The Ultimate Outdoor Kitchen: Going Back to Basics at Durham Region's First-Ever Community Sunday Supper

Buy tickets online at www.thefridgewhisperer.com

Over the last few weeks, we've been talking about what you need to create a beautiful outdoor kitchen and living space. When it comes to recreating the ultimate outdoor eating experience, however, Durham Region's own chef Deb Rankine has decided to make it a community event.

Rankine, author of The Fridge Whisperer Cookbook Series, has teamed up with Algoma Orchards, Canada's largest independent apple grower and producer, and Pingle's Farm Market for the Region's first-ever locally sourced Community Sunday Supper on Sunday, September 11th from 5 to 7 p.m. Guests will be able to shake hands with the hardworking people who help put dinner on their table every night: local growers, ranchers, farmers and others in the food production chain.

What's on the menu? Whet your appetite with organic baby greens tossed in a herb vinaigrette and pitchers of fresh apple cider to quench your thirst. Enjoy a traditional roast beef dinner with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables, and wrap it all up with a tasty apple cobbler à la mode.

The two-hour rain-or-shine event will take place at Pingle's Farm Market (1805 Taunton Rd. E., Hampton--just five minutes from the Oshawa border) and will move to the greenhouse if it rains.

Tickets for this ground-breaking event are $15 each (plus HST) and can be purchased in person at Algoma Orchards in Newcastle and Pingle’s Farm Market. For more information and to buy tickets online using PayPal, visit www.TheFridgeWhisperer.com. 

Net proceeds from this event will go to Feed the Need in Durham.

Lighting Your Outdoor Living Space

Last post, we talked about bringing your kitchen and living space outdoors for the warmer months. If you plan on doing a lot of entertaining, you'll need the right lighting for when the party runs late into the night. Not only does a properly lit patio and walkway help set the mood...it helps you get safely from A to B.

For some inspiration on where to start, check out these two videos.

The Warm Weather Has Arrived: Have You Taken Your Kitchen Outdoors?

Earlier this year, we blogged about the three must-haves Canadians need to include in their outdoor living space if they want to take advantage of the cooler spring and fall weather. They are: a patio heater, an outdoor fireplace and a fully covered patio.

Now that the warm summer weather has arrived--and appears to be sticking around!--you're probably trying to find ways to spend more time cooking, eating and entertaining outside. And, why not? We only get a few months of beautiful warm weather a year. Let's enjoy it while we can!

Picture courtesy of outdoorkitchens.info

Nothing makes dining and entertaining outside easier than a fully equipped kitchen just steps from the house...and more and more homeowners are looking for the same quality of furnishings and appliances they are accustomed to having indoors. Thankfully, the days when eating outside meant a picnic table, a few lawn chairs and a charcoal grill are gone. In addition to a gas grill, today's outdoor kitchens often include a sink, refrigerator, wet bar, fireplace and even a pizza oven.

The barbecue still plays a central role in our outdoor cooking spaces, and most high-end grills come equipped with side burners, a warming shelf, a motorized rotisserie, a smoker box and ceramic briquettes to ensure even heat distribution. But be warned, whether you choose a free-standing unit or have one built-in, quality comes at a price and you can spend anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000 on the barbecue of your dreams.

Outdoor kitchens can be built onto existing patios, decks and pool areas and often tap into the house's gas, electrical and plumbing lines. As with any home design project, the key to getting what you want is in the planning. From the outset, it's important to know what you want and how much you have to spend. Falling in love and splurging on a $10,000 gas grill is fine...but only if you still have room in your budget for the other key features you may want to include, such as:

• lighting for key activity areas and on pathways

• a new deck or outdoor floor surface

• a countertop for food prep

• appliances such as a fridge and/or pizza oven

• a pergola or awning

• chairs, tables, decor items

• an updated landscape plan

Next up: Lighting your outdoor living space.

3 Must-Haves for Designing an Outdoor Living Space in Canada (Part Two)

Planning an outdoor living space for the harsher Canadian climate is obviously a bit more challenging than designing one for the sunny south.

In order to get the most use from your outdoor living space, you'll want to incorporate these three elements into your design.

photo courtesy of Weber

1. An Outdoor Fireplace

Designed to take the chill off any spring or fall evening--as well as add ambiance to a beautiful summer night--outdoor fireplaces can be freestanding or built into your patio. They use either wood or gas as their primary fuel source.

2. A Patio Heater

photo courtesy of Napoleon

 

Used alone or in combination with your outdoor fireplace, you'll be able to stay outside longer with gas, propane or electric freestanding heaters that come in a variety of styles and heating capacities. Find them at Home Depot, Canadian Tire or any independent outdoor home and leisure retailer.

photo courtesy of AWE East

3. A Fully Covered Patio

Offering your grills, fireplace, furniture--and you!--protection from rain and snow, a fully covered patio extends your season outdoors. Whether you choose a pergola, awning or canopy, these covered areas help complete the look of a fully functional outdoor living space.

Next up: Choosing the right appliances for your outdoor kitchen

Dreaming of Summer? Start Planning Your Outdoor Living Space Now (Part One)

Don't let the endless snowdrifts get you down! Spring is just around the corner and as temperatures start to rise, homeowners will emerge from their winter hideaways ready to soak up the sun and some outdoor recreation. While most of us relish the idea of spending more time outside, our soggy and neglected backyards often offer little in the way of motivation.

This spring, before heading off to your local nursery for floral inspiration, stop and consider how to get the most out of your backyard. In other words, don't think garden...think outdoor living space.

No matter what the size of your backyard, more and more homeowners are taking advantage of every available bit of square footage and extending their living space outside. The easiest way to do this is to consider your outdoor living space as an extension of your inside space.

Make a plan
Whether you're hiring a professional or doing it yourself, the first thing you'll want to do is make a plan and define the space. Measure and map your backyard on grid paper, noting the direction your yard faces, and when and which area gets the most sunlight. This will help you decide where to place outdoor furniture and what kinds o plants will do best in each location. Just like the inside of your house is divided into many different rooms, the same concept can apply outdoors. Some questions you may want to answer before you proceed are:

• Do you have young children who need a place to play?
• Do you want a deck or patio for entertaning that is accessible from your dining room or kitchen?
• Is there an existing pool, hot tub or pond or are you planning to install one?

Once you decide what your family's priorities are, it makes designing the space easier and more manageable.

Maintain the flow
Think of your backyard as an outdoor room and choose materials, furniture and accessories that allow your inside space to flow effortlessly into your outside space. A great way to create the illusion that your home extends into the yard is to cover a cement patio with decking tiles comparable to your indoor flooring, or to paint the deck the same colour as your house. Outdoor furniture and appliances similar in quality to what you have indoors are popular and the ideal way to maintain the flow.

Keep it simple
Whether you need a tree to help shade your deck from the hot afternoon sun or a row of evergreens to add privacy to your backyard, don't be intimidated by the selection on display at your local nursery. Choose wisely and ask for help when necessary. You'll want to pick shrubs and flowers that will perform well under your specific lighting and lifestyle conditions. If you don't have much time to devote to your garden, ask a professional to recommend plants and flowers that require minimal watering and attention.

Set the mood with the appropriate furnishings
Choosing outdoor furnishings engineered to being outdoors may cost you a bit more, but they'll last longer and won't find their way to the landfill for years to come. Earth tones with a splash of pastel continue to be a popular colour palette. And just as you would decorate the walls of your home with artwork, don't forget to decorate your new outdoor living space with some personal touches to make it your own.