Barbecue Season - Eisler Landscapes

HOME & GARDEN
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Hot Trends for the
Barbecue Season
BY CARLA SIMMONS
From casual grilling to extravagant
outdoor entertaining, barbecuing has
become a national pastime. Whether you’re
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North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
April 2012
an amateur, connoisseur or an egghead,
there’s something for everyone who dreams
of being a grill master. (If you’re wondering
what an egghead is, you’ll have to keep
reading.)
Cooking outdoors isn’t just about the grill.
More people are trending toward fully
equipped outdoor kitchens. According to
Eric French, president of Eisler Landscapes,
“We’re doing a lot of complete outdoor
kitchens with granite countertops, cooktops
and grills. Some people want refrigerators
and sinks installed—everybody has a
different idea of what they need.”
With so many brands and styles,
choosing a grill can be overwhelming.
French advised, “It depends on the
lifestyle. We’ve installed everything
imaginable—some grills can really be over
the top. Look for a grill that gets really hot
for searing meat.”
Rotisseries add another dimension to
outdoor cooking. Some grills come with a
rotisserie feature and some rotisseries can
be installed separately. “Ultimately,
customers pick what makes them happy,”
said French.
Tony Sluka, owner of OmniPro
Pittsburgh, has seen the outdoor kitchen
trend grow over the years. “It’s evolved
toward more elaborate kitchens—some
costing $35,000 to $45,000—with high-end
grills, rotisseries, marble or granite
countertops and bar areas,” he said.
OmniPro sells and installs a variety of
stainless steel grills that can be built into a
kitchen area using different types of stone
products. “It really depends on personal
taste,” Sluka added.
From grilling hotdogs to roasting
marshmallows, fireplaces and fire pits are
quickly becoming one of the most popular
barbecue necessities. In addition to
cooking, they add ambience to any type of
outdoor entertaining. “We install tons of fire
pits and fireplaces,” said French. “Fireplaces
have a formal look, while fire pits are more
casual. They also extend the season—you
can get outdoors earlier and be outside well
into the fall.”
For the DIY crowd, OmniPro offers fire pit
kits. “If you’re handy, they’re easy to put
together and more economical,” explained
Sluka. The kits come with everything,
including detailed instructions.
An interesting twist on barbecuing is
the wood fire grill pizza oven. “I’m
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looking forward to installing a pizza oven.
We’ve designed some, but haven’t done
one yet,” said French. “Actually, I want
one for myself!”
These ovens come in different sizes and
like fire pits, can be purchased as do-ityourself kits. Although they’ve been popular
on the West Coast for some time, pizza
ovens are now showing up in area
neighborhoods.
Are you still curious about the term
‘egghead?’ If you haven’t heard, eggheads
all over the country are using a cooking
device called the Big Green Egg. The folks
at Hearth and Home Furnishings in
Zelienople swear by this all-purpose grill; in
fact, it’s the only one they sell. Megan
Murphy, corporate secretary, explained, “It
heats to super high temperatures on the
inside, using the same type of ceramic used
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on the space shuttle. The outside stays
cool and safe to the touch. It burns
natural hardwood lump charcoal which
has no additives. It grills, smokes and
bakes—people love its versatility.” Hearth
and Home also sells a variety of flavored
wood chips, spice rubs, marinades and
grilling accessories.
Every July, Home and Hearth hosts
Eggfest, an event drawing more than 350
people from the U.S. and Canada. They
fire up their eggs and share delicious
barbecue all day long with anyone who’d
like a taste. “Cooking with the Big Green
Egg has become a lifestyle,” said Murphy.
To register for Eggfest, visit
www.hearthandhomepa.com. April 2012
North Hills Monthly MAGAZINE
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