10 Gifts For The BBQ/Grilling Dad For Father’s Day

Father’s Day is coming up this month.  Like it or not.  And since this is the first Father’s Day ever that I am actually on the receiving end of things… wait… we didn’t tell you guys yet?  I guess we didn’t.

Grilling Dads - REJOICE!

Double Danger is about to get a new team member… you can call us Triple Danger from now on (thanks FB & Twitter friends!).

Yup – we are going to be proud parents for the first time, so I planned it perfectly and I didn’t have to get Shala a Mother’s Day gift, but she will have to get me one for Father’s Day.  See what I did there?!?  ;)

OK – enough about me/us – let’s talk about potential gifts for your BBQing Father this Father’s Day.  These are not in any particular order – just gathered… so don’t think #1 is better than #10… it is all the same.

1. Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer

I’m a nerd when it comes to BBQing.  Hell, I’m a nerd when it comes to anything.  I am a computer guy, a guy that likes badass toys (who doesn’t right?) and so even w/ something as simple as a thermometer – I think no differently.  This is a great tool that makes sense when you are BBQing because you need to know how hot something is instantly – you need to check surfaces while staying sterile… so nothing makes more sense than this lil dude! 

Woot Deals linked to one the other day that was on sale for a little over 20 bucks, here you go…

Buy A Non Contact Infrared Thermometer For Your Dad This Father’s Day

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Our New Plant Baby

It all started with a text message from my Stepdad. 

Then a phone call with him.

Then a phone call with my Mom.

Then before I knew it, we had agreed to buy a plant (sight unseen) that was over 6 hours away at the time of purchase.  Seriously.  We might have a plant buying problem.  We are so bad, we even have little plant scouts that we didn’t even know were on the payroll.

So what was the plant you wonder?  Only the coolest plant on the earth… the Agave Neomexicana.  For those that don’t speak latin/mexican/plant – thats an New Mexican Agave.  Ok, it might not be the coolest plant on earth, but it is one we have big plans for.  There is a bare spot on our back fence that would be AWESOME if it grew gigantic and filled.

The guy told my parents that it might get as big as 16 ft tall (shiii… not the way we grow plants, it will be lucky to be alive), and will shoot a candelabra like spike (you know how agaves do).  Should do good in our climate, should be easy to take care of… if it just liked beer & BBQ it would fit in perfectly.

Here is a pic of it as of today, not quite 16 ft yet.  It is more like 8 inches.  But still… long term, we are thinking LONG TERM.  Check it…

Check out our new Agave NeoMexicana

Anyone have some new plant babies to show off?  This is our first big purchase of the season… but it is early, so expect TONS MORE soon.

Thank You – Well… Most Of You

We get email/comments from our readers… all the time.  Sometimes it is just people being a smart a$$es about something… because that is what the internet was invented for. 

Have you noticed it lately though? 

Especially if you read sites like Reddit, Digg – Mixx… places where tons of nerds (like myself) are found on a daily basis.  Youtube is another fine example – check the comments any given day, on any given post and you will find people being total a-holes about everything.  Most are meant to be funny, but a lot are just there to give everyone a hard time.  Our emails & comments on this site are no different than those sites we mentioned.  Obviously on a much smaller scale.

What is sad is you can’t get a free pass from that stuff.  It is just like spammers.  If you choose to have a website that is public domain – get ready for spammers.  You can bet about twice a week (AT THE VERY LEAST), you are going to have to go through and spam & moderate your comments, emails in general.  You just have to be ready for it.

Some days you see pictures of things you never wanted to see (you know the ones). 

Or you wonder what this commenter is talking about…

“Wing.  Partial eloquent benovolent molecular treason feable lecture orange. Pollution fanfair V!4Gra prescription.”

It’s true.  You laugh because you know it is spot on.  I will get 17 spammers the minute I hit publish, because I say prescription twice. 

I say that to say this… the internet is in a bad state.  And sometimes you look at it and go… why do I do this to myself?  Why do I feel the need to be THIS connected?  Do I really need to tweet, facebook, mixx, digg & reddit all at once?

Then you get an email like this…

Hey guys,

This is just a quick note to let you know that I appreciate your website.  I was searching for something I needed on google and your site came up somewhere in the top 10 of the search results.   The cool name got my attention, but DANGIT I got stuck for a long time on all the various cool content.  Sigh.  U guys are awesome, and I’ve bookmarked the site for viewing later.

Thx for sharing your thoughts with all of us.

Cliff
San Bernardino, CA 

Now I don’t know Cliff.  Never met him, probably never will to be honest.  But cliff took 5 min. out of his day and let us know that the 5 min. we took out of our day to write on this website/blog was appreciated.  That is why we do it, it isn’t for money or goodies… it all started because of a love of writing & communicating.  We were doing this long before there was anything to monetize about it.  And we are realizing that is what we need to get back to. 

Here is a comment we got the other day…

Nice job James, I appreciate your efforts. Smokin and drinkin beer are my two favorite hobbies, and I’ve never tried a cigarette. I stick to ribs and butts.

I”ve been BBQing for some years now, and I think you’ve captured the spirit of the exercise – it’s an art, not a science, and it takes trial and error to get the right results. I’d add one postulate to your fine write-up: It takes patience. If using a smoker or anything with a lid – Don’t keep opening the lid to admire your work; you’re losing heat. Don’t keep flippin the meat. Sure turn it from time to time, but they aren’t pancakes. I”m from the Philly area, and I think Northerners by nature are more impatient, so if you’re from north of the Mason-Dixon line – just relax. Let the pit/smoker do it’s job.

That one was on the How To Smoke Pork Ribs post. 

The guy’s name, “Smokin’” Marty.  This guy knew damn well that he could probably BBQ me under the table… but then he realized… this guy isn’t tryin’ to have a pissing contest… he wants to show people what works for him… tell a few jokes, give some people (that are searching) something to help them out.  And do it all while slightly drunk.  Well Marty – you hit the nail on the head man.  Thanks for your comments & dont’ listen to what anyone has to say… “Smokin’ and drinking beer” – can be a hobby.  I think it can.  I’d vote for it.  Thanks for the atta-boy & we totally agree – let the pit/smoker do it’s job!

All this is my proof… that the internet doesn’t suck so much after all.  Just when you think the whole thing is a sham… they reel ya back in.  Thanks readers for sticking around, we promise we are getting back to our old style of writing & having a good time while doing it.  Not every post is going to be garden based.  Not every single post will be BBQ based.  But each post will be authentic to the Double Danger style of blogging.

Whatever the heck that means.