Customer Reviews

Big Flavors of the Hot Sun: Recipes and Techniques from the Spice Zone

5 star:		(11)
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This is one of my favorite cookbooks, and is the first one I turn to when looking for inspiration. The recipes are written with humor and use a creative fusion of tastes and flavors from Asia, Latin America and the Southern United States. Jake's barbeque rub and the mango chutney are now firmly a part of my repertoire. The recipes are largely intended for the grill, but most will work well indoors. I also own and recommend their other two cookbooks.

I have a collection of over 300 cookbooks and funny enough, end up using about 1/2 dozen on a regular basis. This is one of those must-have cookbooks. How it ever went out of print I don't know. The recipes are unique, interesting, use ingredients in unusual combinations, to great effect. Superb barbecue recipes and wonderful meat rubs. Can transform a Sunday roast into something very special, without a lot of work. Many of the recipes are quite easy to prepare and look elegant. I always get great compliments when I cook from this book.

First there was the Bible, then came "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun."....this is the greatest cookbook since the other ones that Chris and John wrote. The recipes are spicy or mild, always interesting, and cover all of those funny spices and herbs that you don't know what to do with. It's a blast! ...and I can't imagine being without it.

Their recipes are so good...like the grilled pineapple or the chicken thigh quesadillas...they're experimental, complete, and are guaranteed to "wow" your guests. Buy it NOW.

This book was the first cookbook I bought after the predictable Joy of Cooking. I bought it at Chris's Cambridge retaurant, The East Coast Grill- which is perhaps my favorite Boston eatery (and I've been to all the best in the area). I've gone on to buy several books concerned with Fusion Cooking, many of which just collect dust these days. I keep returning to this book. Of all my books (the collection has grown immensely since then) this has become one of the stained and ragged standards in the repertoire. The section on spice rubs is fantastic. The overall layout is simple and user friendly. The history and description is interesting while being concise. Anyone who spends a little time with this book will undoubtedly walk away with a broader appreciation of cuisine.

This is easily the best cookbook I've ever seen. Bold, assertive flavors without the trendy nonsense. I was going to puchase books on foods of India, Asia, and other torrid zones, but this one fills all my needs and is moron easy to boot? How's that for self-deprecating?

I won my husband's heart with indian chicken stew. I agree with the other review: Why oh why is this book out of print!? Makes me value my copy more. Exlporing this book makes one a more adventurous cook.

When I was in culinary school, this book was a true inspiration. This is not just a cookbook. There is much more to the text than recipes and ingredients. What these two men have created is a book that represents a philosophy of food and life. I have used the ideas and techniques in my professional life, but have also embraced the soul of this masterwork and have shared it with family and friends alike. Buy this book if you love food, life and good friends. Also, buy The Thrill of the Grill, simply the best grilling book ever.

This is the one cookbook I'd take with me to a desert island! The recipes are tropical and amenable to island living. Many involve cooking in palm tree leaves and the like, so it would be a natural in the hot sun.

But even if I were staying home, this would be the one cookbook I'd keep if I had to give away the 99 others. I figure I can "wing it" if I'm cooking normal American food, but the recipes in this book are so creative and far out, that I'd never come up with this stuff without help! This book is awesome! I can't believe that it's out of print!

Reading this book is a great way to discover the foods from all around the "hot " equator areas. This duo has crafted a book with style, great recipes and interesting information. Helpful information about the recipes, the culinary background and easy to read recipes, lets you try many interesting recipes. There are also rubs, a spice chart and more.There are some nice photos too. Many I tried were hits: The hot spinach sesame condiment (9.4/10) ; jicama pineapple salsa (9.4/10). Ones I want to try are the spicy noodles, mango tomatillo salsa , malasian chicken and more.

This is a great book for those looking to spice up their grilling or cooking experience. Years ago, back in the 80's, my friends and I would dine at the East Coast Grill in Cambridge, Ma and eat the authors foods. It was our favorite hang-out. With specials like the Jamaican Jerk Beef and Pasta from Hell we kept coming back. Now, many years later this book has become my way of going back and recreating the foods I enjoyed. The introduction to various spices and combinations of spices is fantastic. This will quickly be at the front of your cookbook shelf!