Reviews
For everyone who has relished a meal cooked by the Barkers, Not Afraid of Flavor is a love letter you'll want to savor every day.-- TasteFull, What the Barkers have been doing for the last decade is turning out rustic Southern fare--with notable refinements.-- Kansas City Star, This beautiful collection . . . is more than a cookbook; it's a love story that will inspire. Our State, This beautiful and aptly named book may be the best buy on the cookbook shelves this year. Savannah Morning News, Oh, boy. . . . A wonderful book. . . . [Ben and Karen Barker's] food walks that difficult tightrope between inventive and natural. . . . Handsomely bound, printed on art-quality heavy paper and liberally sprinkled with nicely photographed 'mood' pieces by Ann Hawthorne, this is as good a chef cookbook as has been published in the last several years, even in New York City.-- Los Angeles Times, [This book] enables a home cook to recreate restaurant-style fare. . . . [which] is rustic and simple, so as not to take attention away from ingredients' natural favors. But those flavors are deepened and layered by the right combination of ingredients and the appropriate stock, infused oil or spice blend. . . . The results [are] outstanding. . . . This book is a terrific guide and learning tool.-- San Francisco Chronicle, This beautiful and aptly named book may be the best buy on the cookbook shelves this year.Savannah Morning News, It is a delicious relief to taste [Karen] Barker's sensational updated classic American desserts. . . . [She] has led the way in re-inventing home-style treats-- Bon Appetit, Unlike so many chefs' books, Not Afraid of Flavor is designed to really make their celebrated cooking accessible for home cooks. The recipes are clear, easy to follow and, more to the point--they work in a home kitchen. . . . The photography and design are stunning and measure up to the quality of the recipes. This beautiful and aptly named book may be the best buy on the cookbook shelves this year.-- Savannah Morning News, A complex blend of nouvelle Southern enhanced with the freshest regional ingredients served up with fantastic layers of flavorings. . . . Delightful. . . . If you are Not Afraid of Flavor this book is for you.-- Nashville Woman, When local food cognoscenti speculate on the Triangle's top kitchen, the most frequently mentioned name is Magnolia Grill. No wonder. Chef/proprietor Ben Barker is a local treasure. . . . The bill of fare at this Durham institution evolves daily, in pursuit of the market's freshest offerings and Barker's inspiration.-- Hemispheres (United Airlines in-flight magazine), Ben in the role of chef and Karen as pastry chef dance a pas de deux of flavors that never fails to entertain the palate, from the first crust of buttered batarde to the last morsel of night-black chocolate. . . . Magnolia Grill is the stage where Ben and Karen Barker perform, and their standing ovations can be measured in the tables that quickly fill up on weekends. Their restaurant is more popular than ever because they've worked hard to maintain consistency while keeping the performance exciting. . . . The result speaks for itself. All the diner can add is 'Bravo!'--Raleigh News & Observer, This beautiful collection of recipes and photographs is more than a cookbook; it's a love story that will inspire the creativity of any Southern cook.-- Our State, "What the Barkers have been doing for the last decade is turning out rustic Southern fare--with notable refinements."-- Kansas City Star
Synopsis
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., 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 asBon App etit,Food & Wine, theNew York Times, andSouthern 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., 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.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. Both chefs have earned the James Beard Foundation's highest praises: Ben was named Best Chef in the Southeast in 2000, and Karen was named Outstanding Pastry Chef for 2003. 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. Finalist, Best Regional/Local Cookbook, 2001 Gourmand World Cookbook Awards"A wonderful book. . . . This is as good a chef cookbook as has been published in the last several years, even in New York City.-- Los Angeles Times "For everyone who has relished a meal cooked by the Barkers, Not Afraid of Flavor is a love letter you'll want to savor every day.-- TasteFull " Not Afraid of Flavor is designed to really make the Barkers'] celebrated cooking accessible for home cooks. The recipes are clear, easy to follow and, more to the point--they work in a home kitchen. . . . This beautiful and aptly named book may be the best buy on the cookbook shelves this year.-- Savannah Morning News This beautifully illustrated cookbook features 125 favorite recipes from Ben and Karen Barker's Magnolia Grill, recently named one of the best restaurants in America by Gourmet magazine. Their clear, detailed directions encourage readers to try such delicious fare as cream of Vidalia onion soup, striped bass with oyster stew, pork osso bucco with creole baked beans, brown sugar pear poundcake, and Jack Daniels vanilla ice cream. This exciting collection of recipes showcases the rich layering of flavors, distinctive combination of fresh regional ingredients, and melding of traditional Southern cooking with other wide-ranging influences that have become the celebrated hallmarks of the chefs whose motto is "Not Afraid of Flavor." This beautifully illustrated cookbook features 125 favorite recipes from Ben and Karen Barker, two chefs who have earned the James Beard Foundation's highest praises: Ben was named Best Chef in the Southeast in 2000, and Karen was named Outstanding Pastry Chef for 2003. Their Durham, North Carolina, restaurant, Magnolia Grill, was recently named one of the best restaurants in America by Gourmet magazine. In this collection of mouth-watering recipes from Magnolia Grill, the Barker, Chefs Ben and Karen Barker share 125 recipes from their acclaimed Durham, N.C., restaurant., recently named one of the best in America by Gourmet magazine. Stunning photographs and clear instructions inspire readers to try the Barkers' inventive dishes. Ben Barker is the James Beard Foundation Best Chef in the Southeast for 2000, and Karen Barker won the James Beard Foundation Best Pastry Chef award for 2003.
