Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 24, 1995 TAG: 9505250002
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CAROL DEEGAN ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
DATELINE: NEW YORK LENGTH: Long
``Grilling was making the difference in the way we were eating,'' Barnard writes in her new cookbook, ``Low-Fat Grilling: Fabulous Food from the Backyard Barbecue,'' (HarperPerennial).
``Whereas lots of oil is needed for deep-frying, and the flavor of browned butter is integral to the success of many sauteed dishes, grilled foods require little or no added fat of any kind, and instead take most of their taste cues from the cooking method itself.''
In her new cookbook, Barnard serves up recipes for grill-smoked turkey with curried peach salsa, plantain slices, molasses mustard chicken, and such improbable candidates for grilling as polenta, potato chips and apples. Her side dishes, accompaniments and desserts complement grilled foods and also provide satisfaction without the fat.
In addition to the recipes themselves, Barnard provides suggested menus for entertaining, ideas on getting the most from your grill, nutritional information and general hints on how to cut back on fat without compromising taste. Barnard is the author of ``The Best Covered and Kettle Grills Cookbook Ever.''
Picnics
``Flexibility is of paramount importance for the serious picnicker,'' writes Gail Monaghan in ``Perfect Picnics for All Seasons'' (Abbeville Press). ``Nonetheless, much can and should be planned ahead. There is no pleasure in hiking halfway up a mountain carrying a bottle of Bordeaux only to discover the corkscrew has been left on the kitchen counter.''
Among Monaghan's suggestions:
When packing, make sure liquids, sauces and other leaky foods are tightly capped. Place any questionable container inside a sealed plastic bag. Use masking tape when in doubt.
Carry easily damaged foods in sturdy containers.
Protect delicate glassware, dishes and platters with picnic napkins, tablecloth or blanket.
Keep iced cakes and delicate pastries in boxes.
To prevent spoilage, keep highly perishable food refrigerated until the last minute.
Monaghan has divided her book into menus for picnics beside the water, in the mountains, on the road, at the concert, at work, in love and with the children. Among her recipes: herbed oven-fried chicken, double cornbread and lemon-glazed cupcakes.
In ``Picnics,'' editor Heidi Haughy Cusick brings together 48 recipes from the Country Garden Cookbook Series by Collins Publishers San Francisco.
Cusick has selected six festive theme menus for picnics, including an All-American Independence Day Barbecue, with recipes for corn on the cob, potato salad and apple pie, and an Autumn Courtship in an Italian Garden, with recipes for arugula, roasted red peppers and prosciutto on panini, olives spiced with lemons and herbs, and lemon squares.
The recipes were selected from six Country Garden cookbooks: ``Apples,'' ``Berries,'' ``Greens,'' ``Lemons,'' ``Potatoes'' and ``Tomatoes.''
Cusick also provides food packing and transporting suggestions, barbecuing tips, location ideas and lists of picnic-basket essentials.
Backyard Cook|
``The Random House Barbecue and Summer Foods Cookbook,'' by Margaret Fraser, is a basic cookbook for summer grilling, with over 175 recipes for outdoor cooking and entertaining.
Fraser provides recipes for beef, lamb and pork; burgers and hot dogs; fish and seafood; vegetables and salads.
The book features 10 barbecue menus including a western barbecue, kids-style barbecue, Fourth of July celebration picnic and Labor Day supper, with recipes for grilled steak with garlic and black olive sauce, spicy grilled chicken and barbecued beans.
Color photographs accompany the recipes.
For the Outdoor Chef|
``The Outdoor Chef's Bible,'' by John Weiss (Doubleday) is a guide to cooking on the trail, in a permanent campground or in your own back yard.
Weiss describes the best foods for outdoor excursions, how to pack them and keep them hot or cold, plus the necessary stoves, grills, cookware and utensils. He shows how to build a ``grub box,'' a portable cupboard that fits in a station wagon or car trunk, and is always ready for a trip. And he explains outdoor cooking techniques, including charcoal, open fire, Dutch oven, foil and freeze-dried food cookery.
Recipes range from stick-to-the-ribs staples such as macaroni and cheese to sourdough pancakes and corn on the cob. The book is illustrated with black-and-white photographs and drawings, many of them step-by-step guides to recipe preparation.
Summer cookbooks
Delia Smith, a best-selling cookbook author in England, has adapted her recipes for American cooks in ``Delia Smith's Summer Collection: 140 Recipes for Summer'' (Viking). Among the recipes: savory feta cheesecake, oven-roasted ratatouille and pesto rice salad. With menus for summer entertaining and more than 50 color photographs by Peter Knab.
``Mrs. Beeton's Book of Summer'' (Ward Lock Publishing) captures the nostalgia of summers gone by with recipes, traditional garden games, seasonal crafts and customs. Illustrated with elegant Victorian engravings, color photographs and watercolors. Among the recipes: barbecued spare ribs, stewed cucumbers, shrimp salad and gooseberry fritters.
by CNB