Fans pick 8 books like Latin Flavors on the Grill

By Douglas Rodriguez, Andrew DiCataldo,

Here are 8 books that Latin Flavors on the Grill fans have personally recommended if you like Latin Flavors on the Grill. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time

Pamela Ellgen Author Of The I Love Trader Joe's Snack Boards Cookbook: 50 Delicious Recipes for Charcuterie, Spreads, Platters, and More Using Ingredients from the World's Greatest Grocery Store

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a chef and food writer. But I have always known that I loved to prepare and enjoy beautiful food! In college, that meant throwing dinner parties for my friends. This was before Instagram, but I still wanted my food to look pretty and draw a crowd! Fast forward a couple decades. I have worked as a private chef, taught farm-to-table cooking classes, and written more than 27 published cookbooks. My favorite thing about my work is creating inspired meals that bring people together with those they love.

Pamela's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Pamela Ellgen Why did Pamela love this book?

It was difficult to choose which of Tyler Florence’s books to include here.

His Real Kitchen was the first cookbook I cooked from in my first apartment. The cover is tattered and the pages splashed with sauces. I settled on Tyler's Ultimate because it became my go-to for tasty appetizers and tapas. I especially love the Watermelon Gazpacho with Chile and Feta Cheese.

He also provides a number of recipes in his Ultimate Antipasto Platter, including my favorites the Bocconcini Tied with Prosciutto, Herbed Goat Cheese Bites, and Marinated Chickpeas. Also, sounds weird, but the Chicken Liver Pate is so retro cool. 

By Tyler Florence,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Tyler's Ultimate as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

American chef, television presenter and enthusiastic traveller Tyler Florence excels at taking big, bold flavours and transforming them into sophisticated, accessible dishes. He believes it's the little details that separate a good meal from an amazing one, and his recipes concentrate on one or two fresh, simple flavours, allowing each to be savoured to its fullest. This philosophy is woven throughout "Tyler's Ultimate". Like the "Food Network" show that inspired it, "Tyler's Ultimate" is filled with the best recipes for old favourites, as well as exciting, new, high-impact dishes with an extra pinch of flavour.


Book cover of Orexi!: Feasting at the Modern Greek Table

Pamela Ellgen Author Of The I Love Trader Joe's Snack Boards Cookbook: 50 Delicious Recipes for Charcuterie, Spreads, Platters, and More Using Ingredients from the World's Greatest Grocery Store

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a chef and food writer. But I have always known that I loved to prepare and enjoy beautiful food! In college, that meant throwing dinner parties for my friends. This was before Instagram, but I still wanted my food to look pretty and draw a crowd! Fast forward a couple decades. I have worked as a private chef, taught farm-to-table cooking classes, and written more than 27 published cookbooks. My favorite thing about my work is creating inspired meals that bring people together with those they love.

Pamela's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Pamela Ellgen Why did Pamela love this book?

For starters, the photography in Orexi! is mouthwatering and the landscape and ocean shots make me want to hop on a plane to Greece.

Often in international cuisine cookbooks, you find predictable fare, but Michaels does a great job of putting his own spin on traditional dishes. I especially love his version of Kolifa, which he calls Salad for The Soul, and the Charred Chilli and Feta Dip for antipasto platters.

His homage to his grandmother in Yiayia’s Keftedes is touching and the meatballs are perfect for gatherings. 

By Theo A. Michaels,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Orexi! as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A collection of over 80 classic and modern recipes from MasterChef semi-finalist Theo Michaels; paying homage to his heritage by championing new modern dishes inspired by the flavours of Greece and Cyprus.

