Hey family, friends, and fans alike!
I am without a doubt so excited to tell you all about my adventures over the last few weeks of excitement in and around the "gto" deck in the best little village in all the land, Wakefield of coarse! So as most of you know by now, I took delivery a few weeks ago of by far the most incredible kamado cooker I have ever had the pleasure of setting my eyes and hands on, ever!!!!!!!!!!! You'd think by now that I have grilled on it at least a couple dozen times and I have all these awesome things to tell you about the way it performs but no, no,no,no,no,no my friends, that isn't the case at all. In fact, I have been in virtual ahhhh of this refractory stallion from Bali Indonesia since it arrived on my deck and have not yet fired it up which I will explain in a bit.
In fact, the day it arrived in one piece I stood on the driveway watching the delivery truck back up and I could hear the bagpipes and fireworks going off in my head as goose bumps formed from the tip of my kamado, grill obsessed, twisted cranium, to the very ends of my toe nails. With a tear in my eye this delivery I thought to myself deserved the red carpet and some, considering the research and time I have taken over the last year and a half to get to know the design features from a far and the story of this extraordinary piece of culinary art not to mention the man responsible for its creation, Mr. Dennis Linkletter.
I have had the pleasure of getting to know Dennis over this time via telephone and email and he is the grandson of the late Art Linkletter, famous for his roles in "Kids Say The Darndest Things" and "Hootenanny", truly an American icon. I recall like it was yesterday connecting with Dennis for the first time over the phone and it was as if two over the top passionate people collided for the better over one common interest, the kamado cooker! What I thought at the time was going to be a five minute conversation to introduce myself and share my enthusiasm and passion for this cooking medium turned into an almost two hour ordeal and without a word of a lie I was sweating with excitement by the end of the conversation!
I didn't expect it but I was elated at Dennis's all out style, manner and excitement over the phone, a true inventor I thought, the man behind it all on the phone with me combing the subject of kamado like nothing I had heard before, truly exciting beyond belief. He'd speak and then I'd speak and then he'd tell a story and I'd come back with one of my own and on and on it went until we both realized we had our families to get back to until our next chat, lol!
What I also found fascinating about Dennis at a distance was the way in which he could describe the most intricate of details regarding his product with a kind of emotion and accuracy that is rare in our volume driven, mass market world today. Everything from the beginnings of Komodo Kamado as a company to the research and lengths that he has gone to to learn and understand the science and technology of it all blows my freaking mind! For the record, I learn so much from him when we speak that I have made it mandatory to have pen and paper in hand like a newbie university student taking in my favorite lecture of the day.
The OTB 2 Komodo Kamado stands over four feet tall and due to its incredibly unique and shapely curvature, it appears to be proudly standing at attention with chest out for all to admire while its base resembles that of a national class ballay dancers feet, poised and ready for the next move. Its exquisite custom tiled finish is called "matte ocean green" for which I have re-named it using the Spanish translation, "El Oceano Verde"as it's warm features instantly remind me of the spectacular Mexican background and village my family visit almost every year on the Pacific.
From CNC laser cut technology to 82 mind blowing pounds of stainless steel alone to acme threaded rods and a lid that opens as if a genie were about to emerge and grant you countless culinary wishes, the Komodo Kamado should and probably will have its own full page in Robb Report one day as the undisputed kamado heavyweight champion of the world! For obvious reasons I couldn't comment before I saw this masterpiece in person but now that I have I will forever compare it to the MacLaren F1 or perhaps the Aston DB12 of the automotive industry for it clearly has been created by a man, an artist and a team that utilize only the very best methods to fabricate and the highest quality materials known to mankind.
As of the new year, The Grateful Griller will be launching a video based initiative appropriately titled "Stairway To Kamado Heaven" whereby I will be exposing many wonderful aspects of the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle and the fun that virtually anyone can have once they commit to the kamado ways and with a tiny bit of imagination an entire world of flavors, tastes and great times are to be had and you will be able to catch these on the worldwide web or via my blog and yes, you will all get to see much more of the Komodo Kamado in action as it accompanies me on many exciting not to mention delicious journeys as we explore many a recipe and beverage on the "gto" deck!
I would like to personally thank Dennis for his trust, faith and confidence in me and concept that is "The Grateful Griller" and I am so very excited to tell his story and show off his art form to and for anyone interested to know more about the kamado of all kamado's! As for not firing it up yet, well, I'm planning on having a few close friends over who have been kind enough over the last few years to support me and my journey with "K" and whom I have a feeling will be here with me for many more celebrations to come as I inspire many more people to embrace the "grilled to obsession" lifestyle around the world! After all, a master piece like this deserves a special kind of ceremony to toast what's yet to come and as ironic as it sounds, I realize that I probably will not ever truly own this "Komodo Kamado" but will merely take care of it for the next generation of 'grateful griller's to come!
Now it would make the most sense to utilize some classic Led Zepp slam poetry to a posting like this but that's going to have to wait until the next tale from the grateful vault because as it happens the last few weeks I have been really into my Peter Gabriel back catalog and as some of you probably know Gabriel has done some pretty incredible things musically in his life and I'm a huge fan without a doubt! The other day before finalizing this post I had one of his best tunes cranking in the background and well, thoughts of smoke and fire and taking my grilling games higher took over and the rest as they say is history! The next few lines were most certainly inspired by Peter Gabriel and altered by yours truly. May you all enjoy and savor the holiday season with those who matter most to you and let's give thanks to living in such a great country with such an abundance of delicious foods! Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah to all and keep feeding your passionate desires to take these games higher!!!!!!!!!!
Grill on friends, grill on..........
Papa G
Grilling Games Without Frontiers
Weber has a red flag.
Broil Kings is blue.
They all have hills to show off their grills except for little "K" who?
The strange one in the corner made of clay wants to play, but the big boys won't listen!
Instead, they'll be missin out cos they figure they've got the clout while preachin the gospel on gas.
No thanks I say, GG's gonna pass and create my own kinda class, eye level with the world en mass!
Whistling tunes while grilling our balsamic shrooms by the deckside!
Whistling tunes while playing with your sweet smoky plumes amongst a gas jungle.
We're on the look out for grilling games without frontiers and fat steaks without fears of no flavor!
Your gonna be so popular "K"!
Your gonna be so popular with me by your side!
If looks could kill you would, should and will as you stand confidently amongst giants!
One look at your shape and your knack at making steak melt in the mouths of the masses!
Our Grateful Grilling classes will be foodie, friendly, family filled musically inspired bonanza's!
Off the cuff, but from the heart, as fun today as it was at the start of our journey together!
Whistling tunes while grilling our balsamic shrooms by the deckside.
Whistling tunes while playing with your sweet smoky plumes amongst a gas jungle.
We're on the lookout for grilling games without frontiers and fat steaks without fears of no flavor!
You and me are gonna stand firm and strong and keep preachin our smoky song to any and all who want to listen "K"!
Mass produced and affordable tin boxes come with empty promises of instant skill to thrill on the grill!
Not us "K", we've got a different story because passion is priceless and our DNA's are a match, so let's strike it and catch a fire and welcome the world's grateful grillers to take their grilling games,
higher, higher and higher!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
