I have a CC but I'm sure they're all very similar. It takes about a minute for it to light and come up to broiling temps. Basically as long as it takes for the glow plug to get hot. I usually fire up mine as I'm preparing the food for the broiler so it's ready when I'm ready. I think one time I fired it up as an afterthought, and I waited a couple of minutes anyways to let it get good and hot. I didn't actively monitor it. I just turned away to do something else and came back to it. But it was ready so it was a non-issue for me. My range vents out the back, so smoke from broiling has not been issue. I'm sure the Wolf and Viking are similar in this regard. One thing an IR broiler does not do well is blackening. For that, you'll still have to use cast iron and deal with the smoke.

Linguini with Shrimp and Oven Roasted Tomato INGREDIENTS 1 head of garlic, about 1/2 inch cut off the top 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, all red or a mix of red and orange 1 large clove garlic 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus additional 1/4 cup Buddy's Breadcrumbs (see recipe) 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 2 Tablespoons butter 1 pound large shrimp (16-20), peeled and deveined 1/2 cup Martini dry white wine 1 lemon 1âÂÂ2 cups baby spinach 1/2 cup rough-chopped Italian parsley PREPARATION: 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. On a small piece of foil, place the garlic head and drizzle a little oil on it. Wrap the garlic tightly in the foil and place in the oven. Roast for about 30 to 40 minutes, until nice and soft and golden. 3. In a small baking dish or baking sheet put the tomatoes in one layer. Add the garlic, 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir to coat. Roast 10 minutes in the same oven as the garlic. Remove pan and shake -- tomatoes should just be bursting. Roast another 5 minutes, shake and add the breadcrumbs. Roast another 5 minutes. 4. While the tomatoes roast, set a large pot of salted water to boiling. When the water boils, drop in some salt and the pasta. 5. Heat a large saut� pan. Add the two tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter foams, add the shrimp in one layer, lightly salt. When one side is pink and cooked, turn and salt other side. 6. Your pasta should be close to al dente. When the shrimp is almost finished cooking, add the wine and allow to bubble. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze some juice into the pan. Let the sauce cook for another minute. Swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. 7. Remove the pasta from the cooking water and add it to the pan, cooking and turning with tongs so the pasta finishes cooking in the wine and shrimpy juices (add cooking water if you need more liquid). When the juices are absorbed, turn off the heat and scrape in contents from the roasted tomato pan. Open the roasted garlic and squeeze the garlic cloves into the pan. Add the baby spinach and chopped parsley. Turn all to coat well in the sauce. Serve immediately.

Thanks Ann, he did out do himself! It was incredible. Cathy, if you (or any other CFers) come here and visit, I'll be more than happy to make a reservation at the Chef's Table. It's an experience!! eandhl, oh yeah, we were beyond stuffed! Linda, oh you gotta know there was wine. And plenty of it. Can't do a dinner like that without IMO. cotehele, talented they are. That restaurant is wonderful and we've formed a relationship with the chef and waiter so it is like visiting friends! Nancy, you're right, the presentation adds so much. And believe me, my pix are nothing compared to the "real" thing!

Morpheus Restaurant in Santa Elena, where I took Kevin for his birthday lunch after zip lining. He had some sort of shrimp special of the day, and I had chicken breast Milanese (a popular style in CR) with hearts of palm and fresh mushrooms. The meal came with a side dish of vegetables - mostly zucchini and some kind of squash - cut into about half inch cubes and them probably steamed lightly and then sauteed in butter. They were amazingly good - probably because they were so fresh, but also because no salt or pepper was used, and therefore the sweet natural flavor of the vegetables could be appreciated. I was so happy to find a country where salt is not king and where people appreciate the unadulterated flavors of locally grown vegetables and food. I also had a side dish of sauteed potatoes, and they were delicately seasoned and perfectly cooked. They were small potatoes (perhaps Yukon Gold or something similar) and had been cut into small wedges. There were quite a few Peruvian restaurants, and this might explain why we got potatoes instead of rice and beans. I had great potatoes at several restaurants. There was no salt and no pepper on the table, but none was needed. Hot sauce was also a rarity in CR. Back to the horse trail - here is a photo of the historic spot where I was thrown from the horse: You can see the tracks of the horses who left me behind! You can also get an idea of how soft the ground was, I think. I was very aware from the beginning that my horse had a mind of her own, and perhaps I did not pet her enough. The Italians petted their horses profusely as soon as they mounted them, and perhaps this is what I should have done as well. I was kind to her, however, and kept my legs spread apart as much as possible, to aid in stability and also to avoid kicking her. Lars