TAMING THE FLAME: Secrets for Hot-and-Quick Grilling and Low-and-Slow BBQ

Karmel brings a feminine flair to a masculine domain with this A-to-Z roadmap to grill-based cuisine—from fast, high-heat methods to slower roasts and barbecue that rely on an indirect flame. Some may disagree with Karmel's assertion that there's no taste difference between gas and charcoal, although she does give tips on using old-fashioned briquettes. Her extensive introduction to techniques, tools and pantry basics make up the meat of the book; the 350 recipes that follow, organized by ingredient, rely so heavily on the methods set earlier that novices will frequently find themselves flipping back and forth. Karmel aims to be encyclopedic, offering a guide to cuts and a cooking timetable in every section, and she's at her best with natural variations on grilling, from simple Chicken Paillard to ambitious Hung-Your-Momma Braised Short Ribs. Karmel has never met a dish she can't make on the grill, and her attempts at grilled versions of Pot Roast and Veal Scaloppini are unnecessary. Her chatty, "girlfriend" point of view leads to a few lapses: for example, the beef section omits "rare" from its cooking timetable, and Grilled Lobster 101 devotes more time to avoiding killing the lobster (getting someone else to do it being the top choice) than it does to cooking it. Overall, though, this is a welcome guide for members of either sex. Photos. (May)