Bobby Flay's flair for spicing up classic American flavors is evident in this must-have for grill owners.
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SHAWN ROARKE is a freelance writer in Keyport, NJ.
KAREN HOCHMAN is Editorial Director of THE NIBBLE™.
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June 2005
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Bobby Flay’s Boy Meets Grill: With More Than 125 Bold New Recipes
Bobby Flay’s Boy Gets Grill: 125 Reasons to Light Your Fire!
By Bobby Flay
Boy Meets Grill. Unlike other grilling books that tackle the basics of cooking with an open fire— universally hailed tomes like Steve Raichlen’s The Barbecue! Bible and The Thrill of the Grill: Techniques, Recipes, & Down-Home Barbecue by Chris Schlesinger, John Willoughby—Bobby Flay’s Boy Meets Grill does not provide many tips or techniques to get the most out of your patio time. Instead, it does present the reader with the opportunity to pair together flavors and textures that all but the most accomplished chef would never dream of putting together. And, that remains the appeal of Flay, who draws a sizable following despite his near constant self-promotion, which continues in his cookbook offerings. With that said, Flay does what he does best in Boy Meets Grill, introducing combinations of tastes that will invigorate even the most conservative palate. As an added bonus, virtually all of Flay’s ingredients are available from the grocery store or a local farmer's market, something that can not be said for many of the cookbooks offered up by his peers.
—A favorite book of Shawn Roarke
 Boy Gets Grill: Not a book for beginners or indoor grillers, but if you know your way around an outdoor grill and love to cook exciting food, you will find a terrific collection of recipes here. As with his earlier book, Mr. Flay doles them out only 125 at a time; but here he Flay departs from his Southwestern roots and treats us to an international collection of recipes—in fact, there’s a heavy emphasis on Greek cuisine, which Flay explains is rooted almost entirely on grilling, and lots of recipes incorporate feta cheese. You’ll also find good grilling in Argentinean, Caribbean, Chinese, Cuban, East Indian, Italian and Thai, with accompaniments to create complete ethnic menus—for example, Coconut-Cashew Basmati Rice Salad. There are multiple techniques for inexpensive meats or difficult cuts, and good advice on what can be prepared ahead; and a great chapter called “Big Parties with Fish Tacos, Burgers, and Skewers.” We liked the Cool Drinks chapter as well, with enjoyable, largely alcoholic potions to serve at the party. There is a good index of contents and online resources. Most of all, this book shows why the creative Mr. Flay gets the attention he does.
—Karen Hochman
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