About the Moose

I’m a native Southern Californian with a burning passion to create culinary masterpieces that equal or exceed those found in the finest restaurants that will hopefully inspire others to do the same.  This blog is not just about BBQ & grilling — you’ll find everything from desserts to pizzas to sauces and marinades of all kinds and so much more.

When I was a kid growing up in LA, my Dad used to BBQ whole chickens using one of these:

I distinctly remember the loud sounds of the rotisserie as it spun slowly over hot coals, and the wonderful aroma of the chicken as it cooked. That same contraption was used with a different setup using two bricks that sat over the lava rocks that acted as the foundation for a simple square grill grate that invariably supported a rather large top sirloin steak that was marinated earlier in the day by my Mom that my Dad cooked to medium rare perfection.

BBQ’s were almost always on a Sunday, and there was a sense of anticipation not unlike Xmas eve as he took either the massive steak or chicken out to the back porch to be cooked. This became a ritual, as did my watching intently every move he made, from lighting the charcoal with an electric starter to bringing in the savory cooked meat to the kitchen to rest before serving. 

Some years later, as an adult, starting with a gas grill, I began cooking my own meat with reasonable satisfaction. I even found a way to make a pretty decent rack of ribs by precooking them in the oven, then finishing them on the grill with a smoker box to give it the smoke flavor that might approximate real BBQ.  But it was not enough for me, as I craved the incomparable taste that only wood and charcoal can impart. Starting with a small Weber Smoky Joe, I quickly graduated to my beloved Kingsford Oval, which I still use to this day several times a week. I’ve built a vertical smoker out of a 55 gallon oil drum, as well as a propane powered pizza oven that can cook pizzas in under 3 minutes.  I currently own 6 grills and smokers, including a very fine gas grill that gets used about 4 times a year. 

Moose currently lives in Los Angeles, California with his wonderful Missus, two rat terriers and two cats.