Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet Press Release

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™ Turkey Challenge

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™ Challenges Americans to Cook Their Entire Thanksgiving Dinner on the Grill

Chicago, Ill. – November 13, 2009 -- According to a new poll by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association (HPBA), Americans are rethinking how they cook their Thanksgiving feast. More than 70 percent of consumers said they would forego cooking their turkey in the oven and make it outdoors if given the opportunity. Over 1/3 of those surveyed said they intend to cook some part of their Thanksgiving meal outdoors this year.

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™, the world’s leading provider of outdoor cooking and entertaining equipment, is challenging more Americans to bring the Thanksgiving 2009 cooking experience to the grill.

“If you’ve never grilled a turkey, or any other part of your Thanksgiving meal, outdoors, we really encourage you to give it a shot this year,” says Russ Faulk, grillmaster at Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet.

An additional benefit to cooking outdoors, says Faulk, is the extended entertaining space that comes from freeing up the kitchen, which allows guests to gather in an area traditionally taken over by the cook.

According to the HPBA study, more than half of the respondents say that cooking outdoors is preferable to the oven because it:

• Gives you a more tender or juicy turkey
• Allows you to try something new
• Frees up space in your oven for other cooking
• Makes it easier clean up

Faulk finds the study closely matches what he is hearing from his customers. “We’re being told that they have started to view cooking outdoors as part of a new Thanksgiving tradition, because it is easier and everything tastes better,” he said.

To help you take on the challenge of cooking a Thanksgiving meal outdoors, Faulk offers this menu of recipes that embraces seasonal ingredients for a truly memorable holiday meal.

Apple Brined Turkey:

Top Chef Masters Winner Chef Rick Bayless uses Kalamazoo’s hybrid grills on his show “Mexico: One Plate at a Time,” and this recipe is inspired by his guidelines for creating a succulent brined turkey. Faulk adds spiced apple cider for a can’t miss turkey recipe. http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=125

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes:

Here you’ll find the subtle, smoky taste of grilled sweet potatoes melded with a savory twist on classic turkey stuffing and the familiar tang of fresh cranberries. You’ll think you are in sweet potato heaven. http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=124

Grilled Cauliflower:

Cauliflower is in season across most of the country, and this surprising recipe uses the indirect heat of the grill and vegetable stock to create a simple but elegant roasted cauliflower dish. http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=169

Smoke Roasted Apple Pie in a Pumpkin Crust:

When you’ve wowed the family with your Thanksgiving feast on the grill, watch their jaws drop when you unveil this amazing desert. Roasted pumpkin, apple, and pecan come together in this pie cooked in the shell of a pumpkin.
http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=69

Cranberry Ginger Champagne Martini -

We should probably call these 4-minute martinis — that is about how long they last before an empty glass is returned for a refill. They’re perfect for sipping while giving thanks and celebrating your all-grill Thanksgiving triumph.
http://www.kalamazoogourmet.com/recipe06-2.php?recipe=166

More Thanksgiving recipes and tips on grilling can be found by visiting www.kalamazoogourmet.com. Submit photos of your Thanksgiving grilling meal to cmordi@kalamazoogourmet.com for inclusion in the Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet newsletter, Hot Off the Grill!

About Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet™

Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet has a rich heritage of bringing gourmet lifestyles outdoors and is the leading manufacturer of premium-quality outdoor kitchen equipment, including revolutionary hybrid grills that cook with charcoal, wood and gas, and the most powerful and energy efficient outdoor refrigeration available. Please visit www.KalamazooGourmet.com for more information or call 1.800.868.1699 to speak with an outdoor kitchen design expert.

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Media Contact:
Chris Mordi
Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet
Phone: 312-423-8714
E-Mail: cmordi@kalamazoogourmet.com