Bobby Flay's From My Kitchen to Your Table: 125 Bold Recipes

Bold, bold, bold, bold, bold! It is a word constantly associated with Bobby Flay and with good reason: he doesn't like to be subtle. "Party dishes that are bold and fragrant," "Next time you cook, take a big bold step...." "My party dishes make for a fragrant and bold mix." And yes, bold is an excellent word to describe Bobby Flay's from My Kitchen to Your Table (aptly subtitled 125 Bold Recipes). Flay's genius for mixing Latin flavors and blending cuisines is indeed bold. Dishes such as Pan-Roasted Rabbit with Crushed Blackberry-Ancho Sauce and Yellow Corn-Coated Soft-shell Crabs with Red Chile-Mustard Sauce come from equal parts conviction and adventure. But best of all, these recipes work.

In Bobby Flay's from My Kitchen to Your Table, he shows how to prepare dishes that are perfect for social gatherings. These are party dishes in which the distinction between appetizer and main course is purposely blurred. Flay likes meals with attitude--lively, colorful dishes all served at once. Forget about separate courses--set out all the dishes at the same time and encourage the guests to dig in. No appetizer, accompaniment, or main course. As Flay likes to say, "it's all just food."

That is an easy statement to make if you are an award-winning chef with your own television show and author of the acclaimed Bobby Flay's Bold American Food (there's that word again). Still, Flay makes his food accessible. The recipes are easy to follow. And recipes that sound intimidating, such as Skewered Lamb with Rioja Red Wine Vinaigrette, are, in actuality, simple to prepare.

So take a tip from Bobby Flay: have fun with your cooking, be adventurous, exuberant, and entertaining. Most of all, be bold. --Mark O. Howerton