Kitchen American » natural gas grill

Fresh Ideas for Elegant Outdoor Entertaining

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:37:27 +0000

When it comes to having friends and family over for summer gatherings, our first thoughts often turn to late afternoon barbecues with sizzling burgers, plastic cups and paper plates. If that’s your idea of outdoor entertaining, maybe it’s time to get out of the house!

Weber 3880001 Genesis S-320 Natural Gas Grill, Stainless Steel

List Price: $1,019.00
Buy New: $736.00
You Save: $283.00 (28%)

• 3-burner natural gas grill; 42,000 Btu’s; 637 inches total cooking area
• 507 square inches cooking area; 130 square inches warming rack
• Fully enclosed stainless steel cart; porcelain-enameled cooking grates
• 12,000 BTU input flush-mount side burner
• 2 heavy-duty front locking casters and 2 heavy-duty back swivel casters

“So many people are trapped in the mindset china should only be used for formal meals around the dining room table,” says Annie Williamson, showroom stylist with Replacements, Ltd., the world’s largest supplier of old and new china, crystal, silver and collectibles. “That’s just so limiting. You can have fantastic fine dining outdoors, such as a sunny afternoon picnic or perhaps a beautiful dinner at sunset or under the stars, simply by using ‘your good stuff’ outdoors.”

Find New Uses for Traditional Pieces
Who says you can only use a tureen to serve soup or goblets for wine? Outdoor or alfresco entertaining really opens the door to new purposes for china, crystal and silver.
* Use a soup tureen to keep dinner rolls or buns warm.
* Iced tea glasses are perfect for parfaits or fruit salads, while sherbet or champagne glasses are great for serving ice cream and other summertime desserts.
* Use silver mint julep cups to serve shrimp cocktail or as individual vases. Fill coffee pots and pitchers with fresh flowers to create unusual centerpieces.
* Fill your silver or crystal punch bowl with ice to chill bottles of wine and other beverages.
* Stack footed cake plates, fill with appetizers and adorn with fresh flowers. You can also place candles of varying sizes on cake plates to create a great accent or centerpiece for evening entertaining.

Sizzle With Seasonal Color
From crystal blue skies to vibrant blooming flowers, dining outdoors is all about summertime hues. “Entertaining outside frees up the host to mix bright colors that might be a little overwhelming indoors,” says Replacements’ Dubravka Vujinovic. “Get creative by mixing and matching different hues of china or colored glass. And instead of using a tablecloth, buy inexpensive fabric remnants to layer various bold colors to accent your tableware.” She also suggests using ribbon or kitchen twine to affix fresh flowers around linens instead of using napkin rings, or using bedding plants in lieu of cut flowers. Take advantage of color all around you by incorporating fresh flowers and greenery from your yard or summer fruits and vegetables from your garden in centerpieces and other decor.

Hit the Spot With Summer Tea Parties
Formal afternoon tea isn’t just for the English, tea parties are becoming a popular entertaining trend.
* Set up several small tables around your patio or deck with tea sets/themes of various patterns; tie those together with similar floral centerpieces.
* Purchase tea cups in patterns that fit your guests’ individual personalities for a take home gift.
* Float delicate blossoms in tea cups or fill with miniature bouquets for colorful accents.

Don’t Worry About the Ants
Take out your bridal china for an elegant, romantic afternoon picnic.
* Use soup tureens or covered vegetable bowls to serve tuna or potato salads.
* Serve sandwiches or desserts on handled cake plates.

“So many people are squeamish about using their china, crystal or silver, especially heirloom and discontinued patterns,” says Vujinovic. “But these pieces are made to be used. In fact, regular hand washing will help keep impurities from penetrating the glaze of china and basically keeps the glaze strong, while silver’s finish actually improves with daily use.”

Weber 3880001 Natural Gas Grill

admin — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 12:19:05 +0000

How many times have you wanted to barbeque on a Saturday night but were out of propane gas? With a natural gas grill you will never have to worry about the grilling disaster because you’ll never run out of propane while grilling steaks for friends. If you’re in the market shopping for a barbeque that will offer you great convenience and ease, then natural gas is the way to go. Why? Unlike charcoal grills, there is no waiting for the coals to heat up. With a natural gas grill you just push the button, turn the dial and ignite! And, since these barbeques are connected to the gas supply piping of the home, they are always ready for cooking.

