Not Afraid of Flavor: Recipes from Magnolia Grill (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Karen Barker (Author), Ann Hawthorne (Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Magnolia Grill, Ben and Karen Barker's Durham, North Carolina, restaurant, is among the country's best places to dine. The couple--he's the chef, she's in charge of pastry--now offer Not Afraid of Flavor, a collection of their spirited, Southern-influenced recipes, plus culinary wisdom all cooks can use. Dishes like Celery-Fennel Chowder with Oysters and Bacon, Crab Cakes with Sauce Diablo and Corn Relish Salads, and Pan-Fried Pork Chops on Creamy Shrimp Hominy are representative of the book's deeply savory fare, conveyed in easy-to-follow recipes. Though many of these require multiple preparations, it's smooth sailing once ingredients are organized and procedures understood. Readers who enjoy a kitchen workout in the service of great eating and others interested in top-of-the-line American cooking should embrace the book.

Emphasizing their devotion to the freshest ingredients and encouraging readers to be similarly choosy, the authors then offer over 125 recipes in chapters like "Tar Heel Tapas," "Dixie Delights," and "A Few Cocktails" through sections on soups, entrées, breads, and desserts. Outstanding among the sweets are Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream, the Chef's Favorite Lemon Tart, and Ginger-Lime Crème Caramels with Tropical Ambrosia. Bakers will also want to try Buttermilk Bread and a definitive recipe for flaky Angel Biscuits. Illustrated with color photos throughout, and with a helpful section on pantry basics, the book represents an American culinary journey that home cooks can now share. --Arthur Boehm

Review

"A wonderful book. . . . [Ben and Karen Barker's] food walks that difficult tightrope between inventive and natural." -- LOS ANGELES TIMES

"An enchanting book with all of the sunny flavors of the South clearly presented by this superbly creative culinary couple." -- Elizabeth Terry, Executive Chef, Elizabeth on 37th, and author of Savannah Seasons

"Ben and Karen Barker are the King and Queen of Flavor, which is truly the soul of Magnolia Grill." -- Chef Emeril Lagasse

"NOT AFRAID OF FLAVOR is perfect for those who love regional food." -- TRADITIONAL HOME

"[This book] enables a home cook to recreate restaurant-style fare....The results [are] outstanding....[It]is a terrific guide and learning tool." -- SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: The University of North Carolina Press (November 13, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807825859
• ISBN-13: 978-0807825853
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 7 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #596,803 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul plus precision, November 14, 2000

By	David D. Auerbach (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews

Many chef/restaurant cookbooks suffer from recipes that simply don't work; ripped from the context of professional kitchens by busy chefs, the recipes are often poorly written or simply wrong. NOT IN THIS CASE. This is the lovely exception, signature dishes from a great restaurant that are replicable by competent home cooks. And, these are clever, inventive dishes that make the most out of their combination of ingredients. Underneath it all is the soul of farmstead cooking overlaid with imagination and professionalism. The best chef cookbook I've seen in a long time.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A chef-written book for home cooks, not just a souvenir, November 29, 2000

By A Customer

I got this book because Magnolia Grill is a favorite restaurant. It's a gorgeous book with incredible photographs, but after seeing the authors of the Food Network the other night I am inspired to get it dirty in the kitchen. The recipes they cooked on the air were not terribly complicated and they looked yummy. I particularly like the Barkers' advice to break the rules and adapt the recipes to your own tastes and to what fresh ingredients are available.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite Cuisine, November 11, 2000

By	Julie Sypliwtchak (Wake Forest, NC) - See all my reviews

Two of the finest chefs in the Southeast give up their secrets in this book. With the holidays looming - try their 150 cloves of garlic turkey, it was a smash hit at my house. And Karen isn't called "The Queen of Ice Cream" for nothing- try the bourbon vanilla ice cream! She gives tips on how to make your own pie crust which I must admit was a "lost" art for me. The beauty of this book is that it contains the real recipies, with the real secrets behind their signature dishes and make the results attainable for the average weekend chef.