G
Grogbelly
Guest
Hi everyone!
So I guess this is where I'll introduce myself:
I've lived most of my 43 years in the great state of Pennsylvania and recently relocated to Georgia for work. I have a long history of, shall we say: "culinary interests". Many of my jobs during my high school years were in restaurants, front and back of the house, and while I have not worked in the food industry since leaving college, I consider myself to be a reasonably accomplished "cook" (as opposed to chef as I have had no formal training) with respect to cooking INDOORS and only a step above a rank novice when it comes to cooking outdoors. At least I know the difference between grilling, BBQ, and smoking and I haven't used lighter fluid for anything other than to melt sticky price tag glue in well over 20 years.
My current implements of destruction include a large LP gas grill which I use for Monday to Friday cooking after work (I don't remember the brand, but when I moved to GA, my father gave me this one to take along with me because I had none and he was getting a new one), and a Weber One Touch Gold kettle which I use mostly on the weekends but occasionally Monday to Friday as well if I am in a patient mood and not too hungry after a day in the office and the traffic on the drive home.
I have been on a crusade for the last couple years to get friends and family interested in charcoal grilling, if not BBQ. Most of my friends and family remember all too well the days before gas grills and the all too common theme from those years of drowning coals in lighter fluid and eating burgers that tasted like the same lighter fluid. I am proud to say that I have converted a few folks to the joys of charcoal grilling (my dad still can't be bothered even though he's retired and definitely has the time...) with the simple use of a chimney starter, a few sheets of newspaper, and a Weber kettle grill, so I feel like I have been productive in the name of the cause beyond growing my own gut in these past few years.
With respect to food in general, my personal philosophy is that there are two types of food: 1) carbon, and 2) food. We, as humans, are a carbon based life form, thus we ingest carbon and convert that to energy and live on it. Thus food that is what I consider "carbon" is simply food you eat to survive, it offers little in the way of joy or pleasure other than the extinguishing of hunger, it is often cheaply or haphazardly prepared, and is often not particularly "healthy" beyond keeping you alive. I recognize that peoples' busy schedules and complicated lives often lead them to simply making a meal out of some sort of "carbon", but I strive to eat and prepare the second type: "food" whenever it is possible. "Food" to me is carbon that goes beyond merely providing sustenance, it provides joy and pleasure above and beyond simply filling a hole. It may also provide joy and pleasure in the preparation of it... and that's where my interest in expanding my culinary horizons comes in - I LOVE grilled and BBQed food... and I LOVE preparing delicious food for myself and others, and so, that's why I'm here.
I don't consider myself a "purist" when it comes to these things, but I do enjoy good, high quality, simple preparations of food and the use of high quality equipment. After all, for me, a significant portion of the joy and pleasure in "food" is in the preparation of it. The culinary arts are no different than any other craft in my opinion. You need the right tools for the job, and when you use quality tools and equipment, your enjoyment of the "doing" of the task is increased, and often, so is the end result. What's not to love about that?
I will invest appropriately but not extravagantly for quality equipment and I understand that there is a great deal of subjectivity in that, but so be it. I am blessed in that my career provides me with a fair amount of discretionary income which I would MUCH rather spend on perfecting my own cooking equipment and techniques than on going to a restaurant to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor of love.
One of my true joys is in refining a culinary technique to the point that I can take a common product and really get the absolute most out of it with as simple a preparation as possible. For example: many people roast chickens in their oven, few do so and end up with a juicy succulent product with a beautiful deeply browned and crispy skin and a flavor that will have your tongue slapping the roof of your mouth looking for more... to make the lowly roast yardbird into an anticipated, thoroughly enjoyed meal with simple, uncomplicated techniques that bring out the best that the product has to offer. Anyway, I guess I'm rambling here, I hope you all get the point.
I fully expect to shamelessly benefit from the centuries of combined experience and expertise on this forum by picking all of your brains for information that I hope you will be gracious and generous enough to share with me. I will also share my experiences and maybe even a clever or entertaining turn of phrase or two from time to time and I hope that you all will consider that as a fair, if not even trade.
Other interests for me outside of indoor and outdoor culinary pursuits include:
Anyway, I guess that's enough about me! Good to meet you all!
