Two new cookbooks

T and I received two exciting new cookbooks for Christmas- one a BBQ tome written by Adam Perry Lang, a chef I wasn't previously familiar with but on whose recipes my brother-in-law (who lives in NC and is quite the carnivore) swears and raves. Apparently he and my sister-and-law have gifted this book nearly 20 times, so enthused are they about his barbecuing! Fantastic. We also got a great set of exotic spices to go along with it. BBQ is a cuisine both T and I love but don't make much of: we love to grill, have got a recipe for a fabulously spicy, fully of depth BBQ sauce, as well as one for some pretty terrific and as yet untopped baked beans, but beyond that, BBQ is something we look forward to eating elsewhere. So, this will be fun. My aunt in Louisiana, who is a really talented gift-giver and who happened to be my Secret Santa this year, sent me the new John Besh cookbook, My Family Table. A Louisiana native, Besh kinda looks like a non-smarmy John Edwards, is committed to good food raised well and is the force behind such New Orleans restaurant gems as August, Lüke and Domenica. I love his message and the recipes sound like good Southern home cooking that's been enhanced a bit. Exciting!

I will have much to keep me busy in the coming weeks, yes?