* Paul has appeared on The Today Show, Discovery Channel, CBS This Morning, Talk Soup, and Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour: In Search of the Perfect Meal. He was also featured in AARP's Modern Maturity Magazine, Saveur, and The Calgary Herald, and he has written articles for Food ∧ Wine, Fine Cooking, and Chili Pepper magazine.

Average Rating:


Review: 2009-10-16

BBQ from all over...
BBQ, for afficianados, isn't just one thing. Different parts of the country have completely different definitions of what is "barbecue" -- from the tomato-based sauces of spicy Kansas City ribs to the vinegar-laden smokehouse pork of eastern North Carolina.

This book is a comprehensive look at what barbecue means to the different regions and styles, and includes some fabulously tasty recipes for each so that you can recreate it at home without having to travel to experience it. The survey of the culture surrounding barbecue is also fun to read, and if you're trivia-minded, it's great for filling the bank of tidbits to throw out the next time someone throws something on the grill.

Very worth a look if you're a carnivore. :)


Review: 2009-09-17

A decent book and attractive book
I own quite a few BBQ books. That's because I'm what's referred to as a "Pellet Head". I've been trying to learn BBQ techniques for a couple of years. That is what attracted me to this book.

This book is a bit unique for a BBQ book. It's so pretty that it's almost a coffee table book. That surprised me, since most BBQ books are no nonsense, functional endeavors.

"America's Best BBQ" offers up "selected" recipes from famous, semi-famous and even some obscure BBQ restaurants. But don't expect your favorite BBQ joint to give up their signature dishes. However, the recipes that are included are interesting. And since there are many restaurants in here, the whole adds up to a lot of decent looking recipes.

Frankly I was a little disappointed at first. I had hoped to find some "signature" dish recipes. But once I got over that, it was clear that the book covers a lot of ground and offered up some pretty unique perspectives and interesting ideas.

Pros:
* It's really pretty
* There are a lot of varied and even surprising ideas
* It gives me ideas of new place to try when I travel.

Cons:
* Don't expect your favorite restaurant to give up their signature dishes.
* Some of the recipes are vague and assume you know a lot about BBQ.

All in all, a good, interesting book for anyone wanting to BBQ or looking for a new BBQ joint to try out.



Review: 2009-09-03

A Scrapbook of Barbecue Culture
My family loves barbecue. We've taken road trips and lengthy detours to try new BBQ restaurants and visit old favorites. We've visited a few of the places in this book, and our all-time favorite--Ridgewood Barbecue in Bluff City, TN--is included. But this book is more than just a guide for travelers looking for good BBQ: it's a scrapbook of barbecue culture, with photos and history notes. It also includes 100 recipes--some original "top secret" and some "copycat" versions--for the specialties of each restaurant. Each pair of facing pages includes details about a restaurant, photos, and a recipe or two.

The book is divided into sections as a menu is: Starters, Main Dishes, Sides and Condiments, and Desserts. The Starters chapter includes recipes for traditional and regional favorites such as onion rings, Brunswick stew, burgoo, and Rocky Mountain oysters. Main Dishes, of course, is all about the 'cue: ribs, pulled pork, barbecued pig snout, and more. The Sides and Condiments section is not only cole slaw--white, pink, red, you name it--but also baked beans, cornbread, hushpuppies, and potatoes. Dessert recipes include Lexington banana pudding, bread pudding, apple crisp, and fried peach pies.

I highly recommend this book!



Review: 2009-08-30

Enjoyable book that makes me want to travel
This book is great because it takes all the best BBQ recipes from around the nation and fits them into one book. However, there is a problem in that all the recipes use specific ingredients geared towards their own region. So recipes are either easily made or you will have to substitute ingredients. This recipe book is organized well and easy to read. It tells interesting facts about many BBQ places from around the world. My favorite recipe had to be from Williamson Bros. in Georgia. This book actually makes you feel like you have been to each BBQ restaurant or that you wish you were there as you're reading.

Amazon List Price: $19.99 Choose an Amazon Store .US .UK .JP .DE .FR .CA  Buy from Amazon