Cooking with Miss Quad

April 1, 2019
In this “blueprint to end your cooking woes,” Webb, known for her role in Bravo’s Married to Medicine, shares doable recipes inspired by her Memphis roots for soul food dishes that range from down-home to upscale. Breakfast features twists on grits, cornmeal pancakes, and bacon cheddar biscuits. Deep-fried dishes include crispy chicken sliders and panko-crusted softshell crabs with ginger garlic sauce, while a chapter on grilling showcases Memphis dry rub ribs and grilled lamb chops. Doubling as mains or sides are several salads such as peach, fig, and arugula, and there’s no shortage of seafood recipes, which include pecan-crusted trout, Cajun-style blackened scallops, or cornmeal-dusted catfish. For entertaining, colorful cocktails abound (peach vodka cocktail; Glenlivet mule) along with numerous nibbles to “set the tone”: hot wings, shrimp kebabs, stuffed mushrooms, and oven-baked potato chips topped with melted gorgonzola bacon cheese sauce. Webb’s passion for creating relaxed but exciting food is affectionately presented in these straightforward recipes.

June 21, 2019

Born in Memphis and now living in Atlanta, Webb, aka Miss Quad, is a talk show host and entrepreneur--who also knows her way around the kitchen. The recipes in this debut are steeped in Southern flair, but this is more than a comfort food cookbook. While it includes staples such as fried green tomatoes, deliciously carb-loaded cheese casseroles, and barbecue dishes, readers will also find several recipes with fresh, modern flavors (e.g., the peach, fig, and arugula salad with spicy lemon honey vinaigrette). Ingredient lists are short and unfussy, and every recipe is accommodated by beautiful full-page color photographs. A thoughtful introduction provides tips for stocking a pantry and setting the mood for a perfect meal. The book is capped off with seven sophisticated yet surprisingly simple cocktails. While fans of Webb know this past year has not been easy on her, her recipe book shows her strength as a woman and a chef. VERDICT Fans and Southern food enthusiasts alike will enjoy the "relaxed but exciting" takes on Southern favorites.--Jennifer Clifton, Indiana State Lib., Indianapolis

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