5 comments about Weber's Art of the Grill: Recipes for Outdoor Living.

1. I bought this book when it first came out several years ago. At that time it sort of intimidated me and it sat unused on the shelf until recently. What prompted me to take another look was the acquisition of a new Weber Performer. The astute will recognize that the Performer is a charcoal grill and that this book is based on gas grilling. Frankly, this book is all about recipes; really, really good recipes. Anyone familiar with charcoal cooking will be able to build a low, medium, or hot fire and make the adjustment to use this book. Believe me it is no big deal and you will be rewarded with some of the best food you ever tasted. The author of this book, Jamie Purviance, really knows what he is doing. I would say that this book is tailored to the intermediate to advanced cook. The recipes are complete, but the instructions assume a certain level of competence. For someone just starting out, I think the Cook's Illustrated grilling book is an excellent addition as it takes the reader step by step through not just the recipe, but also the techniques necessary to cook the food. The CI book covers both gas and charcoal for each and every recipe, too, which can help the reader of the Art of the Grill adjust for charcoal. I find both books indispensable with the Art of the Grill offering superior recipes, and the CI book offering superior techniques.



2. This book has wonderful color pictures, excellent recipes and it is a steal at this price. So far the recipes have been awesome. Five stars!



3. This is a nice book if you are trying to decide between gas and charcoal. I thought it made more of a nice coffee table book. There is a lot of 'story' about the grill and not as many recipes as I was looking for. It is a nice hard cover book though, and there are some good recipes.



4. I just got this book in from Amazon the other day. It is not the only Weber grill book that I have. I bought the Big Book of Grilling by Weber last year. This book is even better. The book is laid out extremely well and color coded to make finding a recipe quick. The book has extemely detailed instructions on how to do stuff and tons of pictures. This really helps in not only figuring out how to do something, but if you even want to try. I made a roll up chicken thingy last night and the wife loved it.
   
   The only improvement to this book, would be to make the cooking guides in the back of the book tare out pages (made of heavier stock). This would allow a new griller or a griller who is trying something new, to have the cooking guidelines at their fingertips instead of leafing through a book. I recreated these tables in Excel and then laminated them. This way, they are always with my grill in case I want to attempt a new vegetable or fish.
   
   I highly recommend this book. I am going be be using it a lot this summer.



5. A very nice book with some upscale recipes for entertaining. I have made several of the recipes and none were hard and very good. Would highly recommend this book.

5 comments about Kill It and Grill It: Ted and Shemane Nugent's Guide to Preparing & Cooking Wild Game and Fish.

1. Purchased as a gift for my hubby. He enjoys watching Ted's hunting shows and does a lot of hunting also. Should be a good book for wild game recipes.



2. OK, so Ted Nugent is a favorite from my teen years. What better to give my brother who likes to hunt in Missouri? Many whitetail and turkeys have fallen to his arrows so how about a good recipe book to go along with the hunt. Thanks, Ted, nice job.



3. I have been cooking all kinds of wild game for 30 years. I have been failing at white tail venison no matter how hard I tried, no matter whose cookbook I used and wasted more venison than I can say and finally gave up. The guys pan fried their bucks.
   Then after meeting "Uncle Ted" one day in our local Wal-Mart, and we had rippin'good time in man-land. I was inspired to try again...I watched Spirit of the Wild a few thousand times. I watched his tips, and then bought the cookbook. My first try was such a huge success, I was so praised by the hubby that I felt like a grand champion ! I rated the recipe and wrote down comments in the margin for tweaking it for the next time, and then my second try was a marinade and these are ones that The Man usually really hates.
   He had his first bite and was off to the races with nearly the whole platter! I am telling you , if you buy this cookbook, more reasonably priced than others I have seen, you are fixed for life and will have the happiest bunch of people to feed than you have ever had. The trick is, these recipes are so easy with very little added to the them, nothing Frenchy or anything you can't pronounce. You can make it all and you already have all the ingredients in your kitchen. It's down to earth, and it's so easy on you so you will have energy to enjoy
   the meal with everyone. I leave it out on my butcher block, recipes rates and pages full of comments by The Man, and all is finally well after 30 years of hunting in my household.
   Thank you, Uncle Ted!



