Born to Grill

April 15, 1998
Here are three new titles to mark the arrival of prime grilling season. Bonanno, an 18-year veteran of the New York City Fire Department, is also the author of the best-selling The Healthy Firehouse Cookbook (Hearst, 1995). This time he offers recipes--both his own and from firefighters around the country--for healthy grilled entrees, along with (sometimes) more indulgent side dishes and desserts. The recipes are simple and the instructions clearly written. Recommended for collections where the first book was popular. Chesman has written half a dozen or so other cookbooks, not necessarily vegetarian, including Salad Suppers (LJ 6/15/97). Although she lives in Vermont, she grills even in the dead of winter, and she offers lots of recipes for Fire-Up Flatbreads and Pizzas, Kabobs and Other Compelling Combinations, Grilled Desserts, and more. Chesman has an engaging style, and she offers lots of handy tips with her appealing recipes; recommended for most collections. [BOMC Good Cook selection.] The Jamisons are authorities on "real" barbecue, with two titles on the subject (Smoke & Spice, LJ 4/15/94, and Sublime Smoke, LJ 5/15/96). Now they've moved on to "the open flame," with 300 recipes for all sorts of grilled goodies, from Happy-Hour Skewers and Spreads to Hot Burgers and Haute Dogs (they're fond of cutesy recipe names and cornball humor) to S'mores and More. They include many regional favorites and specialties, as well as grilling history, folklore, and other interesting tidbits, and their recipes are mouthwatering. Recommended for most collections. [BOMC Good Cook selection.]