Cooking

Everything tastes better with bacon. One of those flavor-packed, umami-rich, secret-weapon ingredients, it has the power to elevate just about any dish, from soups to souffle´s, braises to bread pudding.

Peter Kaminsky and Marie Rama know just how to employ it. Peter is the author of both Pig Perfect--a paean to the noble swine--and, most recently, Culinary Intelligence, which argues that the healthiest way to eat is to eat less but really well. He and Marie know that adding irresistible bacon transforms an ordinary dish into an extraordinary one.

Bacon Nation is a bacon-lover's dream, a collection of 125 smoky, savory, crispy, meaty, salty, and sweetly sensuous recipes that go right through the menu. Starters like Spiced Nuts with Bacon; Bacon and Butternut Squash Galette; Bacon, Pear, and Humboldt Fog Salad. Main courses featuring meats--Brawny Bacon Beef Bourguignon, Saltimbacon; poultry--Paella with Chicken and Bacon; fish--Flaky Cod Fillets with Bacon and Wine-Braised Fennel; and pasta, including an update of the classic Roman dish Bucatini all'Amatriciana. Even dessert: Rum Ice Cream with Candied Bacon Chips and Chocolate-Peanut-Bacon Toffee. Or, as Homer Simpson would say, Mmmm, bacon.

Clare Ferguson has created over 40 recipes for outdoor eating, whether you are planning a grand barbecue at the beach or an informal light meal cooked al fresco. Here are dishes inspired by world cuisines, including soups and salads which can be prepared at home, and delicious fish and meat recipes to cook over hot coals. Fresh fruity drinks, wicked cocktails, and indulgent desserts are all part of the mouth watering selection on offer. Cooking in the open air adds an appetite-arousing, smoky savor--and a sense of adventure.

Along with these delicious recipes you will find ideas for marinades and rubs to give your fish or meat a piquant flavor and tenderness, and tips on the equipment that you can use to make your outdoor feast easy to prepare and carry. This book will give you ideas for that perfect outdoor feast in summer or winter.

Barbecues, by their very nature, involve primal sensations: heat, light, the gorgeous smell of sizzling snacks. This book takes readers through the equipment they need, the fuel and charcoal, and the amazing appetizers, starters, meats, vegetables, side dishes, and desserts that can be prepared on a grill.