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The Big Book of Backyard Cooking, Cookbook of the Day

Posted May 11th 2008 12:00PM by Monika Bartyzel
Filed under: Books, Grilling, Cookbook of the Day

cookbook imageIt's spring, and as the air continues to warm, eyes glaze over with the thought of great grilled food and backyard feasts. For me, that used to mean tasty, barbeque, sauce-laden steaks, or my old roommate's frequent marinated chicken souvlaki. But then I got a new cookbook, one that has been my backyard, outdoor bible for a few years now -- Betty Rosbottom's The Big Book of Backyard Cooking.

It's not a fancy book. There are no delicious pictures of grill marks and icy drinks, but that's okay. There's more room for recipes and flavor combinations, and really, it's not like we don't know what some potato salad or a grilled hamburger looks like. But it's more than just the mainstays. This recipe has just about every sort of meal you could dream of eating outside, from the bites you grill to the sides you make ahead of time -- from hot dogs to boiled lobster, sandwiches to tasty salads, cool drinks to desserts.

Some recipes are as simple as a steak with a simple, tasty sauce. Others infuse the flavor throughout, like my favorite Lemon Dill Chicken Burgers and the insanely tasty Spicy Fried Corn, Vidalias, and Red Peppers. There's lots of classic recipes, as well as little twists to make your old favorites new. I've found this to be not only the perfect book for creating a large barbeque menu, but also for quick sauce ideas and year-round treats. Plus -- it has a recipe for the best iced tea I have ever had -- but that will come soon, in a separate post.

If you're looking to switch up your old outdoor mainstays, or add a little variation to your menu, Rosbottom's book is for you. It's clear, diverse, and ridiculously handy.

Feast Your Eyes: Melting in...

Posted Apr 25th 2008 10:04AM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Grilling, Feast Your Eyes

cheeseburger on the grill
The weather is nice (at least where I am). It's Friday. Why not break out a grill this weekend and make your own, perfectly melted cheeseburgers?

Thanks to Another Pint Please... for adding your photo to the Slashfood Pool.

Feast Your Eyes: Beer can chicken

Posted Apr 22nd 2008 8:02AM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Poultry, Grilling, Feast Your Eyes

an upright chicken cooked with a beercan inside
Grilling season is nearly upon us and what better way to open the season with a grilled beer can chicken? Thanks to Another Pint Please... for the tasty bird.

The Farmer and the Grill, Cookbook of the Day

Posted Apr 17th 2008 2:04PM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Books, Grilling, Meat, Cookbook of the Day

cover of the farmer and the grillThe weather all around (most) the country seems to have finally taken a permanent turn towards spring. Warm, sunny days make our thoughts shift to outdoor cooking and eating (at least it does if you are among the food obsessed. Don't worry, you are in good company here). Warmer weather means that it's time to grill. I'm sure that you think you know everything to know about throwing some meat on the old backyard Weber, but if you (like many of us) have made the choice to buy the more expensive, grassfed meat, you might be a little more hesitant now than you were last year to just chuck that hunk of sirloin on the grill, for fear that you might just screw it up.

However, have no fear, as there is a book to help you out of your conundrum. The Farmer and the Grill was written by Shannon Hayes, a woman who both holds a PhD in sustainable agriculture and community development and runs a working farm in upstate New York, raising her own grassfed livestock. She offers delicious sounding recipes and lots of tested knowledge about ups and downs of grilling grassfed meat.

This book is far more than just recipes. Hayes spent time in Argentina, learning how the traditional asadores combine meat and flame to great effect. She includes remembrances from that trip, as well as essays about sustainability and lots of hints on how to work with your local farmers to get the best and most flavorful cuts of meat. Even if you have no plans to grill, it's an interesting and entertaining read.

Top Chef: jersey and a beret -- how fitting

Posted Apr 17th 2008 9:02AM by Alanna Kaufman
Filed under: Beer, Television/Film, Grilling, Celebrities

Dale's winning rib dish on Top ChefSpoilers! Spoilers!

