rorosz, I have two Weber gassers in my herd. I have a Weber Genesis 3000 which is 15 years old and a Summit that is 7 years old. Each has burners going different ways Genesis has them going east/west, and the Summit has them going north/south. Each layout has its + and -'s in my opinion. Other than the fact one has 3 burners and one has 6 burnrs they cook the same. Webers hold pretty predictable temps depending on the number of burners lit which is a huge plus compared to most grills. The 15 year old Genesis has only required replacement of the flavorizer bars during ownership and looks almost as good as the day it was put together. If you are concerned about hood height and the Weber on doing Rotis 20 lb Turkeys don't worry. I do them all the time and never had a glitch yet. IMO Weber has one of the better Rotis motors out there. Geared just right. I for one think infrared is a viable cooking method however I don't think you will be happy with IR on a lower end grill $400-$500 dollar range. No I'm not a grill snob but I am realistic. A charbroil red isn't and American Outdoor Grill or its more expensive cousin Fire Magic. Now if you want something that can really cook low and slow with temps down around the 210° range or sizzling hot with temps in 1000° range take a look at a ceramic cooker. BGE, Primo, Grill Dome, Kamado, and to a lesser extent Imperial Kamado. Course you will be cooking on lump charcoal but the flavor is awesome. Concerning your original post I feel a Weber grill would be the perfect fit for you and will answer the bell for you for many many years. If you decide on a Weber compare the grills at HD, Lowes and a True Value. Each store seems to have Webers with different specs concerning cooking grates (material) and flavorizer bars (material). Also you can get most Webers in propane or Natural Gas variants if you desire. Very Respectfully, Jeff

I have cooked on all three and the TEK IR is the only gas grill that cooks as well as charcoal. It's advantages over charcoal are that it is quick to set up, easy to clean up and does an excellent job of creating the charcoal taste. As many here know, the flavor is created by the smoke from the fat striking the hot surface be it charcoal or something else. The higher the IR energy (from gas or charcoal) and the less the flame, the more smoke generated rather than being turned into additional flame. The TEK creates a great deal of smoke because the IR glass sits between the flame and the dripping grease. On older style IR burners there is still an open flame to ignite the grease drippings reducing the amount of smoke to add flavor. With charcoal, once the embers are glowing red, it is emitting a lot of IR and much less to no flame and hence produces a lot of smoke and flavor. I have owned the FireMagic and I would not purchase another. The burners are cast SS but they still do rust over time and the flavor grills wear out too. They are very hard to clean and the heat was not anywhere near as good as the advertisements. If you are the type that never clean a grill and don't mind a gritty looking grill it may not matter. I am the type that wants it to look clean and inviting each time and the self cleaning feature along with the dishwasher removal panels makes the TEK a breeze to clean and keep looking nice. For me that was worth a lot. The more conventional grills like the Firemagic, even with their ceramic infrared burner are not even a close match.

I like most of the stuff at Costco, as others have said you have to know your prices. I can purchase some items cheaper at my local supermarket or from Amazon (usually with free shipping and no sales tax). The Costco I go to also has a travel center, photo center, tires, gas, pharmacy, optical center & services like carpet/flooring, kitchen counters, window treatments, I think they also have partnerships for deals on insurance, cars & tax returns. I've used the optometrist & ordered glasses. You'd want to check your insurance plan to see if it's cost effective. I love Costco's bakery, all the things are fabulous, especially the apple pie and chocolate cake. They have samples so you can taste before you buy. Seasonal items like holiday decorations, patio furnature, BBQ grills, bikes & outdoor plants are gone quickly and usually once the items are soldout that's it (they even had those big wooden outdoor playsets). I've purchased so many different things at Costco and really can't say anything bad about any of the products. Some things: books, electric keyboard, humidifier, stamps, landscape plants (roses, trees, bulbs), cut flowers, clothes (socks, flannel pants, jeans, coat, sneakers, under garments), printer ink, Wii/DS games, pool accessories, camping equiptment, cordless phone set, sterno, Kirkland brand (paper towels, napkins, dog food, laundry & dishwasher detergent), dog bed & toys, grocery items, party platters, makeup, shampoo, toliet tissue, snacks for the kids lunch box, mixed nuts, choc. covered raisins.... to name a few LOL!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY Kathleen and Joe. I'd love the salad and the cake. I really enjoy your blog too, lovely table settings, food and a glimpse of your family. Do you remember several years ago, before you started your blog, posting a simple spinach gratin (you might not have called it a gratin) on GB? You might have just posted what you did as opposed to a more formal recipe, but I remember trying it and we loved it. All I can remember is chopped spinach and egg, and that I subbed baby chard for the spinach. Several computer crashes and failed searches for it in the GB recipe search, have left me thinking I can never make it again. If you have any clues for me I would really appreciate it. Last night I used the suggestion that Metaxa posted on the Montreal Steak Seasoning thread and mixed some MSS with about a tablespoon of soy sauce, a tablespoon of oil, and added a tablespoon of lemon juice and put it on two shoulder lamb chops, leaving them covered on the counter for about an hour before I grilled them. I also grilled zucchini planks and pear wedges, separately and made a simple tossed salad with a Sherry vinaigrette and that was dinner. Everything was good. Lee