Kali orexi is the Greek equivalent of bon appetit and this enticing book will certainly whet your appetite! Organized in chapters entitled Meze, Sea, Land, Sun and Fire, Theo's recipes evoke a sense of connection to nature, seasonality, abundance and sociable eating. Fresh ingredients sing from the plate, from juicy watermelon and glossy kalamata olives, to fragrant oregano-roasted lamb and delicate vine-leaf-baked sea bass. Meze features mouth-watering small…


Book cover of The Lemonade Cookbook: Southern California Comfort Food from L.A.'s Favorite Modern Cafeteria

Pamela Ellgen Author Of The I Love Trader Joe's Snack Boards Cookbook: 50 Delicious Recipes for Charcuterie, Spreads, Platters, and More Using Ingredients from the World's Greatest Grocery Store

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a chef and food writer. But I have always known that I loved to prepare and enjoy beautiful food! In college, that meant throwing dinner parties for my friends. This was before Instagram, but I still wanted my food to look pretty and draw a crowd! Fast forward a couple decades. I have worked as a private chef, taught farm-to-table cooking classes, and written more than 27 published cookbooks. My favorite thing about my work is creating inspired meals that bring people together with those they love.

Pamela's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Pamela Ellgen Why did Pamela love this book?

I’ve dined at the restaurant Lemonade in Venice Beach several times and was thrilled when I discovered they had a cookbook.

LA is defined by exceptionally fresh produce year-round and a diverse culinary scene thanks to immigrants from all over the world. Lemonade reflects that beautifully! I used many of the recipes in this book when cooking for the Patagonia women’s surf team and was thrilled with how much people loved them and how easy they were to scale up to feed a crowd.

Narrowing it down to my favorites was tough, but I can’t get enough of the Avocado, Cherry Tomato, Pine Nut, and Lime Vinaigrette; the Black Kale, Shiitake, and Kumquat Vinaigrette; or the Red Miso Beef. And of course, they have a full lemonade chapter with interesting, virgin concoctions including my favorite, the Green Apple Jalapeno lemonade.

By Alan Jackson, Joann Cianciulli,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Lemonade Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Lemonade Cookbook takes the bold flavors, imaginative dishes, and southern California lifestyle that have made the brand an instant hit and captures them in a fresh, beautifully-designed, full-color book. Like Los Angeles, Lemonade's cuisine is carefully blended with variety. L.A. is agents and movie grips, surfers and yoga moms, students and celebrities, and a wide mix of different culinary traditions. At Lemonade the marketplace salads, unique sandwiches, and slow-simmered stews taste as though every culture stirred a bit into the pot―for example, the skirt steak with grilled onions and piquillo peppers with its smoky depth, pairs perfectly with the…


Book cover of Bites on a Board

Pamela Ellgen Author Of The I Love Trader Joe's Snack Boards Cookbook: 50 Delicious Recipes for Charcuterie, Spreads, Platters, and More Using Ingredients from the World's Greatest Grocery Store

From my list on cookbooks for entertaining.

Why am I passionate about this?

I didn’t always know I wanted to be a chef and food writer. But I have always known that I loved to prepare and enjoy beautiful food! In college, that meant throwing dinner parties for my friends. This was before Instagram, but I still wanted my food to look pretty and draw a crowd! Fast forward a couple decades. I have worked as a private chef, taught farm-to-table cooking classes, and written more than 27 published cookbooks. My favorite thing about my work is creating inspired meals that bring people together with those they love.

Pamela's book list on cookbooks for entertaining

Pamela Ellgen Why did Pamela love this book?

I stumbled on this book while on a long weekend holiday in San Francisco with my fiance. 

I love the unstudied air of the book. It feels like what a charcuterie board should be – just food casually arranged on a plate to share. I especially love her lush boards, which are luxurious, beautiful, and filled with color. Unexpected flavor combinations – grilled pineapple with poke avocado salad with edible flowers – make this a fun change of pace from traditional charcuterie board books.

Bonus, she recommends thrift shops for finding trays and boards, which makes entertaining even more accessible.

By Anni Daulter,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Bites on a Board as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Delicious recipes and creative presentations served up on a board.

Cutting boards aren’t just for prep anymore. From classic charcuterie boards with prosciutto, olives, and roasted figs to luscious dessert boards with mini cheesecakes and red-wine ice-cream bites, food stylist Anni Daulter shows creative hosts how to make the most of their boards and serving platters. With rustic, trendy, pickled, and even culturally-inspired boards and recipes, the last thing you’ll want to do when you’re finished cooking is put away the cutting board.


