4 comments about Williams-Sonoma Mastering: Grilling & Barbecuing.

1. What a great cookbook. I use all the time. Easy to follow recipes with fresh ingredients you can easily find. Great gift for family and friends too. One of my staple cooking tools.



2. This is an excellent cookbook. I have tried several recipes - with outstanding results. The authors do a great job of blending flavors together to produce visually and vicerally tasty dishes. The variety of dishes is also terrific. One thing I wish they had included was the amount of preparation time for a dish as some of them are quite time consuming.



3. My wife and myself have become passionate fans of tomato and mozzarella salad, with basil chiffonade and slight dousing of a good Olive Oil. This of course caused great excitement to see this cookbook vectoring off with these two ingredients which are such a gorgeous culinary marriage.
   
   It begins with help in obtaining the best of each ingredients, including growing one's own tomatoes and making one's own mozzarella from the curd stage.
   
   The 100 T&M recipes are organized into various categoires such as breakfast/brunch, finger foods, salads, soups, etc. They are wide ranging and creative. The few that I've tried successfully are: Baked Ricotta and Mozzarella with Olives and Grape Tomato Clusters; Neopalitan Stuffed Chicken, and Potato Tart with Green Beans, Tomato and Mozzarella. Looking forward to many of the remaining 97, such as: Creamy Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto; Tomato, Swiss Chard and Mozzarella Frittata; and Layered Polenta Lasagna with Tomatoes and Mozzarrella.
   
   There are many excellent color photos and the layout is nicely done. Many would enjoy this and put it to good use in their menu planning.



4. It's a very nicely produced cookbook, but it seems a bit bloodless or lifeless compared to the lusty, enthusiastic tone of How to Grill: The Complete Illustrated Book of Barbecue Techniques. This is a pretty coffee table type of book, but I honestly can't see anyone's copy of it getting notes written in the margin or suffering much in the way of staining via barbecue sauce.
   
   This is a mild-mannered, well-behaved cookbook, kind of a neutered grilling cookbook. It's thorough but oddly joyless. To each their own, I guess.

No comments about Perfect Grilled Meats: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-146 (Storey Publishing Bulletin, a-146).

5 comments about Instant Gratification: No-Hassle Desserts in Just About No Time.

1. I have tried several of the recipes, from the gingerbread squares to the rum-rasin sauce, and each has been a resounding success with my guests and family. The "Instant" in the title is a promise fulfilled 125 plus times over, and the "gratification" is big. Everyone who entertains on weekends must have a copy of this book.



2. I often begin to think about making dessert too late and wind up just serving ice cream. But this book really makes quick dessert making easy! A minimal amount of ingredients are needed -- most are probably already in your pantry -- and they can be made just before dinner or even while the family is eating the main course. Great taste for miminal effort. And great ideas for doing new recipes with seasonal fruit. The apple or peach pizza is a real winner in my house!



3. The recipes in this book really are quick, easy to prepare and delicious. People might even guess that you spent hours in the kitchen! A wide range of desserts are offered, so everyone should find something tempting. Ingredients are usually kitchen staples and will be on hand in most kitchens. Good recipes for anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.



4. This is a family dessert book designed and written for the home cook. The ingredients are easy to find and the recipes are simple and straight forward. Some of these recipes can actually be prepared in 10 mins and the results can actually be quite impressive. However, they call for a lot of sour and heavy cream, which are quite high in fat, and some call for a lot of butter as well. I was also disappointed by the lack of photography; I always like to see a picture of the finished product before attempting to try a recipe. The only photos you'll find in this book are on the cover.



5. The introduction of "Instant Gratification" goes into the elements of a good 15-minute dessert, like a streamlined ingredient list and carefully-constructed recipes. Ms. Chattman also goes into ways that you can make your recipes go faster, like being organized and working deliberately. The 15-minute mark, by the way, doesn't include things like baking time or chilling time. It's for the actual work you have to do. The intro also discusses various time-saving kitchen implements and ingredients.
   