Read the whole article…

Weber 3880001 Genesis S-320 Natural Gas Grill, Stainless Steel

List Price: $1,119.00
Buy New: $847.59

3 Stainless steel burners rated at 14,000 BTUs each. 12,000 BTU-per-hour input flush-mounted side burner. Electronic Crossover ignition system. 7mm diameter stainless steel rod cooking grates. Stainless steel Flavorizer bars. Primary cooking area – 507 sq. In. Warming rack area – 130 sq. In. Total cooking area – 637 sq. In. Stainless steel shroud with a center-mounted thermometer and accent-colored, cast-aluminum end caps. Enclosed cart with stainless steel doors and stainless steel handles and accent-colored painted side and rear panels. Accent-colored painted steel frame. 2 Stainless steel work surfaces. 2 Heavy-duty front locking casters. 2 Heavy-duty back swivel casters. 6 Tool holders.

Natural Gas vs Charcoal Grills

admin — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:31:11 +0000

Barbequing outdoors is a pleasure that anyone can partake in and with so many types of grills available you can practically cook anywhere. One exception to the list is a natural gas grill which needs a permanent hook up. Listed below are some of the main advantages / disadvantages and suggestions for both natural gas and charcoal grills to help decide which one is best for you.

Charcoal Grilling and Benefits

The backyard chef’s favorite challenge is to create the perfect fire for grilling to produce that mouthwatering smoky taste! Most popular and with about 80% of all American households owning one, is the [tag]barbeque grill[/tag]. Approximately 47% of these bbq owners are cooking with good old charcoal. With brands such as Weber, clearly the most popular charcoal grill sold, as well as a household name, one might dismiss other quality charcoal grillers. But brands such as Brinkman and Hibachi are sought-after as are lesser known charcoal grillers Arctic, Meco, Aussie, Texas Pit Masters, Uniflame, Capital and Thermos, Fire Magic and others.

If you are looking to find the right barbeque charcoal grill, you are in luck. Why? Charcoal grills can add an extra smoky flavor to your grilling that gas grills can’t! And, these grills are affordable to suit any budget. That said, if you buy a fancy one with deluxe features, the price tag will be higher. However, compared to an outdoor gas grill featuring mechanical parts and a more complicated design, charcoal grillers are just more economical.

Which charcoal barbeque to buy?

Begin with a few simple questions. How many people will you be grilling for? Does the bbq need to be a specific grill type such as: portable, stainless steel or cast iron? Are you looking for a particular brand: Weber charcoal grills, Brinkman charcoal grills, Hibachi, Arctic, Patio Life, Meco, Aussie or something else.

With a charcoal grill, if you are going to be cooking for a lot of people or just a few people, size matters. A small charcoal grill is 300 to 500 sq. in. cooking surface; a medium charcoal grill is 500 to 700 sq. in. cooking surface; and a large grill is 700 sq. in. and up. So make sure you are getting the size you that fits your needs. If you need something portable, take a look at the brands Weber and Arctic. You will find these to be lightweight and easy to carry. A lock-lid is a convenient portable barbeques feature for camping and outdoor picnicking.

Natural gas grilling and benefits

How to choose the natural gas grill that’s right for you

It’s never easy deciding, especially when there are so many outdoor grill manufacturers to choose from: Weber, Broilmaster, Lynx, Fire Magic and many more. And besides the brands, you’ve got to figure out which brand model will suit your grilling needs. Here are some grill features to consider: What size cooking surface do you need? Does the barbeque need side shelves? Do you want a multi-burner system, meaning 2, 4, or 6 burners? Do you want warming shelves, a side burner, a grease catcher? And what about the grill’s appearance? Does it need need to fit into an outdoor kitchen? Or to match the décor of the exterior of your house?

Two great ways to decide are your particular budget and reviews. Read as many gas grill reviews as possible, talk to friends with natural gas grillers, and shop around locally and online. Whatever your needs and whatever you decide, adding a barbeque to your life, be it natural gas or charcoal, will never be something you regret.

Nicole Martins is a senior editor and researcher for Outdoor Fireplaces and Patio Heaters, where you can find more information on natural gas grills and charcoal grills.