Book cover of The Jewish Cookbook

Benedetta Jasmine Guetta Author Of Cooking alla Giudia

From my list on Jewish cookbooks you should own.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a food writer and photographer, and my area of expertise is Jewish cuisine. I'm pretty much a nerd when it comes to cookbooks and I think I own all of the available literature on kosher/Jewish cuisine. I was born in Milan, but I live and work in Santa Monica, California, where I also own a tiny business, Café Lovi. In 2009, I co-founded a website called Labna, the only Jewish/Kosher cooking blog in Italy, specializing in Italian and Jewish cuisine. Since then, I have been spreading the word about the marvels of Jewish food, and Italian Jewish food in particular, in Italy and abroad. Cooking alla Giudia is my English-language debut.

Benedetta's book list on Jewish cookbooks you should own

Benedetta Jasmine Guetta Why did Benedetta love this book?

There is a reason why this book is called The Jewish Cookbook: it’s because this is the Jewish cookbook you need to have. Among the recently published books on the topic of Jewish cuisine, Leah’s is well researched, comprehensive and extensive (over 400 recipes from the Middle East to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa!) yet accurate. The photos are beautiful too. I believe I own pretty much all the classic Jewish cookbooks, but this one is by far one of the best on the topic and one whose recipes I’ll be cooking from over and over again. 

By Leah Koenig,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Jewish Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A rich trove of contemporary global Jewish cuisine, featuring hundreds of stories and recipes for home cooks everywhere

The Jewish Cookbook is an inspiring celebration of the diversity and breadth of this venerable culinary tradition. A true fusion cuisine, Jewish food evolves constantly to reflect the changing geographies and ingredients of its cooks. Featuring more than 400 home-cooking recipes for everyday and holiday foods from the Middle East to the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Africa - as well as contemporary interpretations by renowned chefs including Yotam Ottolenghi, Michael Solomonov, and Alex Raij - this definitive compendium of Jewish cuisine introduces…


Book cover of Barbecue

Charles Reagan Wilson Author Of The Southern Way of Life: Meanings of Culture and Civilization in the American South

From my list on savoring Southern foods.

Why am I passionate about this?

I'm a retired professor who wrote about and taught about the American South for almost four decades. I directed a research center focused on the South, and I helped found an institute dedicated to the study of Southern food. The South’s creative traditions in music and literature are well known, and its foodways are now recognized as a distinct American cuisine that represents the region’s innovations in culture. Through reading about southern food, readers can explore the traditions of eating and cooking in the region, and the creative contributions of ethnic groups with national and global sources. I've chosen books that give flavor to thinking about the South as a distinct place in the imagination.

Charles' book list on savoring Southern foods

Charles Reagan Wilson Why did Charles love this book?

Reed is a leading scholar of southern culture, and he brings his considerable knowledge of the region to bear in a slim book loaded with stories and recipes about barbecue.

Since early settlement of the South, southerners have held barbecues to mark homecomings, holidays, reunions, and political campaigns.

In a lively and witty style, Reed traces the story of southern barbecue from its root in the sixteenth-century Caribbean, showing how the slow, smoky cooking of meat established itself in the coastal South and then spread inland.

He discusses how choices of meat, sauces, and cooking methods vary from one place to another in the region, reflecting local environments, farming practices, and ethnic traditions.

He suggests that barbecue in the South, in its diverse expressions, is the closest thing we have in the United States to Europe’s traditions of wines and cheeses, as one finds mustard sauce in South Carolina and…

By John Shelton Reed,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Barbecue as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

John Shelton Reed's Barbecue celebrates a southern culinary tradition forged in coals and smoke. Since colonial times southerners have held barbecues to mark homecomings, reunions, and political campaigns; today barbecue signifies celebration as much as ever. In a lively and amusing style, Reed traces the history of southern barbecue from its roots in the sixteenth-century Caribbean, showing how this technique of cooking meat established itself in the coastal South and spread inland from there. He discusses how choices of meat, sauce, and cooking methods came to vary from one place to another, reflecting local environments, farming practices, and history.

