After a long winter, it's time to move the kitchen to the backyard. Here are four pieces of gear for the ultimate alfresco experience
Neapolitan dynamo
Old World technique and today’s technology team up in Kalamazoo’s Artisan Fire Pizza Oven. This gas-fired, open-flame dynamo cooks delicious Neapolitan-style pizza in fewer than three minutes and is easy as pie to use. A sleek stainless-steel dome, it’s designed to sit on a countertop or on Kalamazoo’s rolling pizza station. This year, the company launched a built-in version of the oven that can be installed into a wall or masonry structure. From $8,126. Visit www.kalamazoogourmet.com for list of dealers.
Where there’s smoke, there’s flavour
The Big Green Egg is the Cadillac of charcoal smokers and a favourite in restaurants across the country. Lucky for us home gourmets, this komodo-style ceramic cooker is user-friendly and comes in seven sizes, including the portable MiniMax. Not only is the Big Green Egg a superior smoker, it’s also an oven and a grill. Create your own signature flavours by tossing aromatics on the coals and experimenting with wood-food pairings. Apple-wood smoked rosemary pork shoulder, anyone? From $559 to $4,877 at Hendrix. Visit www.hendrixequip.com for details.
Taste of tandoori
There’s nothing quite like fresh bubbly naan straight out of the tandoor. The ancient art of making this Asian flatbread – and other exotic foods – is at your fingertips thanks to the Homdoor. This waist-high clay cooker is part oven, part vertical barbecue. It heats up to 850° F and quickly sears skewered food, producing succulent dishes such as chicken tikka and vegetable paneer. Homdoor offers charcoal, propane and gas versions as built-ins or as standalones encased in painted or stainless steel. From $1,155 through www.homdoor.com.
Pour like a pro
Expect your patio to become very popular with the addition of a Perlick kegerator. Pick up a keg (or two) of suds from your favourite craft brewery and tap into this amazing system. These stainless steel pub-quality beer dispensers come in one- and two-tap models and this year’s upgrade adds a flow-control faucet, allowing you to adjust the speed of the pour to compliment the carbonation of your beer. From keg to pint, this system keeps its cool even on the hottest days. From $4,572. Visit www.perlick.com for list of dealers.