Craig Reeves

"Good Grits" by Jim Shirley of the Fish House in Pensacola, Florida is a fine little cookbook. His version of the obligatory shrimp and grits is masterful.

For me, the finest rib joint in the world is 17th Street Bar and Grill in Murphysboro, Illinois. It's owned by Mike Mills, whose Apple City BBQ team won Grand Champion at Memphis in May three times. He also has restaurants in Marion and O'Fallon, Illinois, and two joints called Memphis Championship BBQ in Las Vegas. His cookbook "Peace, Love and Barbecue" is a good 'un as well. www.17thstreetbarbecue.com C

Red Moon is a fun asian-fusion type place right in your neighborhood. The City Museum is also nearby, and it pretty much defies description. For a cool street scene, ride the Metrolink train west to the University City Loop, St. Louis' hippest neighborhood by far. There are dozens of fine places there, including the superb and incredibly casual Riddle's Penultimate Cafe and Wine Bar, Saleem's (Where Garlic is King), and the excellent Al-tarboush Deli.

The world of chili powders and powdered chiles (another spelling!) is a vast and wondrous one. For me, chili powder means giving up too much control to the blender, but I love to use pure chiles ranging from completely mild to so hot you shouldn't even look at them. For an idea of what's out there, Pendery's is an amazing Texas merchant of some 137 years' standing, with which I'm not affiliated except as a customer. www.penderys.com. They claim to have invented chili powder, and the quality of their whole and ground chiles is mighty high. Their pico de pajaro chiles are one of my favorite seasonings ever. C

I too am a diehard Weber Kettle and Smoky Mountain user, but if I wanted a gasser, I'd probably get a cheap, non-stainless, rectangular Weber. A nice advantage of the brand is that Weber stocks parts for most everything they make, for a very long time. That makes their products a bit less disposable than most. Craig

For quick temperature readings, a fast-read Thermapen is expensive but really cool and precise. Flashing one will get you respect from the health department inspectors, because they use them too. For something you can leave in the food, oil or oven and read remotely, Polder probe thermometers are indispensible and quite cheap.

"Amazing…an amontillado! And the finest amontillado I have ever tasted! ... This is quite definitely real turtle soup! … And what a turtle soup! … But that’s ‘Blinis Demidoff!… And this most certainly is Veuve Cliquot 1860!" (It's my first eG post, hi y'all!)