Born to Grill: An American Celebration

People have been grilling over open flames as long as there have been flames. But let's face it, roast mastodon doesn't sound half as good as Sage Rubbed Veal Chops with Jerky Sauce. Tastes have changed, and we have gotten a little better at grilling. Specifically, Americans have gotten better--since, after all, grilling is the quintessential American culinary art. Don't believe it? Try finding an order of grilled Mescal Magic Baby Back Ribs next time you're in Paris. Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison know this. It is the premise of their book Born To Grill. Make no mistake about it, this is a cookbook with attitude, and it practically swaggers when you read it. The title screams to be tattooed on a bicep underneath a little Weber kettle. The Jamisons show they are onto a good thing and argue for a back-to-basics, high-heat, open-air, open-flame approach. Serious meat needs serious heat, and grilling is the only surefire approach.

Once the book gets your attention, a few things are revealed. Grilling makes sense. It is simple, economical, and best of all, it tastes good. Grilling is not just about huge slabs of meat. Pizza, shellfish, vegetables, and even pasta have a place on the grill. And grilling is fun. Playing with fire under an open sky wins hands down over a broiler in the kitchen.

The Jamisons are no strangers to American regional cooking. Their earlier books include Sublime Smoke, Texas Home Cooking, and two James Beard Book award winners, The Border Cookbook and Smoke and Spice. They write with conviction and the kind of authority that convinces you that you are lucky--lucky enough to be born to grill. --Mark O. Howerton