   Only one of the chapters ("When You've Got to Have It: Unbelievable Desserts in 15 Minutes Flat") actually guarantees you a 15-minute time frame. The others might take you, oh... 20 minutes. Or 25. And the recipes aren't just quick, they're easy. They come with lists of equipment so you won't get caught short.

   My only gripe with this cookbook is that some of the ingredient measurements are a little off. For instance, we found that the amount of gelatin called for in a couple of chilled recipes wasn't quite enough. Otherwise, however, the tastes are fabulous! For example, we made the White Chocolate-Mint Truffles. Bet you didn't think you could make truffles in just a few minutes, huh? Well, okay, we were dubious too. The only thing that took a little time with the truffles was chopping the white chocolate. Then you add some hot ingredients and melt it into one big mass. You add the mint extract and refrigerate. Once it's set, you sit down with a bowl of cocoa powder. You dig out bits of white chocolate goo, roll them into balls, roll them in the cocoa powder, and stick them in the refrigerator. That's it! And oh, were they delicious--as has been every single other recipe we've made from this book.

   So if you sometimes need a dessert in a hurry, or just want to take a break and make something quick and easy, "Instant Gratification" is a great cookbook to have around!

2 comments about 101 Things To Do With a BBQ.

1. The book is in great shape and I got it at a reasonable time,
   Thanks



2. It is a great book that has all kinds of recipes for BBQing, not just for meat. There are recipes for veggies, seafood, etc. It's smaller than I thought it would be though (as in it is only about 5 or 6 inches tall). This, I think, is a good thing. It's a book that you can literally take out to the grill and cook with. It also has a plastic front cover (before the actual cover) to protect against food and sauces. My brother enjoyed it.

2 comments about Weber's Art of the Grill - Deck: Recipes for Outdoor Living (Discerning Tastes).

1. The various recipes in this deck of cards are great for beginners and experienced grillers. There is something for everyone. Most ingredients are easy to get in most places.



2. I don't know why I expected more from this but I did. Iguess because i have become accustomed to receiving interesting esy recipes from the makers of cooking equipment. There are many standard recipes here and all seem like they will be good. I am wondering if the cards won't blow all over my deck. BUT, it is a good standard grilling book.

2 comments about DK 101 Barbecue (101 Essential Tips).

1. Colored pictures demonstrating techniques and

   finished recipes make this information simple

   to master.




2. The DK 101 Essential Tips books are an excellent introduction to a wide variety of topics. Not only will you find the basics of learning to barbecue, there are also inspiring pictures of tantalizing recipes. You will find recipes for:
   
   Bruschetta
   Grilled Eggplant Slices
   Mango-Mustard Glaze
   Cajun Spice Rub
   Lemon-Herb Marinade
   Thai Dipping Sauce
   Cilantro & Chili Butter
   Beef Shish Kebab
   Fajitas
   Classic Hamburgers
   
   Ninety percent of this lovely book is filled with recipes and pictures. The other ten percent is filled with must-have information on how to set up a barbecue grill, the types of grills, barbecue lighting material, how to use smoke to flavor foods and information on the wide variety of barbecue tools.
   
   Fun recipes and all the basics in one tiny book. For the cook wants to quickly master the main barbecue techniques.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review

5 comments about Grilling America.

1. Rick Browne shares his passion and knowledge of the backyard grill, with easy and fun recipes. Try just one, and you'll wonder why you ever cooked indoors!

   But this is much more than just a cookbook. Rick delves deep into the soul of a grilling nation, and reveals essential truths that confirm our shared heritage.




2. Rick Browne's 2nd book, Grilling America, is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. His background as a professional photographer is obvious as his detailed photos are nestled in the "mustard" yellow pages and "ketchup" red text. The recipies are well organized and varied in their difficulty so that every cook can find something within their culinary comfort zone. The text is a hoot! While the 'que is on the grill-take the time to really READ this book, especially p163 ("Bubba's got the mop")-a BBQ rendition of Casey at the Bat. Finally, my toque goes off to Rick for the 20+ pages of options/ideas for the vegetarian who still wishes to partake of the American Summer tradition of BBQ.



