Grilling Gifts for Dad at the Carlsbad Forum

With grilling season under way and Father's Day around the corner, in The Forum at Carlsbad is entering one of its busiest times of year.

"Father's Day for us is bigger than Mother's Day was," said manager Lisa Nichols. "And barbecue is huge for us, from now until the end of summer."

For those who have yet to pick up a gift for a dad in their lives, Nichols offered a quick tour of some of the store's more popular grilling accessories.

• Cast-iron garlic roaster ($15). Like many grilling accessories, this can also be used in the oven. The bell-shaped, cast-iron tool is one of Nichols' favorites. "I usually drizzle a litle bit of extra virgin olive oil over the garlic. We offer a Tuscan olive oil for $9.95 exclusively through Sur la Table. It's probably one of our biggest sellers. It's fairly light, and not super grassy or earthy. You can use it every day."
• Grill planks ($3.95-$4.95). Offered in cedar, maple, alder and hickory, these are "tried and true" accessories, according to Nichols. They impart a smoky flavor and help retain moisture. The planks are often good for a couple of uses, and a stainless-steel plank saver ($9.95) protects the plank from flames and doubles its life.
• Stainless-steel grill grids. For vegetables, cubed meats or delicate fish, these grids prevent your food from falling through the grill and into the flames. Sturdy handles make it easy to lift on and off the grill. The grids come in three sizes, and a set of all three sells for $45.
• Emile Henry grilling stone. This French-made clay stone imparts even heat and is good on the grill or in the oven, up to 750ºF. Ideal for grilling pizzas, Nichols said the stone is "super, super durable." The stone has an 18-by-14-inch cooking surface and sells for $50.
• Skewer station ($40). With six cast-iron skewers and two forks, this station is a dramatic way to display and served kebabs. Hang skewers full of grilled meats and veggies from the skewer station, and your guests can serve themselves, pulling down to their plates exactly what they want.
• Grilling classes. From Italy al Fresco (grilled asparagus with capers and lemon, pollo alla diavola, grilled bread and tomato salad; July 29; $69) to grilling seafood (prosciutto-wrapped scallops, Asian five-spiced grilled salmon, seared tuna steaks, tequila lime shrimp; July 22; $79), to a three-part grilling workshop inspired by Bobby Flay (July 10, 17 and 24; $215), Sur La Table offers cooking and grilling classes throughout the summer. Full class descriptions are available online.
• Weber Peformer Grill ($329). On display as you walk in the Carlsbad store is this Weber charcoal kettle grill, which also includes a gas starter, for all of the charcoal convenience without having to use lighter fluid or a chimney starter. Nichols uses one of these Webers in her own backyard throughout the summer, and this grill is also used for many of the grilling classes at Sur la Table.

If you're looking for a larger selection of gas or charcoal grills for dad, head across El Camino Real to . There, charcoal grills start around $89 for the Weber Silver Kettle Grill and run up to $329 for the Weber Performer, the same model offered at Sur La Table. For propane grills, a two-burner Brinkmann goes for $88, but most models are more in the $300 range and higher. Home Depot also offers many grilling accessories, from stainless-steel tools and kebab sets to pizza stones and chicken roasters.

Grills and grilling accessories aren't the only items at Sur la Table that make good Father's Day gifts, according to to Tom Anderson, aka "the knife guy."

"Every guy that comes in this store, they go right for the knives," he said.

These days, Anderson is showing off a new line of Bob Kramer knives made solely of two elements. The top edge of the knife is bull-nosed, so that when used properly, it won't cause finger blisters as many knives can.  

"It's really the workhorse of all knives," he said. "They're pure carbon and iron, with brass bolsters, which make them beautiful. You can put a Ferrari edge on them. They're extremely sharp. If the customer wants a premier, high-end knife, this is the way to go."