On last night's episode of Top Chef, judge Tom Colicchio arrived at a Chicago Bears game wearing a Bears jersey, a scarf, and a beret. Honestly, it doesn't get more Top Chef than that. The show loves to engage with people and local foods of the cities where it tapes, but in the end its really just about whose pineapple is grilled to perfection and whose liver coconut slaw (don't worry -- not a real dish) doesn't have enough seasoning. You can't help but love it.

Continue reading Top Chef: jersey and a beret -- how fitting

Stretch out your stomache, it's food festival time

Posted Apr 10th 2008 9:02AM by Alanna Kaufman
Filed under: Tastings, Wine, Beer, Barbecuing, Grilling, America, Festivals, Celebrations

grilling demonstration from Scottsdale Culinary FestivalThere are always excuses to eat, but I find that there are rarely opportunities to just completely go nuts and eat everything in sight. So when these opportunities do come along (vacations to Europe, birthdays, Thanksgiving), it's best to take complete advantage. For me, food festivals definitely qualify as all-you-can-eat events. I remember my parents bringing me to Taste of Bethesda every year when I was growing up, and how exciting it was to chow through streets and streets of delicious foods.

Starting right now, I'll be giving you guys a weekly heads up about upcoming Food Festivals from around the country. Sadly, we don't have too many in the Philadelphia area, so I'll be living vicariously through the comments of those of you who are able to attend -- please relay all of the juicy details!

There are details about this weekend's festivals after the jump. For those who can't attend, perhaps this sweet gallery from Taste of Vail (April 2-5, 2008) will carry us through. Expect more to come!

Gallery: Taste of Vail



Continue reading Stretch out your stomache, it's food festival time

Food Porn Daily: Grilled skirt steak

Posted Mar 25th 2008 11:06AM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Food Porn, Grilling, Meat

grilled skirt steak
Raise your hand if you're ready for warmer days and cooking outdoors! I, for one, certainly am. Sadly, I don't actually possess any outdoor space in which to grill (the downsides of living on the 20th floor) but I partake in the outdoor cooking of others whenever possible. This image of grilled skirt steak reminds me about all things that are good about summer, grilling and eating al fresco.

What's your favorite thing to throw on the grill?

Slashfood Bowl: Grill with the New England Patriots

Posted Jan 29th 2008 9:58PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: East Coast, Barbecuing, Grilling, Food Gadgets, New Products, America, Meat, Super Bowl XLII, Slashfood Bowl 2008

new england patriots grilling tools
Grilling is going to be an option this weekend in a lot of households that are hosting Super Bowl parties. Sure you can do burgers in a frying pan and hot dogs (God forbid) boiled on the stove top, but why? Wouldn't you want to bundle up in four layers of wool and goose down, step out on the patio in sub-freezing weather, scrape the ice and snow from the windshield of your Weber, and grill your food? Especially with a shiny set of New England Patriots grilling tools!

The Siskiyou New England Patriots 8-piece Barbecue Tool Set comes with a spatula with knife edge, a grill fork, tongs, a basting brush and 4 skewers. The best part, of course, is the aluminum carrying case for your precious tools that's emblazoned with the Patriots logo.

Available from the CBS Sports store for $69.99.

Super Bowl Week: How can you NOT have football-shaped crock pots and grills?

Posted Jan 29th 2008 1:00PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Lunch, Dinner, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Beef, Grilling, New Products, America, Comfort Food, Slow cooking, Meat, Super Bowl XLII

football crock pot and grill
Really, how can you not? How can you not serve piping hot chili out of a football-shaped crock pot and sling burgers on a football-shaped grill at your Super Bowl party? If you're going to go so far as donning a $100 apron in your tea's colors, you may as well go all out!

