Retro Barbecue: Tasty Recipes for the Grillin' Guy (Hardcover)

by Linda Everett (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
In the 1950s, "returning GIs wanted the picket-fenced home, a new car in the garage, and a patio with a barbecue. Yes, man was master of the flame, singeing his eyebrows while smoking out the neighbors." With that visual, author Linda Everett kicks off The Retro Barbecue, a colorful, kitschy, if slightly bizarre collection of barbecue recipes presented through the prism of 1950s America. During that decade "the popularity of the backyard barbecue quickly spread," says Everett, and her book is decorated with a deluge of grilling-related pictures and ads of the era, including ones for Ronson Fire-Starter Fuel ("Starts Barbecues Instantly! No Work! No Wait!") and the Master Barbecue Grill ("Eating Thrills for Family and Friends"). Baked in with all the nostalgia, though, is a bountiful array of intriguing, tasty American recipes, spanning meats, salads, sauces, drinks, desserts, and more. Highlights include Boston Harbor Baked Beans, Prairie Dogs (sliced hot dogs filled with American cheese), and Rosarita Beach Burgers, which are topped off with dollops of refried beans and avocado ("messy, but oh so yummy!"). Ultimately, this is a fun, goofy cookbook with plenty of retro charm. --Andy Boynton

Product Description
The grilled meats, casseroles, and molded gelatin salads of the 1950s defined the comfort foods Americans love. Returning from the war, men wanted a picket-fenced home, a new car in the garage, and a patio with a barbecue. Yes, man was master of the flame, singeing his eyebrows while smoking out the neighbors.

Featuring a colorful collection of nostalgic advertising, collectibles, and graphics, THE RETRO BARBECUE represents America in the golden age of the postwar party. Grill aficionados will appreciate the wide range of regional recipes and flavors, and greenhorns will be lead through all the steps to coronation as king of the coals. Recipes such as Bart’s Backyard Ribs, Rosarita Beach Burgers, Cackle-N-Shout Chicken, and Pink Slipper Pickled Peaches are sure to delight friends and family. To fill out the feast, we’ve included recipes for chili, salsa, side dishes, and desserts. So toss on your apron, grab your spatula, and fire up the grill: It’s retro barbecue time!

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Collectors Press (March 21, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888054638
• ISBN-13: 978-1888054637
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #486,622 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Retro Barbecue - So Much Fun!!, August 2, 2002

By	Sam Jennings II (Maryville, MO USA) - See all my reviews

Like the title mentioned, this book is so much fun! From the visually stunning colors and wonderful combinations, to the layout per page and the placement of every illustration, everything is just a pleasure to see.

I have been through this book and am always amazed and how much I like it, every time. I am especially fond of the trivia and other tidbits on the pages that has to do with the time period, not necessarily cooking.

The photos and illustrations of cooking utensils and other apparel are very fun! Of course, the recipes where one would use said utensils are also wonderful. I am hoping to try them all.

Overall, I enjoy the images, color and of course the recipes very much. This is a great addition to any cookbook set and is fun just to have out for everyone to see.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Relief from California Cuisine, July 22, 2002

By	"johns0082" (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews

"Retro Barbecue" by Linda Everett is a refreshing return to the era when few knew (and no one cared) about cholesterol, saturated fat and salt and big hunks of meat were the measure of a mother's love for family and friends. Not that we shouldn't eat a healthy diet, but there is something satisfying about revisiting an era where things really tasted good and when portions covered the plate. The book's pictures remind us that the backyard barbecue was the first serious foray of the average man into cooking and also illustrate the diversity of barbecue grills and fireplaces that predated today's expensive, stainless steel fabrications of ..., ... etc.

I found the recipes quite excellent and wide-ranging. One trying to recreate the backyard feast of their childhood should easily be able to do so with the broad range of side dishes and meats described. Watch your sodium intake for a week, check your blood pressure then indulge in a bit of comfort food that most of us would find far more satisfying than the small and expensive entree in our local gourmet restaurant.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Summertime necessity, July 10, 2002

By	"jennilynne" (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This book is a must have for the summer barbecue season. Not only are the recipes easy to read and follow, but the book itself has enticing illustrations and looks great on a coffee table. What I liked the most about the recipes themselves are the use of seasonings. They do not require you to run to the grocery store and buy a seasoning that you will never find a use for again. My favorite recipe is the "Hickory Hill's Bestever Pork Chops". I never would have thought a combination of dijon mustard and apricot preserves would mix well on pork chops, but it turns out fabulous! The books final fun perks are the trivia tidbits found on almost every page. They cover a wide variety of trivia of the 40's and 50's. Overall I highly recommend this cookbook.