4. This book is part cookbook, part 'Nuge stories and philosophy. Of course, you'd expect that with anything from Ted Nugent.
   
   It's not a very thick book. It has recipes for a varied array of game, but most animals only get a couple recipes, which is a shame, since 1 kill will frequently yield huge amounts of meat. Do you want to make the same thing with your entire deer? The recipes, themselves, are sound. They advise treating the meat in the correct ways to maximize flavor and tenderness. The problem is that they're a limited selection of all you can do with game. I would have preferred a description of how each animal's meat is different from the common, domesticated relatives. For instance, how is a deer different from an elk, a cow, a lamb, etc? They're all closely related, but the different fat contents, diets, muscle biology, etc. mean they taste and are cooked differently. For fowl, the range is even greater: chickens are nothing like ducks or ostriches, for example. Even wild and domestic turkeys are drastically different. Also, like their domesticated relatives, the different cuts of game meat are good for different purposes and methods. This book doesn't go into those differences.
   
   In short, while the recipes will work for the hunter who can't cook his kill into something palatable, they won't give him a very deep understanding of properly cooking game.



5. I bought this for my husband for Fathers' Day with a set of BBQ skewers and it was a hit.

2 comments about The New Outdoor Kitchen: Cooking Up a Kitchen for the Way You Live and Play.

1. Deborah does an amazing job with this how - to on outdoor cooking. beautiful pictures and designs to inspire even the most uncreative of readers. highly recommended - she even includes pictures of her own amazing outdoor kitchen which is just a testament to her knowedge and experience. even if you are just looking for ideas or creative possibilities pick up a copy and you will not be disappointed- you truly get what you pay for. i wish i could just carry out all of the projects she puts in here!



2. I am planning to build my outdoor kitchen in a few weeks, so this came just in time. The pictures are excellent quality. They show simple to extravagant. It's nice to have a reference guide for all the nuts and bolts; lighting, plumbing, countertops,etc. Very handy book indeed!

5 comments about The Williams-Sonoma Collection: Grilling.

1. This is a truely wonderful addition to any cookbook collection. Unlike most cookbooks that require you to spend a lot of money buying ingredients you most probably will only use once, these recipes mostly require olive oil, garlic, onions, peppers, the basic seasonings (e.g., oregano, salt, black or lemon pepper, etc.), and occasionally one more fancy addition (making the dishes MUCH less expensive, and allowing the true delicious taste of the meats and vegetables to come through). The book also offers a nice variety of dishes. It includes recipes for grilling chicken, fish, meat, mushrooms, AND deserts! (Did you know you can make a desert on the grill?) As a last point, these simple dishes can look fancy enough to impress anyone. I made a whole dinner for my husband on our two year wedding anniversary. I served the Shrimp with Lemon-Garlic Butter and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms with Basil Oil over rice, the Grilled Red Pepper, Sweet Onion, and Tomato Salad on the side, and the Grilled Pears with Rasberry-Grand Manier Sauce for desert. It took me about 45 minutes to prepare all the rubs and sauces (just because it was my first time putting it all together), but about 10 minutes to cook everything at the same time, and 3 minutes to serve. The meal was such a hit that my husband wants to make a new grilling dish every Wednesday night! By the way, for the novice grillers, the book also offers a glossary and an instructional section discussing types of grills, preparing the grill, checking for doneness, etc. I hope you enjoy the book as much as we do!



2. Wow. what a find. I was hesitant to buy the Williams and Sonoma book because I thought that the recipes would be too complicated and require expensive ingredients and be too fancy for the way I like to cook, but the dishes are easy to prepare and extremely elegant - without being too time consuming. I love this book. Got this book in the mail two weeks ago and have used it half a dozen times so far.