Reed…


Book cover of Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation

Emmanuel Laroche Author Of Conversations Behind the Kitchen Door: 50 American Chefs Chart Today’s Food Culture

From my list on food lovers and anyone passionate about food culture.

Why am I passionate about this?

The passion I have for food was born during my childhood in France when I learned how to cook and bake with my mother, and it never faded away. I still continue to explore, and I have the chance to participate in more than sixty tastings a year. When traveling, I always prepare my trips by searching the web for unique restaurants, coffee roasters, breweries, and local bakeries. When I interview culinary leaders, I am curious about their innovation and their creative process. Chef Elizabeth Falkner wrote in my book foreword, “Emmanuel genuinely seems like he is trying to solve a puzzle, which is why his book is an important piece of writing.”

Emmanuel's book list on food lovers and anyone passionate about food culture

Emmanuel Laroche Why did Emmanuel love this book?

In my first ten years in this country, I fell in love with barbecue and was lucky to travel in the Carolinas, to Kansas City, Memphis, and in Texas, the four main regions that characterize barbecue in the United States. When a friend of mine recommended Cooked by Michael Pollan, I read the first chapter called “Fire” in one go. This chapter takes you on the roads from Skylight Inn in Ayden, N.C., to The Pit in Raleigh, N.C., and other delicious barbecue places. Pollan structures his book by the four ancient elements connected to specific “cooking” methods, grilling, braising liquids, baking bread, and the fundamental of fermentation. The research for the book brought Pollan to meet experts in a particular way of cooking or prepping food, and to learn how to do it himself. Pollan shows how cooking is at the heart of our culture. This book is a…

By Michael Pollan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Cooked as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Michael Pollan, the bestselling author of The Omnivore's Dilemma, Food Rules, How to Change Your Mind, and This is Your Mind on Plants explores the previously uncharted territory of his own kitchen in Cooked.

"Having described what's wrong with American food in his best-selling The Omnivore's Dilemma (2006), New York Times contributor Pollan delivers a more optimistic but equally fascinating account of how to do it right. . . . A delightful chronicle of the education of a cook who steps back frequently to extol the scientific and philosophical basis of this deeply satisfying human activity." -Kirkus (starred review)

Cooked…


Book cover of Spider's Bite

H.D. Smith Author Of Dark Hope

From my list on urban fantasy books with a strong female lead.

Why am I passionate about this?

I love stories set in contemporary urban environments where magic just happens to be real. This can take many forms, but my preference is a novel with realistic real-world scenarios that have to accommodate a magical world, without making things too easy for those with power. When I write Urban Fantasy (or SciFi) I try to inject logic and consistency into the worlds I create. My day job, working in the software industry and the logic skills needed to master problem solving, add these qualities to my writing.  

H.D.'s book list on urban fantasy books with a strong female lead

H.D. Smith Why did H.D. love this book?

Jennifer Estep’s writing talents shine in her Elemental Assassin series. She has filled her world with supernatural creatures and humans with magic who can harness different elemental powers. Gin is an assassin, known as the Spider. She has ice and stone magic. She also runs the best barbecue restaurant in town and Estep’s masterful food descriptions will have your mouth watering for more.

By Jennifer Estep,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Spider's Bite as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Follow Gin Blanco, a kick-butt female assassin who moonlights at a BBQ joint in Tennessee, as she searches for the person who double-crossed her in this heart-pounding and fresh paranormal romance series.

After Gin's family was murdered by a Fire elemental when she was thirteen, she lived on the streets and eventually became an assassin to survive. Now, Gin is assigned to rub out an Ashland businessman, but it turns out to be a trap. After Gin's handler is brutally murdered, she teams up with the sexy detective investigating the case to figure out who double-crossed her and why. Only…


Book cover of Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time
Book cover of Orexi!: Feasting at the Modern Greek Table
Book cover of The Lemonade Cookbook: Southern California Comfort Food from L.A.'s Favorite Modern Cafeteria

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