Barbecue Crossroads: Notes and Recipes from a Southern Odyssey
*Starred Review* This is an homage to a way of life that, unless tended to, may very well pass away in the next decade or two. Ostensibly setting a goal to write about southern barbecue, former Houston Press restaurant reviewer Walsh (Legends of Texas Barbecue Cookbook, 2002; The Tex-Mex Cookbook, 2004; and others) and photographer O. Rufus Lovett meander through the southern states on a journey to capture the spirit and times associated with the whole hog (and sometimes less). It’s no “best of” list. Walsh spends time (and sometimes not) with all kinds of people, including preachers and hog-raisers, to get at the essence of barbecue. The color photographs alone demand the book’s size, as do the more than 80 recipes, some of which can be duplicated by home chefs, such as parched peanuts made using a microwave and plain paper bag and melt-in-your-eyes fried pies (never mind what the sugar and cholesterol counts are). Walsh explores the relationship between pits and pulpits, wanders to Memphis (spiritual home of this kind of cookery), focuses on the charms of beer and community feasts, and more with charm, ease, and a methodical pace, reminding us how life and barbecue need to be savored. --Barbara Jacobs