Rating: 
Summary: Mmmmmmm.
Review: This is a great book. You can cook great food with it, or you can just curl up on the couch with a little Tom Faulkner ("Lost in the Land of Texico" or his latest, just released,"Raise the Roof") on the stereo system, and have a good read. The photos in the book are terrific. The Ancho Barbecue Sauce recipe is a real winner. The section on ribs is excellent. So, if you're inclined toward some wonderful recipes for 'cue with all the fixins', this book will be an excellent addition to your library.
Rating:
Summary: Walsh does it again
Review: Walsh is one of Houston's most popular newspaper writers. His weekly columns wander all over the culinary map, exalting the virtues of the many regional cuisines available in Houston. He doesn't just write about what a restaurant serves, he writes about the history of a cuisine and the importance of its ingredients. For example, in an ingenious article about El Salvadoran restaurants, he went on an extended tangent to describe the amazing herb, loroco, that's used throughout their food. You can read more of his great reviews at [URL]. But, back to barbeque. This book has it all. The photographs are quite funny (mmmm... big hair). The sidebars tell great stories. And the recipes are generally simple enough that you can handle them (although when the recipe starts out saying "go buy a cow's head", you know you're in for an adventure). You may find yourself referring to a map to figure out where all these obscure towns are to plan your next drive across the state to visit all these great barbeque pits. That's my plan.
Rating: 
Summary: A very good start on a complex subject
Review: Walsh is the restaurant critic of the Houston Press and the best food columnist in town right now. His six part article on the history of Tex-Mex and the portion of this book which appeared in the Press (both still available on-line, for anyone who wants to sample some of Walsh's writing before buying the book) opened my eyes to cuisine I had always taken for granted. Portions of the book have also appeared in print (and on-line) in Texas Highways magazine and on his website. I've lived in Texas all my life except for a few years away in college but have only recently been introduced to the fabulous smoked meats of the legendary Central Texas meat markets. That experience and Walsh's articles have turned me into a barbecue fanatic and that's why I bought the book. If nothing else, reading the book -- and I found it hard to tear myself away from it, finishing it in one night -- has speeded up my timetable for acquiring a serious smoker for my patio. I noted a few factual errors, one so glaring it raises questions about the reliability of other facts in the book. Walsh makes reference to Texas entering the Union as a slave state "in the 1850s." Texas, of course, entered the Union in 1845. There were a few typos also but my main disappointment with the book is that it is less complete than I would have liked. I would have enjoyed even more history and more recipes and more interviews with pitmasters. The book reminds me more of those 'cookbooks' which are published just to complement TV series, eclectic samplers of a cuisine or chef's style as much intended for the coffee table as the kitchen. (Come to think of it, a TV series based on this book would make fascinating viewing). For those whose eyes glaze over at any mention of Texas, I offer this line from the Introduction: "This book wasn't written to claim some kind of barbecue supremacy for Texas." Arguments over whose barbecue is best, who legitimately can use the word, etc., are juvenile and a waste of time. There's too much good barbecue out there to enjoy, from the Carolinas to California, to waste time arguing. I give this book a very good rating, 4 stars. Whether you live in Texas, plan to visit, or are just interested in the history, techniques and recipes, it's a good book to have around. I'd welcome more books like this offereing the same informative look at other barbecue styles from coast to coast.
Rating:
Summary: You Don't Have To Be From Texas But If You Are...
Review: you need to own this book. Robb Walsh has captured one of the great traditions that was born and raised in Texas....Bar B Que..
I have spent the biggest part of my 59 years as a Native Texan either enjoying or cooking BarBQue and this book is a must. Robb has stitched together the history, mystique, and legend of Texas BarBQue that will captivate your interest. If you are not from Texas his recipes and instructions from the pioneers of this great social function we call "BarBQuein'" will get you pretty close to being called a "Dad Burn" good cook....and if you are from Texas...it will only make you a better cook...you won't be disappointed in this book...the only thing you'll have to be prepared for is FIRST AID...cause when you slap down those ribs, sausage, or steaks after pulling them off the pit, you'll have to get out of the way or get run over....have a great BarBQue!
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