Serial Griller

December 2, 2019
Despite the title being as unfortunate as his last (The South’s Best Butts), Moore thankfully keeps the puns to a minimum in this hearty collection of 125 “killer” recipes. The book is divided into three parts: The first is a short and basic overview of the art of cooking with fire, and covers various types of grills, charcoal, and accessories. Moore hits the road in part two, visiting a dozen grillmasters, primarily in the South, and profiling their eateries and supplying recipes for their specialties. The results are surprisingly and delightfully multicultural; there is octopus souvlaki from the Greek eatery Greko in East Nashville; Southeast Asia–inspired cajun-grilled pig tails from Marjie’s Grill in New Orleans; and an Israeli chicken shishlik with green garbanzo masabacha and gribenes from Zahav in Philadelphia. The third part contains Moore’s own recipes—eight different salads including a grilled Caesar in which both croutons and lettuce are charred; bayou pizza that’s topped with andouille and smoked gouda; and, for dessert, grilled-doughnut ice cream sandwiches bring fire to icing. In the debate between charcoal and gas cooking, Moore leans toward the former, offering in-depth directives for venting and lighting coal in each recipe. Variety is the spice of this lively and flavorful harbinger of spring.

February 15, 2020
Moore follows up The South's Best Butts (2017) with a tour across the U.S. to learn from other masters of grill and barbecue what specialties they might offer from their diverse traditions. In Nashville, he finds Greek-inflected barbecue that features both familiar pork souvlaki as well as a tasty version featuring octopus grilled to tenderness. In Chicago he discovers a method for replicating a sort of sous vide cooking of rib eye steaks using only a grill, finishing them over coals to add a seared crust. New Orleans chef Edgar Caro uniquely grills whole lobsters in veils of seaweed. Philadelphia's Michael Solomonov grills chicken and sauces it with fresh chickpea and tahini puree and dusts it with kosher gribenes, crispy bits of chicken skin. Moore's own innovations include a trio of chicken wing appetizers, grilled Bolognese sauce for pasta, and a centerpiece pork belly-wrapped porchetta. Recipes extend from basic to complex, ingredients from common to exotic. Dedicated backyard grillers will find a lot to challenge them here.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

May 1, 2020

Grillmaster Moore (A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen) takes home cooks on a journey that he promises "will change your life in the most delicious way possible." Beginning by covering the various fuels, wood, charcoal (lump and briquettes), gas, and electricity, Moore then segues into setups: open, closed, kamado or hybrid, and lighting strategies. Based on his travels across the United States, Moore highlights some restaurateurs and their grilling specialties, including Greko in East Nashville, which features octopus souvlaki; Hoover's Grocery in Greenwood, MS, and their three-down ribs; and Marjie's Grill in New Orleans, which cooks up cajun-grilled pig tails. Background on the grillers gives a personal tone and recipes are provided. The second half on the book is the author's take on some dishes like two-step beer brat sliders with mustard as well as grilled potato salad. Grilled-doughnut ice cream sandwiches are one example of a dessert to round out the meal. VERDICT This roasting resource discusses many tips and will complement any library's BBQ collection. Moore provides advice and ideas for the griller in all of us.--Barbara Kundanis, Longmont P.L., CO

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