tekobo

it may well take me until the summer to get this into her schedule!

Hmmm. I have a potter friend. Might see if she thinks making such a spoon would be an interesting project. Race to see if I have success there before you make it to the source

You have some very nice friends. That spoon is fab! Any idea where s(he) got it or what it is called?

That looks yummy @tony b. Looking forward to getting my own supply soon!

Thanks, @Aussie Ora. Sounds like you are an enabler

I am on the hunt for the legendary purple crack. Having realised it isn't really called purple crack and that, hopefully, my search permissions won't be taken off me for having searched for crack on google I am looking for a source of this spice. Can someone in the know confirm that we are talking about Tasmannia lanceolata? These guys appear to export the stuff from Tasmania in good, catering size packs http://www.tasmanianmountainpepper.com.

Thanks for two great tips @tony b. The discount code in the UK was only 10% off on a £79 price for the single MEATER so I asked my brother in Texas to order one for me at $55 once the US 20% discount was applied. Weird transatlantic pricing policy but there you go! I can now wait, with unbated breath, for whatever time it takes for the block to appear. Thanks also for your tip about the brewers' cleaner, PBW. I soaked my Argentinian grill racks in it on Friday and, with a bit of elbow grease, they came up looking like new. I can't find your clapping emoticon but imagine I did find it and it is right ....here.

Hi @Pequod. I have been periodically mailing the folk at apption labs to find out where they are at with the meater block because that seems like the more versatile option. Extract from last correspondence on 14 Nov: Currently, our factory is beginning pilot production of the MEATER Block. This trial batch will help us work out any manufacturing bugs prior to the start of mass production.We have already purchased all the long lead time parts, so we can move quickly into the mass production phase as soon as the results of the pilot test align with our high standards of quality. Currently our plan is to begin fulfilling meater.com pre-orders early next year. If you haven't seen it already, check out the video we posted that showcases a prototype Block in use:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjnkznZyV4Y It was good to see the meater block in the vid. Still holding off ordering but seems more real. Wonder what @ckreef thinks

Here in the UK, we have none of the pressure of family expectations or turkeys to cook but all the pleasure of a night of football to look forward to. Hurrah! Happy Thanksgiving to you all.

Yes, there were feedback posts on the amazon website saying how it was cheaper to make alternatives to PBW. But they also said that PBW as the thing to have if you could afford it. I'll focus on finding it as cheaply as I can and wearing gloves when I use it! Given you are also waiting for a MEATER block and given air is needed to sustain life, I recommend you go easy on the bated breath thing.

I am sooooo reassured!

Thanks @tony b. That clean looks amazing. Made me wonder what it would do to my fingers! I have looked PBW up and it is available on amazon.co.uk. Will give it a spin. I forgot to say: Keith said the kabob (kebab to us in the UK) fittings were put on hold but should be available in 2018.

To close this one out: on @MacKenzie's advice, I contacted Keith direct through the octoforks website. He was very helpful and I am now the proud owner of two pairs of octoforks and some roti baskets. I hadn't really considered the latter until I saw what you can do with fish in the flat baskets. I also think it would be kind of fun, at least once, to spin a bunch of chicken wings in the big basket to see how they come out. I'll make sure I am not on cleaning duty that day!

Ha! I love the way you are all so complementary about each other's cooks. Until...there is cause for concern and then you all weigh in! As a newbie I am not sure that I will take any photos until I have done a full sweep of the area for any offending materials AND I might even get my bro to Photoshop my shots to make sure they look their best. Or maybe it will be more fun to just join in and accept the ribbing. We'll see. Hoping to be an owner soon, very soon.

Hello @Keith OctoForks. I get the feeling that I need some octoforks in my life. What would you recommend for a newbie? A couple of pairs? Do you yet have the kabob fittings? Couldn't see them on the website if so. My dad is due over in the US next month so I am planning to get him a spare case to load up on BBQ stuff for me!

And the very best news of all??? These two babies are to be mine. All mine, all mine, all mine. In the wonderful journey that is doing business with Dennis, we have discussed all aspects of life but have not touched on the dirty subject of money. I trust and know that his COGM (had to look that up!) will come up with a sensible figure and he will meet the promised date of getting them to us for when we return from our hols in November. I'm a believer. And just look at those babies!

It is hard to think of anything to say that will ease the pain. I hope that the fact that we are all thinking of you both helps in some way.

Tee hee. We need some rules around here. No one, but no one, is allowed to use the five letter word that gets @ckreef so riled. If you are in any doubt, the word starts with a b and ends with a k. All good here and thanks for stopping by @churchi. I am like a kiddy in a sweet shop but am restraining/entertaining myself by bothering local cocochar suppliers now. Just waiting for the day when an email from Dennis drops into my mailbox with photos of my new best friends.

Thanks ckreef. You are going to be my meater block meter. If they are true to their, most recent, word you should get yours in a month or two. And I'll send my money then. Keep us posted!