3. This book makes me pumped for summer! The recipes for the marinades and sauces look and sound really good. They are also explained very easily. One thing that I really liked about this cookbook, among others, is that the variety of meats, vegetables and all that good stuff is pretty big. It's not your 'regular old down home grillin' guide'. It's got pizazz, and I like that. I would recommend this cook book to anyone who likes grilling. Or, if you don't like grilling, get it for someone who does.



4. Thius cookbook has so many great recipes even my boyfriend has started enjoying cooking!!!



5. I agree with the reviews I've read about this book. Mouthwatering recipies and looks and tastes even better than on the picture. If you cook than almost all the ingredients you need for grilling you'll find in your spices. Nothing weird, just simple, easy recipies and absolutely delicious!!!!!!!!!! I gave this book to my husband to add to his colletion of Sonoma books and he loves it!

5 comments about Emeril at the Grill: A Cookbook for All Seasons.

1. I am not a huge Emeril fan but when I picked up this cookbook and started to read some of the recipes, I knew I had to try them! I bought it and glad I did. There lots of great recipes that are easy to make and tasty. I have tried a few and one of my favorites is the Rhode Island Frozen Lemonade. YUM! Great for hot summer days. It was a bit time consuming but well worth it. The hardest part was getting all the ingredients ready, but after that and putting it in my ice cream maker, it was ready in 25 mins. My dad loved it. He is on a soft foods only diet right now and this was a nice little treat!



2. I love Emeril. I've made many many of his recipes from foodnetwork and they are always delicious. I haven't made anything from this cookbook yet but there are some good recipes. Like most of Emeril's recipe, you have to be up for a challenge which I usually am, maybe just not lately. I find myself going to my Bobby Flay Grill It or Tyler's Ultimate. He does have some good recipes in here though but don't expect pictures. I'm looking forward to making the Peach Tamrind BBQ salmon or the zucchini ribbons with pine nuts and goat cheese.



3. I started taking an interest in cooking about ten or eleven months ago. I found too many TV shows and the movie channels providing shows that were offensive, boring, and repetitive. So, knowing nothing about cooking beyond the basic dishes I assembled over the years, I started watching the Food Channel. Naturally, I came across Emeril Lagasse. He and a few of the other hosts caught my eye because they were focusing on cooking, teaching good basic techniques, and offering dishes I thought I could begin to tackle. I watched until I found dishes I thought I understood enough about to attempt. They came out well. And over the months I have been experimenting with dozens and dozens of dishes, my family loves the Emeril dishes the best. In fact, whenever I present a new dish to try, my oldest son asks me if it is an Emeril dish, if I say yes, he says to bring it on!
   
   This is a very nice book for bringing Emeril's savory and flavorful food aesthetic to the grill. While you certainly can grill indoors, most of us think of grilling as a backyard activity or one for some other outdoors location. We love the fire, the smoke, and the flavor it imparts to the food. While we normally think of meat when we grill, and this book has a lot of meat dishes, Emeril shows us a lot more we can do with our grills.
   
   The book opens with a two page preface from Emeril and a few pages on the basics of cooking on a grill. Emeril opens the book with some festive drinks you can make to serve with your grilled food. Most have alcohol, but not all. And he lets you know which drinks can be served nicely even when omitting the booze. This section is only about 15 pages long. So, it isn't a big part of the book.
   
   The first big food section is on side dishes. If you are familiar with Emeril's various shows over the years, you will feel comfortable with these dishes. You get help with things like grilled smashed potatoes, chipotle-deviled eggs, cucumber salad, bake beans, salads (I like the watercress, avocado, and mango salad - very summery), grilled polenta, tomatoes on the fence (skewers of small tomatoes, oil, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper), and much more.
   
   Next comes a section of sandwiches. These use interesting ingredients such as figs, chipotle, red peppers, taleggio cheese, turkey, pork, and even fish tacos. Just tasty stuff! This is followed by a section with various kinds of burgers and kebabs. Emeril even shows you how to make your own spicy ketchup or a habanero ketchup! Are you up for lamb kababs or burgers? You can find them here as well as burgers made with beef or buffalo. Do swordfish kebabs sound great? How about with a mixed herb pesto? Or sliders made with ground turkey?
   
