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Summer Simmer and Sizzle: Digital Resources

July is National Grilling Month. Add some sizzle to your summer with these cookbooks, videos, web resources, and more.

E-Books

Rodney Scott's World of BBQ

Rodney Scott was born with barbecue in his blood. He cooked his first whole hog, a specialty of South Carolina barbecue, when he was just eleven years old. At the time, he was cooking at Scott's Bar-B-Q, his family's barbecue spot in Hemingway, South Carolina. Now, four decades later, he owns one of the country's most awarded and talked-about barbecue joints, Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ in Charleston. In this cookbook, co-written by award-winning writer Lolis Eric Elie, Rodney spills what makes his pit-smoked turkey, barbecued spare ribs, smoked chicken wings, hush puppies, Ella's Banana Puddin', and award-winning whole hog so special. In this modern American success story, Rodney details how he made his way from the small town where he worked for his father in the tobacco fields and in the smokehouse, to the sacrifices he made to grow his family's business, and the tough decisions he made to venture out on his own in Charleston.

Weber's new American barbecue : a modern spin on the classics

"With 120+ all-new recipes that reimagine the classics, loads of instruction on the latest techniques, and a look at influences that are shaping what we put on the grill, this book is the definitive word on what's happening across the nation."

Serial Griller

From the author of South's Best Butts and A Southern Gentleman's Kitchen, an all-around grilling cookbook showcasing different methods and diverse cuisines, as well as sought-after stories and recipes from America's all-star grillers Matt Moore.  He confesses: He is a serial griller. He can't help it--if there's food and flame, he'll grill it. In his newest book, he shares his indiscriminate appetite for smoky perfection with a broad collection of recipes varied in method, technique, and cuisine. After a review of the basics--the Maillard reaction, which grill is best for you, and more--he takes the reader on a tour across America to round up authentic stories, coveted recipes, and indispensable tips from grill masters of the South and beyond.

Savage Barbecue

Barbecue is a word that means different things to different people. It can be a verb or a noun. It can be pulled pork or beef ribs. And, especially in the American South, it can cause intense debate and stir regional pride. Perhaps, then, it is no surprise that the roots of this food tradition are often misunderstood. In Savage Barbecue, Andrew Warnes traces what he calls America's first food through early transatlantic literature and culture. Building on the work of scholar Eric Hobsbawm, Warnes argues that barbecue is an invented tradition, much like Thanksgiving-one long associated with frontier mythologies of ruggedness and relaxation. Starting with Columbus's journals in 1492, Warnes shows how the perception of barbecue evolved from Spanish colonists' first fateful encounter with natives roasting iguanas and fish over fires on the beaches of Cuba. European colonists linked the new food to a savagery they perceived in American Indians, ensnaring barbecue in a growing web of racist attitudes about the New World. Warnes also unearths the etymological origins of the word barbecue, including the early form barbacoa; its coincidental similarity to barbaric reinforced emerging stereotypes.

Jerkin' It

Become a moist meat master with this giggle-inducing (and actually delicious) cookbook packed, until bursting, with 50 grilling favorites you can fork with. Stop jerkin' it in private, it's time to get off the couch and start sharing your meat with everyone. This Kama Sutra of cookbooks is overstuffed with the important BBQ techniques you need to know to keep your partygoers begging for more. Learn everything from how to maintain that low-and-slow all-night heat, to the best and only way to perfectly rub down a (chicken) breast.

The Art of Confectionery

This encyclopedic collection contains forty-four chapters with hundreds of recipes, and it includes discussions of methodology and ingredients as well as detailed recipes for a stunning array of dishes. Included are recipes for preserving fruits and fruit juices, preparation of jams and jellies, fruit and other syrups, summer beverages, dessert cakes, ice cream, sherbet, candy, bon-bons, puddings, tinctures, oils, and colorants. Written by an anonymous author, the "receipts" are from the "best New York, Philadelphia, and Boston confectioners, and include a large number from the French and other nations."   "The confectioner's art is an accomplishment which may be ranked among the most desirable and graceful of all that pertains to domestic economy . . . It is absolutely necessary to the economy of the household that this art should form a part of every lady's education."

The complete summer cookbook beat the heat with 500 recipes that make the most of summer's bounty

Ready to take the party outside? You'll find all you need for casual patio meals prepared entirely on the grill (from meat to veggies, even pizza). Throw a fantastic cookout with easy starters, frosty drinks, and picnic must-haves like Picnic Fried Chicken, Classic Potato Salad, and Buttermilk Coleslaw. Visited the farmers' market? Find ideas for main dishes as well as sides inspired by the seasonal bounty, plus the best fruit desserts worth turning on the oven for. To end your meal on a cooler note, turn to a chapter of icebox desserts and no-bake sweets.-from Amazon

Tipsy Texan

"David Alan is the epitome of Oscar Wilde's good advice: 'Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.' You can't get more 'yourself' than David, known far and wide for his unique, creative, and delightful Tipsy Texan handcrafted cocktails. And now, thanks to his truly delicious book, we can all mix up our own tastes of David's Texas--from Austin loquats to Hill Country peaches, blended with the state's finest artisan liquors. Cheers!" --Jim Hightower.  Don't let the Tipsy Texan's clever nickname fool you: Here's a man who seriously understands the art and the lore of the cocktail. Long at the forefront of Texas mixology, David Alan has created a delightful new book that outlines all that's needed to make cocktails like a pro. His unique ability to dream up delicious takes on classic cocktails will inspire you. From 'light and refreshing' to 'big and boozy,' David delivers a cocktail for every taste and occasion.

The Ultimate Outdoor Cookbook

Get outside, cook, and make the outdoors your kitchen! In The Ultimate Outdoor Cookbook, you will learn how to cook every meal of the day outside, from breakfast to dessert with drinks in between, using live fire, grills, foil packs, cast iron pans, dutch ovens, planchas, and some with a smoker. Whether you are cooking in your backyard, at a local park, or camping deep in the woods, there is a recipe and technique for you. Enjoy over 100 delicious and easy-to-prepare recipes for all tastes and diets curated from author Linda Ly.