Thanks @tony b, for backing this cool product. Your posts about using the Meater gave me confidence that this was something real. I exchanged a few emails with the Meater team last week and they say that they expect to start to fulfil backers' orders for the block from Q4 2017. Late comers like me won't get one until mid next year. Feeling sufficiently confident to place a bet and send them some money. Looking forward to wireless cooking and the alerts to stop me over cooking stuff. Given I like most things blue or rare, that will be welcome!

Thanks Paul, for being my first friend on the forum. It's been great exploring all the information available to help me make my choices.

That looks soooo tasty!

So, the accessory list is as settled as it is ever going to be. Please shout if I have made any really stupid choices. Otherwise, I'm done and now need to find something to do with my life until the KKs arrive. Category Item 23" 21" Commentary Definite Grill shaped baking stone ✓ 17" baking stone ✓ Spare charcoal basket ✓ Charcoal basket splitter ✓ Cover (Meditteranean blue) ✓ ✓ Rib rack ✓ Check if the rib rack will fit in the 21" 23" ultimate 5/16" SS roisserie spit (hex) ✓ I've wavered about getting a rotisserie at all but, on balance, makes sense to buy it now. Non-Dennis Purchase Rothenberger 30954 Roofers Propane Torch Kit with 5m Hose Looks like UK equivalent of Greenwood. Bought, try it out soon. Smoke pot I am currently high bidder at v low price on eBay - sure to get beaten but finding a good, cheap pot to drill holes in will keep me occupied for a few weeks CyberQ cloud and Pit Viper Fan and two extra food probes I like the fact that the fan helps to automatically control temp. If you are going to be tech assisted, go all the way. Stainless steel cabinet Get this manufactured locally. On wheels alongside chimney Cocochar Most UK supplies are for shisha pipes, sold in 1kg bags and are eye wateringly expensive. Two well priced 10kg bag options are from ProQ cocoshell briquettes and Napoleon coconut briquettes. Will have to get samples to see what they are like and buy in bulk to get better pricing. Motor for rotisserie ✓ Onlyfire BBQ Gas Grill Stainless Steel Rotisserie Electric Main Spit Motor,UK 3 Pins Plug. Dennis picked this out on amazon.co.uk MEATER block I like the wireless thermometers. However, no fan for pit temp control. Waiting list means won't get this until mid 2018 at the earliest. Decide whether to pay and wait. Save for later Octoforks Not sure how many to buy. Three pairs? Milwaukee compact blower Try old hair dryer first No Wings No space Other Dennis furniture Gorgeous but still no space Cold smoker The Husband (and me) not convinced Double drip pan ✓ Improvise 8" rotisserie with 6" reducer ✓ Took advice to go with spit rod and Octoforks 16" round baking steel Use the heavy cast iron griddle that you bought in Nice for smash burgers - better because it has a lip Range dial bluetooth thermometers Seems well priced for multiple probes. No fan. Alerts as opposed to control. Wires. Go with MEATER block instead once available Smoke and Smoke Gateway Lots of gadget and thermometer options. Gateway is new. Wires. Seems similar to CyberQ without added benefit of connection to fan.

Hi there. I would have though it mad to be even considering shipping char across the ocean if not for the enthusiasm that so many have expressed for Dennis' product. He was very kind with helping me with an initial search for potential sources of similar in the UK and did similar for a roti motor. At the end of all this it may well be worth setting up a reference page for UK newbies. The Husband will be pleased to read of @Syzygies' support for Argentinian grilling. Our current grill is old and decrepit and he has found a new supplier just down the road from where he grew up in Norfolk, England. We can't ignore that karma and maybe, in five years' time, we will be knocking on their door for an extra grill to supplement the KKs. Progress being made with building our KKs. Patience is a virtue, patience is a virtue, patience is...

Thanks for taking the time to address my grilling question @Syzygies. As I started to investigate gadget world, it finally sank in that I am entering into a new paradigm, one where my BBQ is actually an outdoor oven. That may sound obvious to all you long term KK people but it was news to me. With that mind shift I will be more open to the options that the KK offers. I know you don't like burned chicken fat @Syzygies and I can tell you that that is one thing our Argentinian grill excels at not producing. The v-shaped grill bars collect the fat off your cooking food and drain it into a channel that runs along the front of your BBQ. It does satisfy the primal grilling urge, with a big fire box to the side for burning down wood and a rotary mechanism that allows you to raise your grill surface, spread your hot coals underneath and then work your cooking rate by raising and lowering your grill. But that is soon to be consigned to our past, to be resurrected as and when we have more space and feel the need to supplement our KKs. As for sous vide, I am keen to try this in combo with our KK. Sous vide does do bones well you know. Try the Keller recipe for Southern fried chicken. I forget about the rest of the chicken and just sous vide a pile of wings and use his various batters and coatings - delicious. The fact that we buy whole animals means that there is a range of less tender cuts that will be ideal for low and slow or pre-grilling sous vide. Lots and lots to try out. What fun! Only sad aside is that I won't be doing any of this on Dennis' coco char or coffee lump. A UK KK owner, @KayJab, alerted me to the fact that flammable items can't be shipped with a KK in a split load. Conversation with Dennis confirms that we would need to buy 2000 boxes between us to fill a container of our own. The search starts for a "local" source of similar..