February 4, 2008
This is the fourth cookbook by Flay dedicated solely to grilling, and over the years he has hosted four different cooking shows also focused on the art of placing meat and veggies upon a backyard flame. So one might excuse the author for having run out of arresting titles (à la, Boy Meets Grill
) and for resorting to alphabetical order as a means of structuring his chapters. But what is truly surprising is his sudden and marked lack of preference for cooking with gas instead of charcoal. He then backs up his newfound indifference by never stating which grill might work best for any of these 150 recipes. However, Flay is still the sultan of sauce and the ruler of rub. He creates a Fig–Cabernet Vinegar Glaze for a filet mignon. In the seafood realm, grilled salmon is paired with a Honey-Mustard-Mint Sauce. Vegetarian offerings include Grilled Cremini Mushroom, Fontina, and Arugula Pressed Tacos. And a chapter on fruit provides mouthwatering desserts like Grilled Nectarines with Maple Crème Fraîche. If Flay has less to say than before, he at least does so with a healthy amount of seasoning.
March 15, 2008
Here are three new titles to open the summer grilling season. Adler and Fertig (coauthors, "Weeknight Grilling with the BBQ Queens") focus on entertaining, offering menus for a variety of occasions, helpful tips and suggestions, and a good introduction to grilling and smoking. Their recipes are fairly sophisticated, and many of them include variations as well as wine suggestions. For most collections.
Flay's first restaurant, Mesa Grill in New York City, now has locations in Las Vegas and the Bahamas. The owner and executive chef of several other restaurants, he is also one of the veterans of the Food Network. The recipes in Flay's eighth cookbook are organized by ingredient, from Asparagus to White Fish, and they feature his trademark big, bold flavors. There are full-page color photographs of many of the dishes, an introductory section on grilling, and a source guide for ingredients and equipment. Expect demand.
Schlesinger (chef/owner, East Coast Grill, Boston) and "Gourmet" executive editor Willoughby's "Thrill of the Grill" is a standard, one of the first grilling books to venture beyond all-American steak and chicken. Their latest title offers more mouthwatering recipes, from Coriander-Crusted Halibut with Tomato-Mint Chutney to Smoke-Roasted Oregano Leg of Lamb. First published in England and then Americanized, the book has the occasional odd Britishism (e.g., "joint" instead of "roast"). That aside, this attractive book is filled with dozens of color photographs; four-page spreads called "Flavor Footprints" provide basic recipes from the cuisines that have most influenced the authors, e.g., Mexican-Latin and Indian. Recommended for most collections.
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