Friday, May 27, 2023

Planning a Barbeque

It’s Barbeque Season and I love it.  We have a guest blogger today and he has some great tips for you to read.

Barbeque Season

Planning a Barbeque – Don’t Panic

Well, spring seems to have sprung rather promisingly this year, though the British weather is notoriously grumpy and likes to play tricks on us.  Hopefully, however, the summer will live up to the promise of April, and continue in a similar manner.  The British seem to have evolved some strange habits when it comes to outdoor cooking and eating.  To some extent it’s probably because it’s not in our nature to cook outdoors.  Unlike our European cousins, for us, al-fresco often means al-wetto and al-coldo.  Barbeque cookery and campsite cookery have evolved into a burnt meat-fest and a quick dash for cover.  The main problem is that thanks to the uncertain nature of our climate we have to really think on our feet when it comes to planning a summer get together.  Often we end up eating on our feet and having to run with our dinner during the event! 

Al-fresco or Al-wetto?

But there is something that appeals to us about outdoor cooking and leisurely meals in the evening sun.  I remember being incredibly jealous of my cousin’s in-laws in Provence, who had an outdoor kitchen and actually got to use it most of the year.  I also have happy memories of spending a month in Spain and cooking in the garden.  I mean real cooking, not just cremating dinner.    At the time it didn’t occur to me that I was supposed to be on holiday yet still I was cooking!  The sun must have got to me. 

Barbeque Tactics

For us Brits though, outdoor cooking and summer barbeques tend to require a certain amount of planning and then sudden and swift action.  Keeping a weather eye out helps, while being prepared to move at short notice out into the garden, along with grill, party gear, trestle tables and a mass of fresh food and groceries with military precision, is also a necessary skill.  The hardware stores of the land have thankfully provided us with a range of functional kit that allows you to do this, they, like us have evolved an understanding that anything that is going to be used in the garden needs to be robust and have wheels!  There is also a range of affordable garden sized marquees and the like, that can be deployed to keep guests and food dry and relatively warm, should the need arise.  

Keep calm and Carry on

One additional tip may be useful for those planning some outdoor entertainment this summer.  Barbeques can be planned well in advance, but that is the certain way to ensure it will be wet and cold.  Last minute barbeques and summer evening parties often prove to be the most successful. These can entail quite a lot of last minute rushing around and preparation.  While men like to stand Lording it over the barbeque grill itself, managing to burn stuff despite the fact they can’t leave it alone, they rarely enjoy the sudden dash to the shop that a last minute barbeque can entail.  If the weekend weather is looking promising and you’ve decided to get a few friends round, consider shopping online for some of your fresh groceries.  Apart from the traditional slabs of meat and sausages, a good spread is going to need some fresh veggies, salads and chutneys and pickles.  The advantage to buying this online, when planning a summer party, is that it can be delivered on the day, ensuring freshness, and as most of it will get gobbled up, so you don’t need to worry too much about it getting wasted. 

Last minute planning and ordering

Online shopping may seem like an expensive option for fresh food delivery, but there are some well kept secrets to getting a good deal.  While the supermarkets will have a delivery charge if you are ordering under a certain amount, there are some smaller businesses that can offer competitive deals.  Even your local milkman might have jumped on the, well, milk-float when it comes to fresh food delivery.  Many dairies now stock several hundred products that can be delivered bright and fresh to your door, on the day that you need them.  These products include all manner of daily necessities and they have a great range of fresh food options.  The advantage to this service is twofold:  firstly, they don’t have delivery charges if you are on an established milk round, and secondly you can order late on in the evening – usually up to 9pm – and still get a next day delivery.

When it comes to our sudden summer picnics and barbeques, we have to take advantage of what the weather has to offer and we can also take advantage of what our milkmen and women have to offer, to make that last minute planning a lot less stressful!  Our European cousins may have the weather, but we certainly have the staff! 

Wednesday, May 25, 2023

A Simple Guide To Barbecues

A Simple Guide To Barbecues

Barbecue season is up and running, so if you haven’t joined in yet, now is the time to get involved and make the most of the summer sunshine.

If you are without a BBQ, or have just pulled out a rather shabby looking husk of a grill from the shed, it may be time to get set up with a proper barbecue. Which immediately leads to the age old question of charcoal or gas? Not to mention portable barbecues too.

So with this in mind, here’s a brief run down of the pros and cons of each to help you decide what’s best for you, plus a look at the convenient world of portable BBQs too.

Gas barbecues

Pros • Easy to clean • You can control the heat • At the push of a button it’s on and ready to cook • With several grills or burners, you can cook different foods at different temperatures at the same time.

Cons • Can cost more to buy than charcoal BBQs • Full size model can’t double up as a portable barbecue • It doesn’t naturally smoke • Replacement gas can be harder to get hold of when you run out

Using a gas barbecue is really simple and pretty much hassle-free, which means that you get more time to hang out with friends and family if you are having a party or play with the kids. Also, if you’re a a traditionalist and you miss the smoky flavour of a charcoal grill, you can always buy a barbecue smoker as an add-on accessory instead.

Charcoal barbecues

Pros • Natural, smoky flavour • More fun as it is more hands-on and involving than gas • You can smoke food such as fish with charcoal • Cheaper than gas BBQs • Replacement charcoal is easy to buy

Cons • It can take a while to get going (between 30-40 minutes to heat to 180-200 degrees Celsius) • You can’t control the temperature, so at first it will be too hot and then you have with a window of opportunity to cook at the right temperature before the coals start to cool • They can also be difficult to clean

So a charcoal barbecue may take a bit longer to set up and tidy away but with a long summer evening ahead you can always just sit back, relax, open a bottle of wine and look forward to some real smoky BBQ flavour.

Portable BBQs Having a small portable barbecue means freedom to out on the patio, balcony, park or beach whenever you want. You can take one on camping trips, picnics or even to festivals where you will be the envy of your fellow campers who will all be vowing to bring one next year after seeing you eat so well.

You still have to make the decision between gas or charcoal as you would with a normal BBQ. A portable gas barbecue means you don’t have to take coal with you, which also means you don’t have to spend lots of time tidying up afterwards, while others get to enjoy the precious sunshine hours. Portable charcoal BBQs are, however, cheaper and easier to source and are available as permanent and disposable options. In both cases it is very important to make sure you give the coals time to cool and then properly dispose of them as to avoid any potential fires.

The only downside with portable barbecues is that you can’t pack them up until they have cooled down, but this is easily catered for with a bit of forward thinking and planning. They are designed for convenience and day trips but probably won’t suit large parties and regular use.

So, if you’re a bit of a barbecue enthusiast it is probably best to get a sturdy, permanent barbecue to keep in the garden for parties and a portable barbecue as well for everywhere else – but whether it’s gas or charcoal is up to you!

By Robert John

Thanks for the Great article Robert! 

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