Memorial Day is the official kick off to the summer grilling and BBQ season. We celebrate the start of summer as we celebrate our nation’s heroes. But, are you still looking for the perfect Memorial Day menu?  You know you can cook every part of your meal on your grill, including dessert! Here are a few of the best grilling recipes from The Grill and Fireplace Shop at West Sport.

Side Dish: Grilled Garlic Parmesan Zucchini

• 3 zucchini
• 3 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill for medium-high heat, and lightly oil the grate.
Cut the zucchini in half crosswise, then slice each half into 3 slices lengthwise, making 6 slices per zucchini.
Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley in a bowl, and spread the mixture on both sides of each zucchini slice. Sprinkle one side of each slice with Parmesan cheese, and place the slices, cheese sides up, crosswise on the preheated grill to keep them from falling through.  
Grill the zucchini until the cheese has melted and the slices are cooked through and show grill marks, about 8 minutes.

Main Meal: Blue Cheese Burgers

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 12 French rolls or hamburger buns

In a large bowl, mix the ground beef, blue cheese, chives, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, salt, and mustard. Cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat grill for high heat. Gently form the burger mixture into about 12 patties. 
Oil the grill grate. Grill patties 5 minutes per side, or until well done. Serve on rolls.

Dessert: Grilled Peaches and Cream

• 4 peaches, halved and pitted
• 2 tablespoons clover honey, or brown sugar and cinamon
• 1 cup soft cream cheese with honey and nuts
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill for medium-high heat.
Brush peaches with a light coating of oil. Place pit side down onto the grill. Grill for 5 minutes, or until the surfaces have nice grill marks. Turn the peaches over, and drizzle with a bit of honey (or brown sugar and cinnamon). Place a dollop of the cream cheese spread in the place where the pit was. Grill for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until the filling is warm. Serve immediately.

We’ve had a hard spring her in Massachusetts. There has been far too much rain. But soon enough the weather will improve, right? And we will be able to enjoy our back yard again. But, what about those mosquitoes? They have started coming out at night already, believe it or not. As more and more nights stay around 40 degrees and above, the mosquitoes will hatch. So if you are anxiously waiting those mild, dry spring nights, you need to figure out how to kill mosquitoes so you can truly enjoy it. After all, we deserve a nice night in the yard.

The Skeeter Vac. This propane mosquito killer helps you rid your backyard of flying pests -mosquitoes, black flies, no-see-ums, biting midges, and sand flies.

Biting insects need blood and they get that blood from us and our pets. They are attracted to us by sensing the carbon dioxide, moisture and heat from our breath, body odors and color contrasts. SkeeterVac mosquito exterminators create this type of environment to attract the  mosquitoes and trick them into thinking the trap is a person.

Once they are attracted to the exterminator, they are captured on the sticky trap or sucked into an enclosure by a powerful vacuum fan. Once trapped, they quickly dehydrate and die.

The Skeeter Vac Assembles in minutes - no tools required. Just place it in a shady spot close to the area where the insects live. Trapping will begin as the mosquito exterminator operates 24 hours a day. Within 4-6 weeks you should realize a significant reduction.

Backyard grilling is an American pastime. Choosing which grill to buy can be a challenge, and it is true: you get what you pay for.

Today’s most popular and versatile gas grills have lights, accessories, side burners and different fuel options: gas, propane and charcoal. Stainless-steel grills are also the most popular.

But buyer beware. Stainless steel is a process not a product. Many grills look alike when they are new, but over time, and not that much time, it is very obvious which is the better grill. So shop with a magnet because actual stainless steel isn’t magnetic. If your magnet sticks to the grill, keep on shopping.

High end outdoor grills

Grill technology makes a difference whether you’re looking for a backyard grill for minimal grilling or a professional-grade gas grill.

When you are talking about high grill temperatures, good materials are essential. That’s why better grills cost more, $600-$1500. Higher heat means better cooking, grilling, searing and more consistent temperatures, but it also means the grill needs to be built better. In high end outdoor grills, customers will begin to find American-made products. There is a resurgence in American-made grill products. American consumers are growing more wary of manufacturing and quality-control standards.

The costlier the grill, the more it has to offer. When you start looking at grills around the $2,000 range, they are even better, heavier and hotter, around 1,000-degrees. These grills will often last 20 years or more, and customers that buy these grills love their grill. Food tastes better when it is cooked on more expensive grills.

There is a definite difference in the flavor and juiciness of the food; and if you are building a built-in grill, you must consider higher end grills. In Massachusetts we have seen an increase in outdoor entertainment areas and built-in grills are back. Many homeowners in the Metrowest area are putting in full-size outdoor kitchens. The best grill for an outdoor kitchen is based on your needs, how often you grill, and what you grill.

Many of us in the Boston Metro West area are excited about getting outside. What better way to enjoy a beautiful spring evening than with a gas fire pit. It is time to relax on the patio and shake off those winter cob webs. Invite the family and friends, because with this Oriflame fire pit table everyone can enjoy themselves.
 
With the Oriflamme Fire Pit Table, you have a fire pit, conversation piece, ambiance and serving surface all in one. These gas fire pits are the first ever designed fire. Choose from Tuscan stone or granite, square or round, with 24 choices of colored fire glass; these fire pits are fully customizable. You have to see it to believe it. Cleaner, less expensive, and safer than other firepit tables on the market, they are all handcrafted and made in the USA. No need to worry about smoke, ashes or burning embers, the fire pits are self contained with a 2.5 gallon propane tank included.

The Oriflame gas fire pit completes your outdoor setting. Come in to West Sport in Sudbury and see how you can design your outdoor gas fire pit today. We always have one burning.