[.ca] Mustards Grill (ISBN 1580080456)

From Amazon.com:
"I have always thought of Mustards as a cross between a roadside rib joint and a French country restaurant," writes chef-owner Cindy Pawlcyn, neatly characterizing the culinary pedigree of her famed Napa Valley, California, dining spot. Pawlcyn's Mustards Grill Napa Valley Cookbook, written with Brigid Callinan, offers 150 popular recipes from the restaurant, treats like Slow-Smoked BBQ Pork Sandwiches with Ooo-Eee! Sauce, Wild Mushroom "Burgers" with Apple-Jicama Slaw, and Artichokes with James Beard's Beer Batter and Tarragon Aioli. The recipes can entail a kitchen workout, but they are easy enough to do once the commitment is made. Readers wanting to treat family or guests to sophisticated down-home eating will welcome Pawlcyn's unique repertoire. In chapters that cover appetizers, soups, and salads, Pawlcyn presents standout recipes like Crab Cakes with Red Beet and Horseradish Rémoulade; Tomato, Basil, and Tortilla Soup; and Chinese Chicken Salad with Sesame Noodles and Rice Vinegar Cucumbers. Smoker- and grill-derived specialties, including Half-Slab BBQ Baby Back Ribs with Crispy Yams and Coleslaw and Tea-Smoked Duck with 100-Almond Sauce and Ginger Pickled Mango, receive their own seductive space, as do pan and sandwich delights like Louise's Bouillabaisse with Rouille and Ahi Tuna and Shiitake Mini Burgers. Desserts such as Lemon-Lime Meringue Pie and Red Raspberry, White Peach, and Blueberry Cobbler follow in the deluxe-diner spirit of the place and should prove an irresistible finale to any meal. They're further tribute to Pawlcyn's one-of-a kind restaurant and its instantly seductive cooking. --Arthur Boehm

Simply the greatest cookbook. Mustards Grill:
This book is the example of what a cookbook should be. Beautifully written and photographed it deserves to be on display in your home. And if that is not enough the recipies will knock your socks off. This is why Cindy Pawlcyn is one of this countrys greatest chefs. Mustards grill is the bringing together of seasonality, diversity and the best of what California has to offer. I spent some time at Mustards eating and I can tell you this book stays true to the restaurant. Congratulations Chef on a great writing effort.

Should have been 5 stars...:
I would recommend this cookbook to those with some experience - this is not a recipe guide, but rather an inspiration source from a chef with well-grounded tastes. The recipes are easy to follow, are not difficult or overly time consuming in preparation, and show culinary flair and wisdom without being trendy for trend's sake. I would describe the dishes as simple food for gourmets. The book's design and photographs are tasteful. With this praise in mind, I am disappointed in the book's production - unforgivable oversights such as: three prominent photographs throughout the book of what appears to be plates of crispy fried onion rings... but no mention or recipe. Or the recipe for a Salmon Roulade accompanied by eight very clear how-to photos - the photos show skinless salmon, butterflied and pounded, but the recipe calls for fillets with skin on, and no mention of pounding. An edit for future releases would be welcome. My opinion is this would be a logical cookbook for those who appreciate Jaques Pépin's series of books aimed at the aspiring novice, as well as for more experienced cooks who would like some inspiration for higher-end simple food. I'm keeping this one in my library.

Masterpiece:
The book is a masterpiece for a handful of reasons. You will see the book as a labor of love ... 100% attention to ingredients, cooking methods, details of all kinds - no matter how small. I love restaurants that are consistent with their menu and dishes even if they stay around for 20 years, like Mustards Grill. I first dined at Mustards 12 years ago and fell in love with their burgers and soul-satisfying soups. That was also the place where I first tried the calamari with its sumblime taste that continues to haunt me to this day. And now 12 years later, I visited the Napa Valley for the first time and decided to try Mustards again. It is still as magnificent as the night I first walked in. Many of my old favorites are still on the menu ... and now with the new cookbook, I'm able to recreate the wonderful signature dishes at home 3,000 miles away from the actual restaurant. Don't be turned off by the long, long, long lists of ingredients ... the book is not meant for everyday cooking ... it's a restaurant cookbook so I'm saving the book for special occasions - whenever I need the cooking inspiration. Again, the book is a masterpiece - the photos are gorgeous, the recipes are irresistible especially the fact that the book includes just about every signature dish that makes Mustards undeniably famous.

Fantastic:
I received this on Christmas Eve, spent all day 25th on the sofa w/ it, cooked the pork chop last night, and purchased two today!! One for my sister-in-law, one for our! chef!! We love the restaurant, & the book is true to the Mustard's experience!!

Eat at Mustard's Grill! (Or buy the cookbook!):
When you visit the Napa wine region you must eat at Mustard's Grill. If that is not possible then you should buy Cindy Pawlcyn and Brigid Callinan's cookbook. The recipes for fantastic grilled food, unique side dishes, and incredible desserts found in this book will make you plan your next vacation to northern California. If you like pork you will love her Mongolian pork chops with chinese mustard sauce. Serve it with her mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage for a winning meal reminiscent of the friendly restaurant nestled among Napa's vineyards. Buy this cookbook and you will immediately understand why it won a James Beard award. And I hear that another cookbook is in the works ...