   You also get nearly forty pages of seafood dishes using fish like swordfish, salmon, sardines, tuna, sea bass, bronzini, and catfish, as well as shellfish such as lobster, shrimp, crab, clams, and a whole lot more.
   
   The "Things With Wings" section provides about thirty pages of poultry dishes exploring styles like Vietnamese, Filipino, Brazilian, Italian, Mexican, Jamaican, and Indian as well as traditional American style BBQ. Emeril even offers a take on the old beer can trick, but with Turkey Breast and BBQ Gravy rather than chicken.
   The land based entres explore traditional items such as strip steak (with a stilton-walnut butter), t-bones, rib-eyes, simple bbq ribs, bone in Delmonico steaks, and hanger steak. But Emeril also does takes with a Thai beef salad, a Caribbean pork tenderloin, Korean short ribs, baby lamb chops with a mint pesto, and an Asian-style skirt steak. There are, of course, many more offerings in these thirty pages.
   
   You then get about twenty-five or so pages of desserts: a root bear float, grilled chocolate sandwiches or s'mores, freeze pops, ice cream sandwiches, fruit kebabs, chocolate suffed apples, chocolate chipotle brownies, and even a strawberry pie.
   
   The production values in this book are quite high. The photographs of the dishes are so inviting that you want to make the dish so you can taste what you see in the pictures! They also give you a strong idea about what you are trying to create. The lists of ingredients are clear and helpful. For example if you don't know what pimentón is, the recipe lets you know it is Spanish smoked paprika. The process to cook the dishes are listed in steps and most take three or four with a few taking only two and others requiring seven. Emeril also includes notes about the dish such as how far ahead you can prepare a sauce, how to store it, or what it means to French a piece of meat. You also get the expected number of servings the recipe will create. I also appreciate the nice index and the way the flaps on the front and back covers can be used to mark your place in the recipe you want to work with. While the book is a paperback, the quality of the cover material and the pages within the book show that it is clearly meant to be used in the kitchen and get close to the action.
   
   A really nice book and the kind of quality I have come to expect from Emeril Legasse, as chef whom I admire and feel gratitude towards for the way he has shown me how to cook.
   
   Reviewed by Craig Matteson, Ann Arbor, MI



4. Emeril's latest cookbook is fabulous. I was initially concerned that the recipes would necessitate too many unusual ingredients - not so. The recipes are uncomplicated, fast and really delicious. If you're not that familiar with grilling, don't expect lessons on "how to" but give it try, the outcome will be worth it.



5. I gave this as a Christmas present to my brother and son.
   I think the recipes, as stated by my son, are Phenomenal!!
   The only BUT is that the pages came unglued from their type of glue binding. So I had to take it to have it spiral bound and NOW it is perfect!!
   I then made that suggestion to my brother so that this book can be more user-friendly.

5 comments about Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook: Featuring : Fried Green Tomatoes, Southern Barbecue, Banana Split Cake, and Many Other Great Recipes.

1. This seems to be a sequel to the first book originally written by Mary Jo Mc Michael (the owners) from the Irondale Cafe. This is where the original Whistlestop Cafe was based on in "Fried Green Tomatoes". These seem to be some of the Mc Michael's recipes from the cafe that has been in use for so many generations. Fannie Flagg's aunt Bess was the original owner and the current owners are continuing the tradition.
   
   I love this cookbook, there are little passages throughout this book which are enlivening. They tell little bits of information about Fanny Flagg and her family. The recipes are great and the book is like a little novel all on it's own.



