Guac Off! [Hardcover]

Nathan Myers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 2009

Nathan Myers is a guacamole master. His recipes will have guac fans forgoing the chips and digging in with a spoon. With 30 recipes for classic, exotic, and extreme guacamoles, there is a guac to suit every occasion, from the green chile-enhanced Brooktown Classic to the ultra-spicy Scarface Guac. Following the tenets of Sun Tzu's Art of War, Myers sets the rules for holding a guac-offthe ultimate contest to see who reigns supreme in the world of guacamoleculminating in the victor being bestowed with a bottle of tequila. Guac Off! includes prize-winning recipes from past showdowns, a history of avocados, plus a healthy dose of fun.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nathan Myers is a writer and native of Fallbrook, California, the avocado capital of the world. He now lives in Bali where they make guacamole with ice and coffee in a blender.

Jeremy Webster is a Southern California-based photographer.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 112 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (May 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811865061
• ISBN-13: 978-0811865067
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

NATHAN MYERS grew up in the avocado capital of the world. In addition to being a two-time Guac Off champion for his legendary "Chicken Guac" and "Feta & Artichoke Guac", he is a Senior Editor at SURFING Magazine and a regular columnist for Surf Europe, Japan Surfing Life and Surf World Australia. He has written articles for LA Times, West Magazine and Maxim, with movie credits including Trilogy (2007), Stranger Than Fiction (2008), The Drifter (2009) and Castles in the Sky (2010). "Guac Off" is his first cookbook. He currently lives in Bali, Indonesia where he is at work on various film and fiction projects.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Gift Item!, May 29, 2009

By 

kebssb - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guac Off! (Hardcover)

My Stepmom had this book on her coffee table and the colorful cover and quaint size (i.e... I knew it would be an easy read!) immediately caught my eye. Once I opened it and saw the hilarious chapter titles I knew I needed to read on.

It starts with a very humorous... yet factual (I think!)... background history on avocados... by no means is this a boring historical tale of the avocado! Then it dives right into some seriously amazing guac recipes with beautiful photos to go along with them.

I'm always looking for fun gift ideas and this one is now at the top of the list. If you are looking to share your love of guac with the world, this book is essential!

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never would have imagined..., May 24, 2009

By 

Lexi Keller "Lexi Keller" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Guac Off! (Hardcover)

Everyone has their own guac recipe - myself included - and I was a bit skeptical that this book would be anything but gimmicky nonsense. On the contrary, I've discovered three new favorites almost immediately and debuted two of them at my Lakers viewing party - people think I'm a guac Goddess now! Amazingly informative and entertaining.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guacamole that's a perfect 10!, July 4, 2009

By 

H. Grove "Errant Dreams Reviews" (Maryland, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Guac Off! (Hardcover)

Guac Off! starts off with the kind of history I actually enjoy reading about: fascinating tidbits about the history of avocados, their use, and their advancement throughout the world and its cuisines. Next, Myers provides a guide to competitive guacamole-making, or "guac offs", with all sorts of practical, handy, and over-the-top hilarious advice! Soon you'll be rounding up your friends to experiment with home-made variations in the backyard.

Finally, he delves into the important part of the book: recipes! The first chapter handles a few classic guac recipes and variations, including my favorite from this book: the mango guac. At first I wondered why it specifically has you mash the mango in with the avocado instead of leaving it chopped, but I quickly understood the point after tasting the delightful blend of flavors! The chapter of exotic guacs includes influences from around the world, such as one inspired by Asian flavors, and a "French Guac" with blue cheese. So far my favorite from this chapter is the artichoke guac, which includes marinated artichokes, toasted pine nuts, and feta, and is surprisingly delightful!

A chapter of "extreme guacs" adds unusual ingredients to guacamole such as marinated chicken, crab, shrimp, bacon, and so on, turning it into an entree rather than a side or appetizer. There's even a breakfast guac with hardboiled eggs, mayo, and bacon. Finally, a chapter entitled "guacamole road: the journey continues" gives you some ideas of where to go next. It lists out a plethora of guacamole varieties that the author thinks would be fun to try (cherry guac? steak sauce guac?) to inspire your own experiments. Then it includes a few drinks to go with your guacamole tastings, such as margaritas, sangria, and tequila sunrise. Of course the book wouldn't be complete without a recipe for making your own tortilla chips, as well as chip alternatives, fresh salsa, and salsa verde.

Every recipe we tried from this book had a wonderfully-balanced blend of delicious flavors; it's just a matter of picking the ones that suit your tastes! I guarantee that after playing around with this cookbook, you'll no longer be afraid to come up with your own guacamole from scratch.