Landscape & Hardscape Ideas

Fresh Father’s Day ideas for dads who like to cook

We love the hamburgers and hot dogs, but grills aren’t just for the standards anymore.

This Father’s Day help Dad expand his repertoire with these creative outdoor grilling ideas.

Innovative pans

Whether it is gas, charcoal, or wood, Dad’s existing grill is perfect for these kitchen accessories. New cuisines can be unlocked with the right pans.

A wok is a fantastic addition to Dad’s outdoor pots and pans. Woks are typically used for stir frying meals, but the heat from indoor stovetops never gets quite hot enough to cook the food correctly. A properly ventilated outdoor grill can get to very high temps, making stir frying easier and safer than indoor cooking. Using woks on outdoor grills is commonplace in other countries. It’s an easy way to open up many possibilities for Dad’s outdoor cooking, and clean up is a breeze.

A frying pan with holes in it is a grilling staple. It’s typically used for grilling vegetables or other food items that would normally fall through the grill slots. Flatter, larger versions of the pans can be used to cook pizzas over the flames.

A takoyaki pan is an iron pan filled with half-moon shapes. Takoyaki is a savory Japanese snack. Flour batter is peppered with diced fish and herbs and then poured into the cups. Half way through the dough is flipped to cook the other half. The savory mixes are used for a typical takoyaki treat but Dad can whip up his own version of these pancake balls.

Gathering the goods

Dads love the thrill of the hunt, but sending him out alone with a list of ingredients wouldn’t be the best way to celebrate Father’s Day weekend.

Start with a trip to the local farmer’s market. These days, farmer’s markets are more than honey, veggies, poultry and meats. They are great places to get to know people in the community. Local talent acts entertain the shoppers and hometown artisans bring their handmade wares. Also, if some foods at the market are new to Dad, he can ask the farmer on suggestions on how to grill them.

Another gift idea is to buy Dad a month’s supply of meal kits. Hello Fresh, Home Chef and Plated all offer easy to cook gourmet meal kits, many of which can be cooked on the grill. He’ll look like a pro the first time out.

Dad’s Day fun

Sure, Dad will want to grill up his standards, but a little nudging in new directions may just put a little pep in his step. Sometimes a whole different menu can come from simply trying out a few new pots and pans. New foods and new methods for the grill are great gifts for dads who have everything and they are gifts that last a lifetime.

 

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