I choose to believe the bulk of the rain is over.

I choose to believe this for many reasons, but most of all, because I am ready to start grilling with regularity. I am ready to attend functions out of doors and eat my way through the back yards of Lawrence.

Recently, some friends and I bestowed The Subversive Cultivator and his bride with a late wedding gift of a Weber Kettle Grill and some must-have grilling accessories. There was little discussion amongst us about what grill to buy, and we ignored the suggestion they made on their wedding registry, because in my part of the world, the Weber Kettle Grill is king.

A person’s choice of grill says a lot about her. Or, in some cases, him.

I’m sure I’m stirring an already pureed pot here, by sort of opening the “gas v charcoal” can of joke peanuts, but I can’t help it.

There is no question that charcoal tastes better. There is no question that gas is simpler, quicker, easier to clean up. Right there, you can divide all of the world’s population into two basic camps: The “I like it quick and easy” camp, and the “I’ll work for it because I love quality” camp. I reside firmly in both camps, depending on how my hair is that day.

(I own one of these, that we received for a wedding gift, and I regularly break it out if I’m cooking for just one or two, and I won’t hide anymore. I love it, dammit.)

There is some debate over which is more eco-friendly, and being mostly a moron on such subjects, I choose to stay out of that. I will note that it is possible to buy sustainable charcoal, so if you are a charcoal devotee and also an avid tree hugger, you should seek out one of these products.

But back to the Weber grill. We love it for a lot of reasons. I like the way it looks.

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There is something about those huge fancy gas grills that makes me want to smash them with a baseball bat.

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If you need three burners and four levels and a convection oven, you might as well just go back in the house and cook in your kitchen and be alone with your money and your ego.

The Weber is portable, lightweight, super-durable, and CHEAP. It costs around 90 bucks this year. Most other smallish charcoal grills (besides the really cheap WalMart Fall Apart kind) start at about $120, and will not last you through your first summer. We’ve had our Weber for almost four years now and it is as sturdy as the day it was born. And, we leave it out all winter. Because we are lazy.

There is a lot of surface area on the Weber, and you can easily grill for a large group in one or two rounds. Its simplicity is a thing of beauty, and it doesn’t make my palms sweat to think about starting a fire in it and actually cooking in it, unlike most other, fancier grills.

Also, if you are willing to put a little effort into learning, you can use your Weber Kettle as a good smoker. And then you can begin to obsess over BBQ like most of my friends, and eventually buy yourself a Black Betty that costs over a grand. The Weber, I fear, is a gateway drug, but I won’t be held responsible for that.

So now that I’ve chosen a grill for you, I’ll just go ahead and tell you what else you’ll need to go with it.

“They” would have you think you need close to a hundred different accessories if you are going to properly burn a hamburger. I will admit that I am a sucker for such accessories, but I can also tell you how to pare down your grilling pile if you so desire.

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You definitly need:

•some good, long, sturdy tongs

•something to flip a burger with, preferably also on a long handle so you keep your fingertips and arm hair

•either a good working knowledge of what meat looks and feels like a certain temps, or a good thermometer. I recommend a remote thermometer, but we don’t have one yet at our house. You can get a cheaper model at Target or Wal Mart.

You might want:

•a starter chimney. We don’t have one of these either, but I think Mr. Meat and Potatoes is ready to invest. It really does make the whole thing easier and you don’t need any lighter fluid.

•a good silicone mitt, so you don’t burn your tootsies.

•a good silicone basting brush, if you’re a basting sort of person.

You don’t need this, but it’s cool:

•cedar planks for salmon

•a grilling basket. They come in all shapes and sizes and are super-nifty for grilling fish or small stuff like shrimps or cut-up veggies.

•a rotisserie

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I am quite sure I missed some things, and my husband will call me and yell at me later for forgetting the major component of his grilling ensemble: the bottle opener. So there is that, too. And, you might like a good cooler to park next to your grill.

We can talk later about what to cook on your grill and how, but first go buy all this stuff. You can blame me.