The Gardener & the Grill

January 16, 2012
Maintaining a brand can sometimes be a thankless proposition. Adler and Fertig, better known in the previous decade as the BBQ Queens, wore tiaras in their 2005 The BBQ Queens’ Big Book of Barbecue and proclaimed, “We grill and smoke like girls.” Seven years and several cookbooks later, they appear to have taken a Shakespearean tumble and are now humble gardeners, “two women who love to cook and especially grill.” It is indeed a matured collection featuring a host of complicated taste combinations. There is charred eggplant with tarragon spread as an appetizer, grilled summer slaw with gorgonzola vinaigrette and grilled bok choy with ginger-soy sauce. All told, there are more than 100 vegetarian recipes and, oh, wait, chicken and charcuterie pop up in several of the offerings, and the fifth of the book’s six chapters is entitled “Meat, Poultry and Fish” and includes entrees like grilled pork tenderloin with fresh fig skewers and flank steak with peppers and onions. So it is at times a meaty collection and at times a veggie collection, as any paean to the “sizzle of the grill” ought to be. And fruity as well, with the dessert chapter extolling the pleasures of grilled peaches, grapefruits, rhubarb, and persimmons.

February 15, 2012

Known as the BBQ Queens, Adler and Fertig (coauthors, 25 Essentials: Techniques for Grilling Fish) are barbecue instructors and competitors. Their latest cookbook is full of creative ideas for grilling with garden-fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Standout recipes include unique condiments (e.g., Smoked Summer Tomato Basil Butter), substantial vegetarian options (e.g., Fire-Roasted Fava Beans with Sheep's Milk Cheese), and fruit desserts (e.g., Planked Peaches & Blueberries with Amaretto Sauce). This book does not illustrate the finer points of grilling, so readers will need some prior knowledge of equipment and technique. VERDICT A refreshing departure from meat-centric BBQ bibles.

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2012
Americans have become so accustomed to firing up their backyard grills for all sorts of meats, from large joints to everyday burgers, that they forget that vegetables flourishing in the nearby garden profit equally from the punch of flavor that barbecuing bestows. Grilling potato slices before tossing them with strongly herbed French vinaigrette adds a level of flavor often lacking in mayonnaise-dressed potato salads. Grilling green tomato slices before sandwiching them with cream cheese delivers a somewhat less heavy alternative to frying. For all their imaginative ways of grilling greens, Adler and Fertig by no means ignore fish and meat. Fish tacos brim with leafy greens and blackened fish pieces, and there's even a comforting burger. The authors advocate grilled breads, and they present examples from Afghan, Indian, and Italian traditions. Searing fruits such as peaches, apples, and figs underlies a number of sweet desserts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)