Discover more from The Zeitgeist Distilled
🥃 The Distilled Spirit 🥃
📊 Where the economy stands in 4 graphs.
📈 Relative geography and income in 1 chart.
🚗 The dramatic effects of parking policy on life in America.
🦡 Switzerland is the honey badger of Europe.
👨🏻🤝👨🏻 Evidence people have doppelgangers.
⚽ Sad end to what might have been an amazing career.
🤖 Smashing AI Barriers 🤖
AI is eating the world. It is impossible to avoid. Here are a few things worth considering:
GPT4 now has real competition. The world is catching up to OpenAI. It is going to be even harder to keep the cat in the bag.
AI might eat your salary. Or it could supercharge your small business.
Generative AI is scary, but you can still use ad targeting to find your targets.
🤯 More Mind Blowing Reads 🤯
Some fun and interesting reads:
Congratulations! You survived leap day. Please enjoy a few stories about calendar quirks.
Human bladder capacity is a limiting factor for air mobility.
🥩🔥 Zeitgeist of Grilling 🔥🥩
Pushing the clocks forward sucks in most regards. The act does, however, give you another hour of daylight to grill with and that is a good thing. I am a guy who spends a bit too much time thinking about cooking over fire I have some things to share.
📚 Reading List 📚
The go to guide for just about anything cooking with fire related is Amazing Ribs. Once you get past the 2006 era web design you realize that Meathead covers a lot more than ribs. The entire Science and Methods section is a keeper. If you are pressed for time start with Basic Meat Science for Cooks and the Thermodynamics of Cooking.
For books start with Franklin Barbecue: A Meat Smoking Manifesto lives up to it’s title and is worth a read if you are exploring low and slow smoking side of the craft.
💸 Shopping Advice💸
“Which grill should I buy?” is a very good question to ask this time of year. There is no single, blanket answer — it is really a personal question based on your needs and facilities. There is no right and wrong answer outside of getting the right grill for the right job.
Are you wondering if a certain kind of grilling will work for you? Do you want to, say, try charcoal grilling rather than gas? Do not go and buy the best charcoal grill you can afford. Get a cheap example of the tool. Try it for a season or two and figure out if that is for you and also figure out what features you really need. So buy that strange thing that is $69.99 at home depot and see if it is cool or not. You deserve it and it will help you figure things out.
Here are some things that will make your outdoor cooking experience better no matter what kind of grill or smoker you are working with:
Get a quality remote thermometer. I generally use the ThermoWorks Signals. Meater is another option; the new Meater 2 Plus can handle heat a lot better making it a bit more useful. Being able to smoke meats overnight or in all weather without having leave the comfort of your home to check the grill is worth the price of entry.
Get Grill Grates. They hare high-quality replacement grates that make any grill much better. Any cooking surface really — indoor and air fryer models are out now too.
Get a rotisserie for your grill. They are magical. When you have chicken wings perfectly crisped by rotating by fire you will understand. Even if you don’t have a grill you can get an in-oven, wind-up version for your broiler. You will be the star of your neighborhood barbeques. Invest in quality heat-proof gloves to go with the rotisserie. You will need them.
Balls of aluminum foil and onions make the best grill brushes. You don’t need to spend money on fancy stuff here.
I hope this helps — happy to take any more specific questions in the comments. Happy grilling season!