2. The only problem I have with this cookbook is choosing between all the delicious recipes between its cover! My favorite? I can't choose just one but will start with the Kentucky Bourbon Chocolate Pecan Pie, Mississippi Mud Cake, Good ol' Southern Pecan Pie, Lemon Ice Box Pie, Southern Banana Pudding, Vanilla Custard Ice Cream, etc. and that is just the desserts! Everything I make from this cookbook gets rave reviews and requests to please share my secret recipes. My copy is one of the original hardbacks that came out right after the movie but I have purchased numerous copies of the paperback to give to family and friends as gifts.



3. My Mom wanted the book for my sister...I googled and found exactly what she wanted. My Mom was tickled pink.



4. If you loved the book and/or the movie this cookbook is a must! Southern recipes at their finest.



5. I was well pleased with the conditon of the book and the great recipes and photo's inside. A real keeper.

5 comments about Paul Kirk's Championship Barbecue Sauces: 175 Make-Your-Own Sauces, Marinades, Dry Rubs, Wet Rubs, Mops, and Salsas.

1. Good information about making sauces, marinades, etc. the cover of the book says it all. Easy to follow along with out getting lost.



2. This book is by far my favorite BBQ book. I am on my third copy of this book because I keep spilling sauce and rub over the other copies! If you are looking for good ideas on how to make your own sauces and rubs, this is the book for you. I haven't found a recipe that wasn't very tasty! In my opinion, this is the best book to use if you are interested in making your BBQ taste better. Paul Kirk also has other books that I have purchased, and have enjoyed, but this one is the one I go back to time and time again.



3. Don't get me wrong, this is a good book. But I already have The Barbecue Bible and Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades. So this is a little bit of the same stuff. There are some really good recipes in here though. I highly recommend the Bible and you'd be fine with either this or the other one (or both) for more on sauces.



4. I received a copy of this book as a gift, and it sat around for at least a year before I cracked the spine. What was I waiting for?! Paul Kirk is both a great BBQ chef and an excellent teacher. While I have not (and probably never will) use everything in this book, I have used Kirk's methods and recommendations to develop my own rubs and sauces with suberb results. I prefer pork and chicken on the grill and in the smoker, and you can't go wrong following Kirk's advice. Rather than merely a collection of recipes (though there are plenty of great ones), this book provides you with the know-how to create your own recipes. If you love to BBQ, then get yourself a copy of this inexpensive yet essential book. And I may be needing a new one soon - my copy's getting a bit messy . . . .



5. This book is great for beginer and advanced cooks. It covers lots of stuff in little ways. Not only are there lots of recipes, but it is all described so that it is easy to picture in your mind. No pictures, but somehow that does not detract at all.
   
   The absolute best thing about this book is that I can feel the Mr. Kirk's passion about BBQ. I'm sure that eventually, he is going to start writing poetry on the subject. It is easy to tell that he has truly devoted himself to this. He talks about trends that he sees verses the classic style of BBQ.
   
   Great book! I'm looking forward to getting more of his stuff.

2 comments about Taste of Home: Freezer Pleasers.

1. Taste of Home has finally added to the arsenal of make-ahead cookbooks available. Their contribution is an attractive and well-organized volume with pictures of many of the recipes. It stands out for the special section on "single servings," for freezing dinners and treats in single serve portions, and for "creative leftovers," to help you turn leftovers into new dishes. I have almost every other make-ahead cookbook available. I like this book because it is based on double-batch cooking, where you make two dishes, eat one now, and freeze another. This works better for my family than other freezer plans that have you make multiples of dishes for freezing. I have children off to college so my needs for stocking the freezer have changed. The single serving idea works well for me because I need quick meals and snacks for kids in sports and music. The double-batch meals do depend heavily on cheese and meat, but there are a few meals that are vegetarian or could be adapted for vegeterian/vegan lifestyles(like the veggie calzones). There are several recipes for making rolls where you can freeze the dough or the rolls. For the newbie, there are a few pages with general freezing information, such as what containers to use, what foods do and do not freeze well, and how long foods last in the freezer. Many of the freezer dishes are casseroles, which lend themselves to use for pot-lucks and gifting to new moms or convalescing friends. There are drinks, appetizers, main meals, side dishes, breads, and desserts. The variety works well for planning easy entertaining, where you can make some items days ahead and have less stress on the day of the event. The focus in on comfort food, so many of the recipes are not low-fat, low-calorie, low-sugar, or low-sodium--but some could be adapted to specific dietary needs, or could be used as a suggestion of a type of dish to look for and try that could fit in with your diet. The abundance of pictures makes the dishes appealing and is unique for this type of book. I have waited eagerly for this book to come out ever since I heard about it, and it didn't disappoint. This book would work for families of any size, and also for people cooking for just one or two.



