Wood-Fired Cooking: Techniques and Recipes for the Grill, Backyard Oven, Fireplace, and Campfire [A Cookbook]

Description

Mary Karlin's enticing recipes explore the diverse flavor characteristics of hardwoods and live-fire cooking methods from Plank-Roasted Porterhouse or Indian Onion Naan to a hearth-baked Milanese Risotto Tart or Warm Chocolate- Chipotle Cakes. Introductory chapters of this title cover the basics of indoor and outdoor wood-fired cooking, followed by the best applications for the myriad live-fire techniques, a survey of equipment, and detailed instructions on building fires and regulating temperatures. Karlin's expert planning shows efficient cooks how to make the best use of wood-fired cooking sessions, including step-by-step instructions for preparing an entire week's worth of food in a single session. "Wood-Fired Cooking" is ideal for grilling enthusiasts looking for the next challenge.

MARY KARLIN is a founding staff manager and chef-instructor at Ramekins Sonoma Valley Culinary School, where she has taught wood-fired cooking classes for nine years. Mary has also taught at Draeger's, Rancho La Puerta, and the Culinary Institute of America, Greystone. A freelance food writer and traveling instructor, Mary splits her time between northern California and Superior, Arizona, where she directs her Live-Fire Cooking Camp Culinary Center. She also teaches regional cooking camps around the United States. THE AUTHOR SCOOP What's your most essential kitchen tool? Tongs What was your inspiration for writing Wood-Fired Cooking? My wood-burning oven; the food and community created by it. The oven made me a better cook. If you had to boil the message of Wood-Fired Cooking down to one sentence, what would it be? Stay connected to your food. Cook ethically, share food with others and create community wherever you can. What food could you not live without? Potatoes What was your first job? Right out of clothing design school, I was the assistant to a clothing designer in San Francisco. She was the co-owner and wife of an A-1 screamer. The place had all the fantasy images and sounds of what I thought was the typical garment manufacturer's life. It was a pressure cooker and in the first 6 months I developed an ulcer and quit. I thought that was the end of my life in the garment business. Thankfully, I was wrong and went on to other joyful positions at great companies, spending over 25 years of my life in that world. Next career, food.

"A wood fire is always the heart and hearth of a social gathering--I never feel more at home than when I'm cooking over the flames. Mary Karlin's comprehensive and beautiful book introduces you to one of our most ancient, basic, and satisfying ways to cook." --Alice Waters, founder and co-owner of Chez Panisse and author of The Art of Simple Food "In Wood-Fired Cooking, Mary Karlin combines the romance of the fire with practical information and really delicious recipes that are easy to prepare. A surefire hit." --Joyce Goldstein, chef and author of Back to Square One and Italian Slow and Savory "Wood-Fired Cooking is sure to inspire and inform the growing leagues of adventurous cooks. Mary Karlin thoroughly--and delightfully--updates the most primitive of all cooking methods, providing plenty of tips, techniques, resources, and tempting recipes. Even if you've never imagined yourself advancing beyond backyard grilling, this book will inspire you to delve into the more exciting realms of cooking with live fire." --Molly Stevens, author of All About Braising "As one of the most popular instructors at Ramekins, Mary makes outdoor cooking approachable for everyone with her wonderful teaching style. Mary's book is a must-have guide to the world of wood-fired cooking." --Lisa Lavagetto, culinary director at Ramekins Sonoma Valley Culinary School