DarrenC
TVWBB Fan
Hello folks!
My name is Darren, I'm 47 and I live along the shores of Lake Ontario in the Kingston, ON Area.
The crazy stories of my live-fire cooking adventures and misadventures could fill volumes, but in a nutshell I am a former obsessive-compulsive WSM fanatic, competitive national champion and 2004 Jack Daniels invitee. Thanks to the supreme design and economy of the WSM I was able to hold my own against the best in the world as an amateur using about $500. worth of equipment.
A total-loss fire six years ago led to a long era which in retrospect I can only describe as insanity. My passion for Q became supplanted by sloth, convenience, and the "ooohh-aaahhh" factor of complicated shiny new gas grills. I had a very impressive stainless steel monstrosity on my deck but I completely fell out of touch with the motivation to do anything creative with it. Backyard cooking was medicore at best and the grill was getting uncovered less and less each season.
Until this year. Back in May I came across a bit of nostalgia at a local garage sale by way of a vintage 1960's cast iron folding hibachi exactly like the one my Dad had when I was a kid and the first grill I remember being interested in.
That 15 dollar purchase was all it took. From the first cook it was like I was discovering the joy and deep satisfaction of manipulating fire to prepare meals all over again. And the flavor - of course the flavor!!! How could I have ever forgotten?
All of a sudden I was constantly thinking about wood, sugars, salts, spices, etc. again and I was establishing a relationship with a recommended butcher. After a couple of weeks of using the hibachi almost every night I was dying to really stretch my legs and have a dinner party but I needed more capacity. Thankfully my local hardware store happened to have a OTS kettle in their flyer for $99.00 and the rest as they say is history...
My reawakening was complete a couple of weeks ago when I realized that the gas giant hadn't even been used once since I first brought home the hibachi months ago and ceremoniously wheeled it off the cement pad in my back yard into the storage shed. My kettle now sits front and centre and I am looking forward to letting my imagination run wild!!!
My new philosophy and mission is to dissuade folks from being distracted by gadgetry and prove that pro-level Q is accessible to anyone with a stock black OTS for a C-note straight off the shelf of almost any hardware store.
Apologies for my long-winded introduction and I look forward to being part of the amazing community that got me started 15 years ago.
My name is Darren, I'm 47 and I live along the shores of Lake Ontario in the Kingston, ON Area.
The crazy stories of my live-fire cooking adventures and misadventures could fill volumes, but in a nutshell I am a former obsessive-compulsive WSM fanatic, competitive national champion and 2004 Jack Daniels invitee. Thanks to the supreme design and economy of the WSM I was able to hold my own against the best in the world as an amateur using about $500. worth of equipment.
A total-loss fire six years ago led to a long era which in retrospect I can only describe as insanity. My passion for Q became supplanted by sloth, convenience, and the "ooohh-aaahhh" factor of complicated shiny new gas grills. I had a very impressive stainless steel monstrosity on my deck but I completely fell out of touch with the motivation to do anything creative with it. Backyard cooking was medicore at best and the grill was getting uncovered less and less each season.
Until this year. Back in May I came across a bit of nostalgia at a local garage sale by way of a vintage 1960's cast iron folding hibachi exactly like the one my Dad had when I was a kid and the first grill I remember being interested in.
That 15 dollar purchase was all it took. From the first cook it was like I was discovering the joy and deep satisfaction of manipulating fire to prepare meals all over again. And the flavor - of course the flavor!!! How could I have ever forgotten?
All of a sudden I was constantly thinking about wood, sugars, salts, spices, etc. again and I was establishing a relationship with a recommended butcher. After a couple of weeks of using the hibachi almost every night I was dying to really stretch my legs and have a dinner party but I needed more capacity. Thankfully my local hardware store happened to have a OTS kettle in their flyer for $99.00 and the rest as they say is history...
My reawakening was complete a couple of weeks ago when I realized that the gas giant hadn't even been used once since I first brought home the hibachi months ago and ceremoniously wheeled it off the cement pad in my back yard into the storage shed. My kettle now sits front and centre and I am looking forward to letting my imagination run wild!!!
My new philosophy and mission is to dissuade folks from being distracted by gadgetry and prove that pro-level Q is accessible to anyone with a stock black OTS for a C-note straight off the shelf of almost any hardware store.
Apologies for my long-winded introduction and I look forward to being part of the amazing community that got me started 15 years ago.
