Hello my Foodie Friends! 

The beautiful weather is here, and it is time to enjoy the Great Outdoors.  We have a tremendous summer ahead in Saratoga Springs. Our fabulous city carries the motto of “Health, History, and Horses” and our summer season truly reflects these three key areas. The energy level in the city rises with SPAC events, the ballet and orchestra, a season of world-class horse racing, and of course, shopping and eating in our beautiful downtown! 

Everyone loves to cook outdoors during the beautiful weather season. I think you would agree it's always lots of fun to cook outdoors, since everyone loves to get out of the kitchen and outside to prepare a delicious meal. When I think about cooking outdoors, I am reminded about one of the funniest scenes I’ve ever seen in a movie. I love John Candy, especially his role in the movie “The Great Outdoors.” I still laugh when I think about the “Ol’ 96er” scene in the movie; this amusing scene involved the star’s attempt to consume “a 96-ounce prime aged-beef steak” — and earn his crowded table a free meal.  The scene includes the challenge of eating this much steak and Candy’s “meat sweats” and the gurgling distress that Dan Ackroyd hears beneath his friend’s stomach. This movie scene remains one of my all-time favorites. I think of it every time I cook outdoors! But there are other reasons I enjoy cooking outside… The scent of dinner sizzling on the grill and the joy of eating in the open air — cooking and dining outdoors are simple summer pleasures that deserve to be enjoyed. When you are cooking outside, preparing dinner is part of the fun instead of the chore that keeps you holed up in the kitchen alone. Family and friends can easily hang out and chat with whoever is stationed at the grill and can pitch in by prepping sides or gathering plates. With slow-cooked barbecue being an option for outdoor grilling, there are also grilling options to fall into the quick-cooking category. Think grilled veggies, kabobs, and burgers — it’s so easy, there’s no reason you could not cook dinner on the grill most weeknights, especially if you have a quick-to-heat gas grill.

Below are some fun BBQ items that you can use for your next BBQ.

BBQ Grill Mats (reusable): The grill mats help to maintain grill marks and keep foods’ natural juices and flavor. The mats prevent food from falling through the grill grates. You can always have a clean grilling surface. Just place the grill mats on the surface of the grill and put the food directly on the grill. 

Tongs: The use of tongs for outdoor grilling can help you maneuver your food on the grill. Not only will a good pair of tongs make for a much more enjoyable outdoor cooking experience, but it will make the whole process much easier, too. You can use tongs to flip burgers, chicken, steak, sliding veggies around, or turning items you make have on skewers.

Instant-read thermometer: named because it gives a temperature reading very quickly, an instant-read thermometer is an essential food safety and sanitation tool. An instant-read thermometer consists of a stainless-steel stem that serves as a temperature probe, and either a dial or a digital readout.

Grill cleaning brush:  Grills work better when the surface of the grill grates are clean of food and carbon build-up. This means brushing the grill surface after every use. Using a nylon brush can help to not damage the surface of the grill grates. 

Skewers for Kabobs: One tool that can help those who are firing up in the backyard is the skewer. Creating food on a stick offers the ability to be creative and to offer various food choices for your family and guests. Serving food on a stick is not only convenient, but it’s also fun! Skewers can be made of bamboo, flexible stainless steel, or stainless steel. Finding the right skewer for your grilling mission is key, since skewers come in a variety of lengths and shapes, with handle embellishments and smart features.

BBQ tool sets and tools that include:  Grill Spatula, Grill Tongs, Grill Basting Brush, and Grill Meat Spear.

Let’s BBQ together this season and enjoy the Great Outdoors. Stop in and share your stories, even the disasters!  There are always times when everything doesn’t go perfectly.  As in the movie, I’ve had my share of disasters, but the good times are worth it. At one point I did not have a mustache (for a reason!).

Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your Neighborhood Kitchen and Cutlery store, located at 33 Railroad Place. We are Saratoga Spring’s true kitchen essentials store, for your culinary needs.  Quality tools for Quality results! We have an assortment of cool tools for grilling. Remember my Foodie Friends that: “Life Happens in the Kitchen or around the BBQ grill.

 Take Care, John & Paula