So I guess this is where I'll introduce myself:
I've lived most of my 43 years in the great state of Pennsylvania and recently relocated to Georgia for work. I have a long history of, shall we say: "culinary interests". Many of my jobs during my high school years were in restaurants, front and back of the house, and while I have not worked in the food industry since leaving college, I consider myself to be a reasonably accomplished "cook" (as opposed to chef as I have had no formal training) with respect to cooking INDOORS and only a step above a rank novice when it comes to cooking outdoors. At least I know the difference between grilling, BBQ, and smoking and I haven't used lighter fluid for anything other than to melt sticky price tag glue in well over 20 years.
My current implements of destruction include a large LP gas grill which I use for Monday to Friday cooking after work (I don't remember the brand, but when I moved to GA, my father gave me this one to take along with me because I had none and he was getting a new one), and a Weber One Touch Gold kettle which I use mostly on the weekends but occasionally Monday to Friday as well if I am in a patient mood and not too hungry after a day in the office and the traffic on the drive home.
I have been on a crusade for the last couple years to get friends and family interested in charcoal grilling, if not BBQ. Most of my friends and family remember all too well the days before gas grills and the all too common theme from those years of drowning coals in lighter fluid and eating burgers that tasted like the same lighter fluid. I am proud to say that I have converted a few folks to the joys of charcoal grilling (my dad still can't be bothered even though he's retired and definitely has the time...) with the simple use of a chimney starter, a few sheets of newspaper, and a Weber kettle grill, so I feel like I have been productive in the name of the cause beyond growing my own gut in these past few years.
With respect to food in general, my personal philosophy is that there are two types of food: 1) carbon, and 2) food. We, as humans, are a carbon based life form, thus we ingest carbon and convert that to energy and live on it. Thus food that is what I consider "carbon" is simply food you eat to survive, it offers little in the way of joy or pleasure other than the extinguishing of hunger, it is often cheaply or haphazardly prepared, and is often not particularly "healthy" beyond keeping you alive. I recognize that peoples' busy schedules and complicated lives often lead them to simply making a meal out of some sort of "carbon", but I strive to eat and prepare the second type: "food" whenever it is possible. "Food" to me is carbon that goes beyond merely providing sustenance, it provides joy and pleasure above and beyond simply filling a hole. It may also provide joy and pleasure in the preparation of it... and that's where my interest in expanding my culinary horizons comes in - I LOVE grilled and BBQed food... and I LOVE preparing delicious food for myself and others, and so, that's why I'm here.
I don't consider myself a "purist" when it comes to these things, but I do enjoy good, high quality, simple preparations of food and the use of high quality equipment. After all, for me, a significant portion of the joy and pleasure in "food" is in the preparation of it. The culinary arts are no different than any other craft in my opinion. You need the right tools for the job, and when you use quality tools and equipment, your enjoyment of the "doing" of the task is increased, and often, so is the end result. What's not to love about that?
I will invest appropriately but not extravagantly for quality equipment and I understand that there is a great deal of subjectivity in that, but so be it. I am blessed in that my career provides me with a fair amount of discretionary income which I would MUCH rather spend on perfecting my own cooking equipment and techniques than on going to a restaurant to enjoy the fruits of someone else's labor of love.
One of my true joys is in refining a culinary technique to the point that I can take a common product and really get the absolute most out of it with as simple a preparation as possible. For example: many people roast chickens in their oven, few do so and end up with a juicy succulent product with a beautiful deeply browned and crispy skin and a flavor that will have your tongue slapping the roof of your mouth looking for more... to make the lowly roast yardbird into an anticipated, thoroughly enjoyed meal with simple, uncomplicated techniques that bring out the best that the product has to offer. Anyway, I guess I'm rambling here, I hope you all get the point.
I fully expect to shamelessly benefit from the centuries of combined experience and expertise on this forum by picking all of your brains for information that I hope you will be gracious and generous enough to share with me. I will also share my experiences and maybe even a clever or entertaining turn of phrase or two from time to time and I hope that you all will consider that as a fair, if not even trade.
Other interests for me outside of indoor and outdoor culinary pursuits include:
- competitive and recreational target shooting (Cowboy Action, rifle, shotgun, pistol, archery)
- hunting
- flyfishing
- canoeing
- hiking & camping
- fine bourbon
- drinking (not brewing) fine craft beers especially IPAs
- golf (preferably with a flask of bourbon in the bag)
- And last but not least, I am certainly interested in ladies who dig backyard BBQers :wink:
Anyway, I guess that's enough about me! Good to meet you all!
