Let the Flames Begin: Tips, Techniques, and Recipes for Real Live Fire Cooking (Hardcover)

~ (Author), John Willoughby (Author) "THE ONE THING THAT ALL THE DISHES IN THIS CHAPTER have in common is that they are smaller than entrees..." (more)
Key Phrases: unroll the foil, grill grid, cracked toasted coriander seeds, United States, New England, Granny Smith (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In their books The Thrill of the Grill and How to Cook Meat, Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby told grillers what they need to know to make great outdoor food--and how to have fun doing it. Let the Flames Begin finds the pair similarly busy, and better than ever on the how-to-and-with-what equation. Establishing their commitment to live-fire, as opposed to gas-fueled, grilling (each live fire has its own personality, they say, and is thus more fun to cook over, and it's the sole source of "that true, ineffable grilled flavor"), they then present the six basic live-fire techniques, cold and hot smoking through barbecuing and grilling. (Barbecuing is "cool and slow," grilling is not.) The pair's recipes are always instructive--each one provides detailed information on the appropriate fire set up, for example--as well as inviting. Flames offers 250 of these for a wide range of basic and innovative dishes, among them Cumin-Crusted Grilled Sirloin Strip Steak with Grilled Avocados and Chipotle-Coated Onions, Barbecued Jerk Baby Back Ribs with Banana-Guava Catsup, and the incredibly incendiary Pasta from Hell: The Next Generation with Curried Grilled Chicken. (This comes with a release form absolving the authors from responsibility for the dish's effect on diners and the ozone layer.) Included also are formulas for the authors' signature in-the-coals foil-pouch cooking, which yields sides like Hobo Pack of Sweet Potatoes, Apples, and Sage. With a useful section on gauging food doneness, a helpful glossary, and wise counsel throughout, the book promises more grilling thrills than ever from the guys who have the drill down. --Arthur Boehm

From Publishers Weekly

In the seventh collaboration since their ahead-of-the-curve Thrill of the Grill (1990), Schlesinger and Willoughby demonstrate what separates the men from the boys in the practice of outdoor cookery. As their preface insists, lighting charcoal is not just cooking, it is a serious connection back to childhood, a kid's discovery of fire as well as the celebration of lessons passed on from Dad. The authors clearly love their work and their passion makes for an exciting collection. It doesn't hurt either that they are at once elegant and disarming. The very first recipe, Silky Turkish Eggplant Dip, relaxes the reader: Cooking eggplant on the grill is particularly fun because it's one time when you can feel free to burn your food to a cinder. This is not to suggest that the recipes are simplistic. Indeed, the authors have found a way to combine the requisite smoky flavor of charcoal with the complex, new-world colors and tastes most often found in dishes meant for the even-tempered but unchallenging gas grill. The key is to build what they refer to as a multi-level fire, a literal ramp of heat that allows for a range of temperature. Thus, for West Indies Grilled Chicken Thighs with Grilled Banana, the chicken gets high heat while the fruit and a butter and molasses mixture do well on the cooler end of the grill. Sides include Pineapple-Chipotle Salsa and Peach Red Pepper Relish. In all, 400 pages, 250 recipes and two lifetimes' worth of experience make this a must-have for the serious backyard chef.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 428 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (June 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393050874
• ISBN-13: 978-0393050875
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #593,084 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best grilling book ever..., May 17, 2003

By	"pgraj" (Thousand Oaks, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This must be the best grilling book that I have encountered (and I have been a home gourmet aficionado for the past 20 years). The book has a solid introductory section where the authors share with us real tips on techniques, equipment and quality control, all of it deadly practical. Every aspect of charcoal grilling is discussed, from placing the briquettes and seasoning to checking doneness. All the recipes I tested are precise, easy to follow and leave little room for mistakes. Most of all, they produce excellent dishes. Not too many glossy pictures, which is fine with me. This is certainly THE grilling book.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cooking with real fire is the best., August 4, 2007

By	W. Timm - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

There are so many great things about this book that I don't know where to start. I love the introductions from both authors. They made me realize that fire (real fire, not the watery stuff that I get from my gas grill) is the way to cook food. My weber now has a permanent place in front of my garage. My gas weber now festers in the back yard underneath it's rain coat.

These guys really pulled it off. I probably own almost a dozen cookbooks about BBQ (a very generic term until you talk to someone from Texas, North Carolina or Missouri), but what you get here is a great book about methods using LIVE fire. I especially like the chapters on salads. Everybody can talk about rubs and spices, but it takes someone special to teach you how to grill sweet corn and turn it into a beautiful salad.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone wanting to cook over an open fire, May 16, 2003

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Every cookbook collection needs a good and comprehensive grilling oriented cookbook. Let The Flames Begin: Tips, Techniques, And Recipes For Real Live Fire Cooking offers a wealth of recipes, directions and advice that make it an indispensable resource for anyone wanting to cook over an open fire be it a portable grill or a camp fire framework. This collaborative project by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughy is enhanced with color photography by William Meppem and line illustrations by John Burgoyne, as well as a sections on "Summer Splurges" and "Party Planner". If you can only add one more title to your personal cookbook collection, Let The Flames Begin is enthusiastically recommended.