The Pro Pots slow cooker has three settings, but don't get too excited about fancy features. One of the settings is "Off," and the other is "Keep warm." Still, with a 1½ quart capacity, it's a cute way to serve a hot dip, and for some reason, the Pro Pot is screaming "Velveeta!" At only $39.99, it's not a bad deal for something you can use from September through January.

For a grill-heavy menu for a crowd, well, the Charcoal Companion Football Grill is probably too small with a grilling surface of 170 square inches, However, if you're making teeny tiny burgers, I wouldn't suggest anything less!
Slashfood Super Bowl Week

If you're 'Morning Impaired,' maybe you need a free Sausage McGriddle

Posted Jan 20th 2008 7:31PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Breakfast, Restaurants, Business, Grains, Beef, Cheese, Grilling, America, Comfort Food, Meat, Fast Food

sausage mcgriddle
This doesn't quite apply to me because I wake up before sunrise without an alarm (probably because I have coffee pulsing through my veins in place of blood), but for anyone who happens to be "morning impaired," the Society for the Morning Impaired wants to bribe you out of bed with a free Sausage McGriddle from McDonald's. You sign up to join the society, then supposedly an electronic coupon appears in your email inbox. We say "supposedly" because we tried to sign up -- we may not be morning impaired but we fall all over ourselves for anything off of McDonalds' breakfast menu -- and were told that the offer is not available in our area (we're on LA's westside). Obviously, this is a marketing program from McDonald's but we certainly don't have a problem with that. Market away if it means free food!

[via: Bargainist]

Sunday Brunch: Praline Pancakes from Williams-Sonoma

Posted Jan 20th 2008 11:01AM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Breakfast, West Coast, Nuts/seeds, Grilling, Food Gadgets, New Products, America, Comfort Food

praline pancakes, williams-sonoma
There's nothing like a wobbly stack of thick, fluffy pancakes spilling over with melted butter and maple syrup on a weekend morning (or early afternoon, if you prefer), but there are occasions when we need to be a little more refined. That doesn't mean you can't have pancakes, though. It just means that you might want to dress them up by molding your pancake batter on the griddle with a set of molds in floral shapes. Williams-Sonoma has a set of three in different sizes for pretty stacking for $16. Williams-Sonoma also provides a recipe for Praline Pancakes (pictured above) so that your Sunday morning brunch will feel a little bit fancier than a truck stop (not that truck stops aren't absolutely delicious).

Gift Guide: A Dozen Decadent Kitchen Gadgets

Posted Dec 19th 2007 2:45PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Lunch, Breakfast, Dinner, Snacks, Dessert, Baking, Lists, Grilling, Food Gadgets, New Products, Spirit of Christmas, America, Europe, Italy, France, Slow cooking, Retro cookery, Holidays, Christmas

Delicious Dozen for the Kitchen
Normally, I am of the very firm belief that most kitchen gadgets are unnecessary. With the exception of something like a waffle iron, which is pretty necessary to make waffles, there isn't much need for anything other than a razor-sharp knife, a solid cutting board, and a heavy saucepan. However, the Holidays are a time when all logic goes out the window, and we honestly believe that we won't be able to live without a $900 espresso machine or a a $1,000 rice cooker. Okay, so maybe we will never think that, but if there is someone in your life who does, we have a dozen gadget-ous gifts for him or her:

Espresso Yourself: For $900, you could probably buy an airplane ticket and have an espresso in Italy, but isn't so much more practical to let the FrancisFrancis X1 Trio make espresso for you every day?

Waffle House: The Heart-Shaped Waffle Iron by Cuisinart isn't so much a luxury gift for the price as it is for the experience it creates. Waffles for breakfast are impressive, and for some reason, their being heart-shaped screams "eat in breakfast bed!"

Vita Stats: VitaMix makes the top-of-the-line blenders and juicers, and while the message from the manufacturer is for health, who couldn't whip up a blended margarita in one of these $600 machines?

Toaster with the Most-er: Pop-tarts will never be the same once you've had them out of the Bugatti Toaster, designed by the same folks who make, well, Bugatti cars.

