The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook: More Than 100 Years of Sizzling Food Writing and Recipes
*Starred Review* Once again, it’s proven true that most anything the New York Times puts its name on is not only good but also outstanding in its field. In this compilation edited by former Times’ journalist and author (Pig Perfect, 2005, and Culinary Intelligence, 2012, for two) Kaminsky, we truly get the best of the best on grilling. Nearly 200 recipes from the likes of Pierre Franey, Craig Claiborne, Jacques Pépin, Susan Spicerand, and others are included, with choices ranging from a Baltimore pit-beef sandwich to corn pudding. The newspaper’s archives, too, contribute to enrich the tome; in fact, it might be hard to select any one dish since the sidebars are very seductive. There’s Marian Burros’ tribute to the birthday of hamburgers, President Eisenhower’s recipe for cooking steaks (just throw them right in the fire), and the Greek tradition of roasting lamb—not to mention anecdotes and prefaces that accompany each recipe. Almost any foodstuff anywhere in the world gets its place on the grill: watermelon burgers with cheese, Vietnamese pork kebabs, grilled sardines, grilled ratatouille, and spider bread. The only bit of knowledge that’s omitted? Grilling equipment. --Barbara Jacobs