, Portugal in the Centro region of the country which is known for producing high quality cutlery and is centre for the production of their fine products to this day.

Old world techniques coupled with modern day technology set Ivo apart when it comes to the production of exceptional cutlery. All Ivo knifes are hot dropped from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel and hardened, ground and polished by the world's leading team of qualified cutlery professionals! Take it from the "Grateful One" folks, when it comes to a great knife to get the job done to perfection, count on Ivo for the final cut!

Keep on grilling and enjoying the summer's deck parties and stay tuned for more news out of my corner in the coming days!

peace, smoke, food,

Griller

Griller & Ron Eade talk about the "magic behind ceramic"

Hello Folks!

Last month I had the pleasure of grilling up a storm for my friend Ron Eade at Kaffe 1870 in beautiful Wakefield, Quebec and what a feast it was! I also shot some footage with Ron and to my surprise I guess he felt it was good enough to upload to YouTube so here you are folks and stay tuned for many more exciting video initiatives that "The Griller" has on the agenda for the coming months.

I am also starting some television work with my new friends at Rogers in Ottawa for "Daytime" and "Ottawa Living" this coming week. Until next time amigo's keep on grilling and see you on the deck!

fire, smoke, food,

The Grateful One

The Griller Has been Grilling!

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for the lack of posts… but things have been off the hook! Here's to getting back in touch with all my favorite grilling amigos and hoping you are all getting "grilled to obsession" this fine summer. look for newest upcoming stories from the grill by yours truly in the next few days as things have calmed down a bit! Many thanks to my newest grilling friends, Mark, Sandra and family for whom I shared a great night together with last week and who posted this fantastic review with shots. Grill on my friends!!!

http://ottawafoodies.com/vendor/1714?comment_id=7424#comment_7424

Peace and smoke,

Griller

Grateful Griller Debut at Ottawa HomeShow 2009!!!

Hola my ceramic grilling amigo's,

Ok, first and foremost my sincere apologies for being very inconsistent with new blog posts!  I have learned quickly that when you wear 50 different hats when building your own brand you have to learn how to juggle faster and faster every day, so, with that said, I promise to be posting new entries once if not twice weekly from here on out, cross my grilling heart!

A few weeks back I did what the "Griller" has never done, take part in a consumer based show to spread the ceramic gospel to the Ottawa region at large at LandsDowne park.  I was very skeptical at first about investing in a show like this because I can't cook inside a closed building with my grills and if people who know nothing about Primo or BGE haven't tasted the results of both these fab cookers, what's the point?  Well the point as I learned is to get exposure and exposure the "Griller" got and loads of it!!!!!

The weekend was a smash hit and approximately 30,000 people came through the doors over the four days.  I also officially launched Primo at the show which got huge attention from passers by wanting to take a peek and learn more about this grilling lifestyle.  I was situated right across from the "Napolean" demo area and it was perfect because the smells coming from that area got people in the mood for food including myself!  There were various local growers surrounding my concept who showed off their products and all in all it was a fantastic weekend for all who attended.

I have to say a big thank-you to my friend Anthony at ArdMore Exhibits in Montreal who designed my booth and got it to us in less than three weeks and to my graphic design guru Simon Cooper at Envy Communications for always being able to add those impressive finishing touches with the savvy "Grateful Griller" logo's, thanks guys!  I also can't forget Nancy Carrier at the HomeShow for all she did for me to get me into the show, merci beaucoup Nancy! I look forward to next year already.

So its truly official folks!  "The Grateful Griller" is in town and waiting to land on your deck to bring you the "GTO" show ( grilled to obsession) and inspire all who want to become part of the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle a look and taste of great food and the greatest ceramic cookers in the world thanks to Primo and BGE!!!!

Until later this week, clear the decks and keep on grilling!

fire, smoke,food,

Griller

 

Tables, Tables, Tables....

Hola grilling friends!

At long last, the spring air is blowing in and with it the thoughts of those beautiful deck parties right at home with your family and friends and what better time to get organized than now.  As "The Grateful Griller" preps things for the next six months I am excited to report that I have been a very busy guy over the last four months to improve my product offerings and start to create some choices with our hand crafted Eastern Canadian cedar tables produced right here in our back yard!

Your investment in a new Primo or Big Green Egg ceramic grill matters to me and I am constantly searching for ways to enhance the over all value to my clients with your new grilling package, so, I have been busy with my team brainstorming all winter and I am pleased to report I am thrilled with the results. " The Grateful Griller" will be moving forward with three new table designs in 2009! All tables will be adaptable to any ceramic grill we sell and attention to detail is paramount!  It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to "The Country Classic", "Compact Griller" and "The Culinary Rover". 

As most of you know by now your ceramic grill of choice looks fantastic in one of our hand made tables and adds a touch of class to any deck.  These tables also offer the grilling enthusiast a beautiful solution as a work station on your deck and they are really appealing to the eyes as well.  The "Country Classic" we created is 5ft long by 30"wide by 32" high.  Eastern Canadian cedar is hand sawn and all external hardware like deck screws and bolts are galvanized steel.  Heavy duty casters and dowel handles at either end of the table are standard.  The tables are finished with C.I.L. deck treatment that's a semi transparent color. The treatment also acts as weather and cooking protection from the elements. The "Country Classic" will sell for $400.

This year with the introduction of the Primo grill and smoker we are offering "The Compact Griller" which is similar to our first creation but a little shorter and just as stylish.  The "Compact Griller" will be ideal for those who have less space on the deck to play with but still need a workable cooking station.  All components will be the same as the "Country Classic" and will be made out of cedar as well and finished with the same treatment and priced at $350.

Last but not least, "The Grateful Griller" is fired right up to introduce what we are calling "The Culinary Rover" to the family!  For obvious reasons we wanted to avoid potential lawsuits so we kept the word Range out of the final product, LOL!!!  This deluxe hand made cedar work horse has been built with the avid griller in mind and can hold up to 450lbs of ceramic joy or better said, two grills of choice, Primo or Big Green Egg or a combination of the two.  This will not be a regular stocked item and will sell for $600 retail.  With its 4X4 look and heavy duty wheels there is no terrain that the "Rover" can't handle and yet it's still nice to look at!  Leather seats and cruise control, not included!

For all table enquiries call "The Griller" direct @ 613-324-1437 or fire me an email at "chefmiguel@gratefulgriller.com"  Until next time folks, get that deck ready and don't forget keep on grilling!!!

fire, smoke, food,

The Grateful Griller