She-Smoke

Unleash your grill power with She-Smoke, the complete reference guide to everything charcoal, flames, and down-home BBQ eats.

Maybe barbecue is the domain of men in cultural memory, with their love for courting danger and all that silliness. But She-Smoke author Julie Reinhardt, who co-owns Seattle’s Smokin’ Pete’s BBQ, points out that in hunter-gatherer days, it was the women who threw the beast over a pit of smoking embers. In a conversational voice, Reinhardt’s barbecue bible breaks it all down: history, equipment, the important distinction between barbecuing and grilling, regional variations, meat and fish cuts, marinades and sauces, and party planning. The recipes demonstrate different techniques on foods such as the expected beef and chicken, as well as duck, veggies, cheese(!), and a chapter called Pacific Northwest Salmon Bake. So, ladies, it’s time to take back the Match Light. Kidding: Don’t use such chemical nastiness! Reinhardt also takes a strong environmental stance on meats and materials throughout this guide, discussing grass-fed beef and lamb, and the distinctions between terms like “organic,” “naturally raised,” and “free-range.” Holy smokes!