2. I was looking for some make-ahead meal ideas so I can stock my freezer, but I don't usually have time to do a full-day cooking session like "Once a Month Cooking" calls for. That is why this book appealed to me. I liked the idea of the "Now and Later" section, where you make two batches of something at a time-- one to eat now, and one to freeze for later. I love Taste of Home magazine, and have always been pleased with the TOH cookbooks. I eagerly tore into the package when this one arrived, hoping to start making a list of recipes to try. I was surprised to actually be disappointed with a TOH cookbook. :( Here's my list of gripes:
   
   1. Almost everything is very heavy-- high fat, heavy on the meat (lots of sausage, ground beef, ground pork, etc). I'm not a health-food freak by any means, but I don't cook with heavy cream, half and half, or Velveeta cheese, and I found those ingredients in many of the recipes that caught my attention. I guess fatty foods freeze better. Bummer.
   
   2. Too many very specific pre-packaged convenience foods in the recipes. Besides the aforementioned Velveeta, there were also rather odd-ball ingredients that I don't keep around. Here are a couple of specific items called for in various recipes: 1 package (6.4 oz) lasagna dinner mix (what is that? like Hamburger Helper?? Or is it a frozen thing?); 2 packages (8.8 oz each) ready-to-serve long grain and wild rice (I've never seen this-- is it in the frozen food section? Or is it like those tuna pouches in the regular isle?); 2 packages (7.2 oz each) rice pilaf (is this a mix? is it seasoned? not seasoned? is it dry? is it already cooked?); and then every condensed soup known to man. Condensed tomato bisque, beef consomme, cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, cheddar cheese, cream of onion, and cream of potato, to name a few. I have NOTHING against cream-of-whatever soup. I actually cook with it semi-regularly, but I was hoping for more pantry staples instead of prepackaged stuff in everything.
   
   3. Many of the desserts are ice cream, which makes sense for a freezer cookbook, but some of us don't own an ice cream maker, so it's kind of a bummer when you're excited to make a recipe, only to find out you can't because you don't have an ice cream maker.
   
   4. Many of the "sweets" that aren't ice cream were jams, spreads, and butters, which really aren't anything I can't get off of the box when I buy the pectin that is called for in the recipes.
   
   Those are the gripes. On the positive side, it was inspiring to look through and think "Hey, if that works in the freezer, then my recipe that's almost like it will probably work too!". So pretty much what I ended up with was a list of my own recipes that I already have that I'm going to try freezing and see how it goes. And yes, I did find a handful in the book that don't require funky ingredients and look good that I'll probably try out. The Breakfast Burritos sound interesting. I've tried freezing those before with poor results, but their instructions were different and I'm looking forward to trying this one. Also a muffin mix that you store in the freezer and pull out as needed for quick muffins, and a couple of cookie doughs that you can freeze in rolls, Pillsbury style. And the Creative Leftovers section has some good ideas for preparing one mix of ingredients and using it for various things. I'll try some of those.
   
   Anyway, it's inspiring, and has some good ideas, but not anything too exciting. I was hoping I could recommend this to my busy working mom friends, but I'll keep looking for a better one.

5 comments about Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: An American Roadhouse.

1. Haven't tried any recipes yet but I will surely put it to use this spring. Looks like some good recipes in there. I would say well worth the money.