What a Crock: Low and slow is the way to go, and with the Rival Slow Cooker, you can put together the ingredients in the morning, leave it all day, and come back to a finished product.

Grills Gone Wide: Technically, it's called an Indoor Grill, but really, would you cheat your George Foreman of making lean mean turkey burgers? Save the Breville for paninis, which can be made many-at-a-time on this particular model that has more surface area.

Rice, Rice, Baby: Because yes, someone needs a $1,000 rice cooker.

Cuts Like a Knife: Shun makes top-shelf knives, and for over $300, the Kershaw 10 5/8" knife could probably slice that top-shelf into perfect julienne strips.

In the Mix: Everyone {hearts} a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, and really, it might be one of the most coveted pieces of kitchen equipment out there. However, it's the Custom Metallic series that makes your mixer special. We love the brushed copper to match all of our copper pots and pans, but the brushed nickel is so sleek.

Deep Freeze: You may have an ice cream maker, but is it as beautifully sleek and chic as the Musso Lussino Dessert Maker? Hopefully it isn't since the Lussino is $700.

Ream Me Up: Reaming a lime for your cocktail has never been so artful.

Pop and Lock: This may be the one "gadget" that encourages us to step away from the power source in the wall. We know that microwaves are bad, and we also know that popcorn from the microwave is even worse. Whirley Pop lets you pop on the stovetop.

Dean & Deluca makes galbee

Posted Jul 29th 2007 6:46PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Lunch, Dinner, East Coast, Beef, Pork, Stores & Shopping, Grilling, New Products, America, Meat

dean and deluca's rib feast
Who knew?

Obviously, I knew that you could order semi-prepared foods and have them delivered to home from a variety of sources, whether that's getting steaks from Omaha Steaks or a Crab Boil in a Box. However, I have never seen Korean food, particularly galbee until I spied it in this season's Dean & Deluca catalog!

Sure, I know there are online sources for ordering various Korean and other Asian foods like kimchee, tofu, and I am sure that they will send marinated galbee, bulgogi and other Korean BBQ meats. I just found it amusing that Korean galbee was popular enough to be included as part of a package from Dean & Deluca called the Rib Feast in which the other ribs are all American ribs - St. Louis, Country Spareribs, and Beef Ribs.

Weird, but neat.

Ten ways to top corn on the cob

Posted Jul 29th 2007 12:28PM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Dinner, Vegetables, Recipes, Magazines, Grilling, America

grilled corn getting a spoonful of lime butter
A few weeks ago, some friends and I put together an impromptu cookout on a friend's back patio. We spent an hour gathering ingredients at the Italian Market and ended up with chicken, beef, shrimp, a bunch of grill-able veggies and ten ears of corn. The corn went on the grill last, husks and all. While they cooked, I ran into the kitchen and pulled together a lime flavored butter to melt down over the corn. Though we were totally stuffed by the time we got to the corn, it didn't stop us from devouring it, dripping lime butter and all.

Better Homes and Gardens has a tasty-looking slide show up right now of 10 different ways to flavor your corn on the cob, that had I seen it before that weekend cook out, would have made me question my choice of lime butter, just because there are so many other good options. I'm especially tempted by the fresh sage, rosemary and butter combination.

Grilled zucchini, feta and mint

Posted Jul 23rd 2007 9:30AM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Dinner, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Recipes, Grilling

grilled zucchini feta
All across the country, zucchini and other summer squashes are taking over garden patches. They double in size overnight, leaving home cooks pondering new ways to use them up so that their families don't say to them, "You mean we're having squash? Again?"

The following recipe has captured my attention as a terrific way to use a lot of your zucchini. It fancies up your basic grilled squash, and, coupled with a protein and a grain salad, would make a terrific meal. The grilling of the squash could be done outside, on a stove-top grill pan or even on a large George Foreman.

Continue reading Grilled zucchini, feta and mint

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