Stephane Reynaud's Barbecue & Grill - Tapa blanda

From Epicurious.comI'll be the first to admit that seeing a Frenchman's name atop a book on barbecue and grilling gave me pause. The French seem much too sophisticated to be munching on wings, ribs, and other grub cooked onthe grill or in the smoker. But Stephane Reynaud's Barbecue & Grill (Lyons Press) had me rethinking my prejudice, especially after looking at the illustration of a little piggy hopping across the cover. How could I not be charmed?The text is admittedly sparse (there isn't much of a "story" that infuses the book) but that allows you to focus on the food. To its advantage, the "show, don't tell" approach comes into play with its minimal text and there's plenty of food porn to ogle (I'm looking at you, Aged Comte Brochettes and Pork Chop with Herbs). The list of ingredients is never too long, and the directions are simply stated. There are a spectrum of recipes to try: Massaman Lamb on skewers, Razor Clams with Tarragon Butter, homemade sausages, Apple with Almond Cream. You probably couldn't have asked for a more elegant grilling and bbq cookbook. And to boot, the whimsical illustrations lighten the subject matter, especially in the "Bloopers & DIY Barbecue" chapter: "I cook under a tree, it's guano sauce for lunch." Heh.

The latest cookbook from French chef Stephane Reynaud tackles the barbecue and who better to fire up the grill than the man who is an expert on meat and the author of bestsellers Pork & Sons, Ripailles, and Rotis. Here he presents barbecuing as an art. Beautiful full-color photographs of skewered salmon, glowing tomatoes, and crispy chicken accompany a wide variety of recipes from dinner feasts to breakfasts, and make this gorgeous cookbook all the more essential. It features more than 150 recipes divided into chapters on seafood, meat, side dishes, sauces and marinades, and more, whether on skewers, as yakitori, or straight on the grill. These delicious and original recipes are easy to make, amusing to read -- thanks to Reynaud's trademark wit -- and highly illustrated with whimsical illustrations and striking photography.