2. My husband actually purchased this book as a bachelor. And, thank goodness!! I'm newer to BBQ and this is a fun, easy to use, and informative cookbook that results in amazingly delicious dishes. The Mutha Sauce is super (even tinkering with the ketchup ingredient). And, the Mojito Marinade (and Mojito Chicken) is outstanding! The Coleslaw and Asparagus, Red Pepper and Potato Salad recipes give these sides new life and will make your family or friend you are cooking for feel loved!



3. I tried for years to duplicate the Dinosaur restaurant's great baked beans. I got quite close, but the book gave me the secret ingredient!. I have not found a bad recipe in this collection of good, down-home, great food. Other favorites are the mac & cheese shepherd's pie, red rub, bbq sauce and ooh, the key lime pie!



4. If you love grilling/bbq this is one of the best books you will ever buy. The mutha sauce recipe is alone is worth the price. I use the mutha sauce on everything. Well written and easy to follow.



5. We have made several recipes in this cookbook and they are all excellent. Some ingredients are hard to find, but they are well worth it.

5 comments about The Cook's Illustrated Guide To Grilling And Barbecue.

1. I've wasted so much money on other barbecue books when this was what I really needed all along. Basic, yes - to a fault, but everything you probably need to get started being creative as well. Don't miss out.



2. I cannot recommend this book highly enough. I switched from gas to charcoal to get better flavor. I ruined everything I tried to grill the whole first summer. I received this book for Christmas and it has changed everything. It covers every possible aspect of grilling, from the charcoal to the methods for lighting the charcoal, ventilation, wood chips, marinades, rubs, texture, color, moisture retention, flipping the food, etc. Each food type has it's own chapter, with details galore and recipes for reference. I simply follow the instructions to a tee and I've made "Grillmaster" level food ever since receiving the book. I am still shocked at the outcome every time I grill. The book is like a science of grilling format, with a massive test kitchen and many variables and control groups for each food and each method. The writers of the book already tried everything, and they lay it right out for you with regard to what works and what doesn't. I could go on and on. If you are buying a grilling book to grill better, buy this book without a doubt. You couldn't possibly be disappointed.



3. We love watching America's Test Kitchen on TV and their magazines are the best so the cookbook couldnt let us down and it hasnt. I bought it for my boyfriend who loves to grill and he picks it up everytime he plans to fire it up. Highly recommended.



4. This book was recommended to me by a friend who performs magically on her grill...she is humble in accepting praise and attributes her abilities completely to this book. She has so many post-its on wonderful recipes, that the pages look fringed! I gave it as a gift and, once again, it was accepted and read like a novel...not a cookbook. Without a doubt, this book is the bible of grilling how-to references!



5. The number one thing you need to know is that this book is exactly what you've come to expect from a Best Recipe book -- a self-contained guide to its subject with a mix of content for this book and content from other books. It's certainly worth buying if you're in need of a reference for live fire cooking; though rather less exciting than The Barbecue! Bible, it does an expert job of filling in the technique and science things that Raichlen leaves out. And the book covers not only meat, but vegetables, an increasingly important aspect of outdoor cooking. An immense number of variations and side dishes -- maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like slightly more than the usual CI book -- makes it an excellent browsing book as well, but it doesn't compromise its typical get-it-done function.
   
   That said, it's got a few flaws. First off, there's vanishingly little effort spared on grilled desserts; maybe that's a little much to expect from Cook's (which in general doesn't tend to try to be particularly tricky or avant-garde) but there's only a few scattered grilled fruit recipes. Second, and this is more a factor of it being a second edition of a relatively old book, there's quite a few recipes that CI has since superseded, the most glaring being their somewhat unusual approach to grilled pizza (essentially an herbed flatbread with pizza toppings; it has since been replaced with a more traditional Providence-style crust from the America's Test Kitchen TV show). Neither of those are really a reason to not recommend it, since there's always people who want the older recipes.
   
   As it happens, this was sort of an emergency purchase when I needed to know how to grill-roast a prime rib; this is where the infamous CI overlap problem comes in handy, as having all of this material gathered in one book, exactly where you expect it to be, is a convenience worth paying for. I think it's worth it.