3. Rick Browne's 2nd book, Grilling America, is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. His background as a professional photographer is obvious as his detailed photos are nestled in the "mustard" yellow pages and "ketchup" red text. The recipies are well organized and varied in their difficulty so that every cook can find something within their culinary comfort zone. The text is a hoot! While the 'que is on the grill-take the time to really READ this book, especially p163 ("Bubba's got the mop")-a BBQ rendition of Casey at the Bat. Finally, my toque goes off to Rick for the 20+ pages of options/ideas for the vegetarian who still wishes to partake of the American Summer tradition of BBQ.



4. This cookbook is the best for grilling and smoking recipes ever! So many dry rubs, sauces, etc. Something for everyone. Just try the Beer Butt Chicken, it is really awsome, and the Cedar Salmon recipe is out of this world.



5. Rick Browne has followed up his hugely popular Barbeque America with the sequel, "Grilling America". The difference between the two is that Barbeque involves cooking or smoking over low heat for a long period of time while grilling is actually what most of us our doing in our backyards when were tossing on burgers or steaks or kabobs. Rick and his team have again toured the country visiting barbeque festivals to bring us some of the most mouth-watering grill receipes known to man.
   
   FRom Backyard wizards to true gourmet chefs, the book has over 150 recipes that you can make at home on your charcoal, gas, or electric grill. From meat and poultry, to seafood and veggies, there's even recipes for appetizers like martini oysters and dessert recipes like Barbequed ice cream! In additon to the recipes you'll also find a lot of very valuable tips for grilling no matter what your experience level is. A truly fantastic book for the BBQ and grill fan!

No comments about Skinny Grilling: Over 100 Inventive Low-Fat Recipes for Grilling Meats, Fish, Poultry, Vegetables, and Desserts.

No comments about Good Housekeeping Grill It!: 150 Delicious Recipes (Favorite Good Housekeeping Recipes).

2 comments about Barbecue Greats : Memphis Style : Great Restaurants Great Recipes Great Personalities.

1. Absorbing the content of this book was very difficult. I had to stumble over a significant number of interspersed shorts on Memphis BBQ teams to get to the "meat" of why I purchased the book. Stick to the recipes! The 64 pages of recipes were broken up by 24 pages of BBQ teams (over 1/3 of the book). Meat recipe pages to team histories ratio was 32/19 (over 1/2). Point made! Many recipes needed temperature ranges rather than subjective "medium-hot", "medium-low" etc. Directions for preparation were simple, a positive. However, since side dish recipes were provided, full meal suggestions (sides, desserts, bread etc) for each meat dish would have been helpful. In summary, the book could have been 1/3 shorter by writing a separate book on Memphis BBQ history. Perhaps including an index, listing recipe pages under different cuts of meat would have been helpful (refer to Smoke & Spice as an example). Memphis has a definite passion for BBQ, but their recipe books could use a "double helping" of structure.



2. Absorbing the content of this book was very difficult. I had to stumble over a significant number of interspersed shorts on Memphis BBQ teams to get to the "meat" of why I purchased the book. Stick to the recipes! The 64 pages of recipes were broken up by 24 pages of BBQ teams (over 1/3 of the book). Meat recipe pages to team histories ratio was 32/19 (over 1/2). Point made! Many recipes needed temperature ranges rather than subjective "medium-hot", "medium-low" etc. Directions for preparation were simple, a positive. However, since side dish recipes were provided, full meal suggestions (sides, desserts, bread etc) for each meat dish would have been helpful. In summary, the book could have been 1/3 shorter by writing a separate book on Memphis BBQ history. Perhaps including an index, listing recipe pages under different cuts of meat would have been helpful (refer to Smoke & Spice as an example). Memphis has a definite passion for BBQ, but their recipe books could use a "double helping" of structure.