Not Afraid of Flavor: Recipes from Magnolia Grill [Hardcover]

Magnolia Grill, Ben and Karen Barker's Durham, North Carolina, restaurant, is among the country's best places to dine. The couple--he's the chef, she's in charge of pastry--now offer Not Afraid of Flavor, a collection of their spirited, Southern-influenced recipes, plus culinary wisdom all cooks can use. Dishes like Celery-Fennel Chowder with Oysters and Bacon, Crab Cakes with Sauce Diablo and Corn Relish Salads, and Pan-Fried Pork Chops on Creamy Shrimp Hominy are representative of the book's deeply savory fare, conveyed in easy-to-follow recipes. Though many of these require multiple preparations, it's smooth sailing once ingredients are organized and procedures understood. Readers who enjoy a kitchen workout in the service of great eating and others interested in top-of-the-line American cooking should embrace the book.

Emphasizing their devotion to the freshest ingredients and encouraging readers to be similarly choosy, the authors then offer over 125 recipes in chapters like "Tar Heel Tapas," "Dixie Delights," and "A Few Cocktails" through sections on soups, entrées, breads, and desserts. Outstanding among the sweets are Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream, the Chef's Favorite Lemon Tart, and Ginger-Lime Crème Caramels with Tropical Ambrosia. Bakers will also want to try Buttermilk Bread and a definitive recipe for flaky Angel Biscuits. Illustrated with color photos throughout, and with a helpful section on pantry basics, the book represents an American culinary journey that home cooks can now share. --Arthur Boehm

"An enchanting book with all of the sunny flavors of the South clearly presented by this superbly creative culinary couple." -- Elizabeth Terry, Executive Chef, Elizabeth on 37th, and author of Savannah Seasons

"Ben and Karen Barker are the King and Queen of Flavor, which is truly the soul of Magnolia Grill." -- Chef Emeril Lagasse

"NOT AFRAID OF FLAVOR is perfect for those who love regional food." -- TRADITIONAL HOME

"[This book] enables a home cook to recreate restaurant-style fare....The results [are] outstanding....[It]is a terrific guide and learning tool." -- SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE

Since opening their Durham, North Carolina, restaurant in 1986, chefs Ben and Karen Barker have been hailed as rising stars of the American culinary scene. Their award-winning Magnolia Grill has been featured in publications such as Bon Appetit, Food & Wine, the New York Times, and Southern Living. With a menu that changes daily and draws inspiration from fresh, often locally produced ingredients, the restaurant is the ultimate showcase for the bold, imaginative cuisine that embodies the Barkers' motto, Not Afraid of Flavor.

From spectacular soups to inventive updates of classic American desserts, this beautifully illustrated book features more than 125 exciting recipes from Magnolia Grill. While not strictly Southern, many of the dishes display a Southern sensibility--making creative use of regional ingredients or offering a new twist on a familiar favorite. Clear, detailed directions encourage readers to try such "fearless" creations as okra rellenos, spicy green tomato soup with crab and country ham, pan-roasted duck breast with sun-dried cherry conserve, striped bass with oyster stew, wild mushroom bread pudding, brown sugar pear poundcake, and Jack Daniels vanilla ice cream. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Ben and Karen Barker met on their first day of class at the Culinary Institute of America and have been cooking together ever since. Voted Best Chef in the Southeast by the James Beard Foundation in 2000, Ben has also appeared on Food & Wine's Ten Best New Chefs in America and Who's Who of Southern Cooking lists. Karen is the 1999 winner of Bon Appetit's American Food and Entertaining Award for Best Pastry Chef and has been nominated several times for the James Beard Foundation's Best Pastry Chef Award. Before opening Magnolia Grill, the Barkers, who live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, were chefs at Restaurant La Residence and the nationally acclaimed Fearrington House.