Customer Reviews

A Cowboy in the Kitchen: Recipes from Reata and Texas West of the Pecos

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a fantastic cookbook. I saw a copy at my parents' house, and I was charmed by the photos and design, so I hinted at a birthday gift selection. The parents obliged, and A COWBOY IN THE KITCHEN has become my favorite cookbook. I discovered that the terrific photos and graphics are only the tip of the iceberg -- the recipes are just fantastic. I have made probably 8 or 9 of them so far, and every one was a joy to make and even more of a joy to eat! In particular, the Spicy Tomato Soup with Sourdough Croutons has been a real hit with friends at dinner parties. The classic Chicken Fried Steak with Cream Gravy is simply divine. It's a great combination of old-timey, classic country comfort food and new-fangled, flavorsome delights. The classic Ranch Dressing and fancier Sherry Vinaigrette have become the standard salad dressings in my kitchen. I can't say enough good things about this book!

Grady Spears has written a book that can teach anyone how to cook his West Texas cowboy cuisine! He puts thing in a perspective that is simple to follow. As he states in the book, he can do this because he is not really a chef, he's just a cowboy in the kitchen!

Recipes for things such as Reata grill blend, cilantro butter, sourdough biscuts, and my favorite, buttermilk biscuts with pecans are so savory you'll feel like you're in the beautiful West Texas scenery in the book.

This book is a must for any aspiring cowboy chef!

Grady Spears has generated a terrific cookbook, but it is also just a splendid evocation of West Texas. Texans living far from chicken fried steaks now have the ultimate recipe. The Reata Blend is worth the price of the book! Great chefs do not always produce great books, but Grady Spears has a gift for teaching people how to cook food his way. One of my favorite cookbooks.

I absolutely love this cookbook with some great stories! The Reata Grill Blend & Pasilla Powder are new staples in my kitchen. I've tried lots of the recipes & have loved everyone of them--can't wait to try some more. My all time fave is the Cream of Jalapeno soup.

The recipes from this outstanding cookbook are always requested at my house. The Reata Blend is kept in the house all the time and used on all different types of foods. Grady did a wonderful job giving us a cookbook that is traditional Texas Cuisine and not all the low fat no-flavor recipes that are so common today. Try scorching a steak with some fresh cilantro butter the way Grady does.Mmmm good!

As an avid cook and an amateur collector of quality cookbooks, I've seen a lot of theme cookbooks like this that are often more story that recipe. This cookbook combines both and is my absolute favorite cookbook ever! The recipes are amazing (though to all of you out there counting points/carbs/calories, etc., this is probably not for you), the back story is interesting, and the knowledge expressed in these pages is priceless to anyone from an aspiring weeknight cook to the most recent C.I.A. graduate (the cooking school, not the espionage organization). In short, there's something for everyone, and everyone will love the food from this book. As I write this, I'm enjoying the buttermilk biscuits that in a few days I will make into the buttermilk biscuit pudding with Southern Comfort cream!

Grady Spears's cookbook is the greatest. I bought it for my husband (the meat and potatoes type) who loves to cook, but really hates bland food. Each recipe has a short description that includes the origin of the recipe as well as serving suggestions. The variety of recipes, from the hearty Oven-Roasted Tenderloin of Pork with Apple Poblano Chutney to the mouth watering Bacon-wrapped shrimp with onion marmalade, ensures that this is more than just another regional cookbook. Some of the chapters include: "Chuck-wagon game birds and seafood," "Dutch Ovens and One-Pot meals," "Potatoes, Vegetables and other Touchy Subjects," and many more. This is one of those cookbooks that you will enjoy reading as much as you enjoy trying the recipes. It's well worth buying!!

I was first drawn to this book by its wonderful photography showing landscapes and people of West Texas, the writing style is comfortable and drew me into the story of cowboy cooking. The recipes are all very accessible, Texas cowboy comfort food! but not quite what you might expect to roll off the chuckwagon. The variety of recipes is surprisingly strong, and are all accomplishable by everyday cooks and beginners. The sidebbars scattered throughout the book give a good sense of ranch life. This one will be in my kitchen book shelf a while!!

Grady Spears has done it! This is the kind of cookbook you will use over and over. Great recipes for special occasions and everyday eating as well. Spears is a real, down-to-earth guy, and one heckuva good cook. I write cookbooks, too, so I am rather hard to impress, but this book is an excellent addition to any good cooks collection.

A truly inspiring read and insight to the Pecos. Gradys recipes will revitalize the aura in your in pots and pans as well as the entire kitchen. The book is simple yet creative and above all the recipes are great fun to eat. Set your tables in the motif, cook from the book, dress the part and you've got a great evening with good friends