Turning on to the


By Scott Best


months. Guests sit in lawn chairs while the cook runs in and out of the house, prepping ingredients indoors and bringing it outside for cooking. Or at least that used to be the way meal times outdoors would often work. Now, would-be chefs are wanting more


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than burgers, briquettes, and picnic tables– they want a kitchen with all the comforts and conveniences of the one indoors and a place for the host and guests to sit and relax. And the more personalized they can make it, the better. To the less-extravagant-minded, an out- door kitchen can mean a basic barbecue,


elaxing on the patio and barbecues with friends are long-standing out- door traditions during the summer


counter, small dining and seating area. But there are almost endless options for those whose attitude is “go big or go home.” Custom design


You can opt for a unit with pre-built cabi-


nets or have the entire kitchen custom de- signed and built. Stainless steel grills have become popular in recent years, and can offer as many as twelve 42,000 BTU burn- ers with temperature control, side burners, electronic ignition, Breakfast Club (a flat grill for cooking eggs or pancakes), warm- ing racks or drawers, or a built-in infrared searing grill for giving steaks that smoky, charred taste. These grills can also be up- graded to natural gas models, which hook into your home’s gas line. This means no


Watch The Manitoba Gardener on Shaw TV Channel 9


more running out at 6:00 Friday night to fill up the propane tank. Islands are now fixtures in outdoor kitch-


ens just as they are inside. Island bases or countertops made from granite, slate, Tyn- dall stone or brick are durable and will stand up to a harsh climate. Granite may be classier and look more indoorsy, but it’s also more expensive. Slate and Tyndall stone are weather resistant but also more economical. But that’s only the beginning. Outdoor aficionados can make their yards into full- blown outdoor living and entertainment spaces with the kitchen as a focal point. You can add an outdoor refrigerator, which ide- ally can be brought inside in the winter, as well as a sink with hot and cold running


Summer 2012 • 9


An outdoor kitchen can extend patio living well into the autumn.


outdoor kitchen


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