If you are a carnivore like me, the very title of the book Ribs, Chops, Steaks & Wings might be enough to get this book off the shelf and in your hands. Because those four simple words conjure up delectible images. Juicy, dense and oh so smoky... at least they are to Serious Grill Dudes.

Now I may be a carnivore, but I am not a Serious Grill Dude. Which is why I feel that this book by Ray Lampe is just the sort of book I need to get my grill on. In case you did not know it, the author of this book is the very media savvy “Dr. BBQ”. He's a regular guest on the Food Network. He also has his own web site by the same name, judges cook-offs, serves as spokesman for the National Pork Board, and has written six cookbooks. Which I suppose makes him a Serious Grill Dude.

I am not ashamed to admit that this book's simple format and elementary style are perfect for this Aspiring Serious Grill Dude. There is a lot I don't know about cooking meat, espcially on the grill. So before I learn to trot I need to learn to walk (I almost said gallop but I could not find a single horse recipe in this book)...

I guess it’s no secret by now. I like pickled things.

Remember Pickled Rhubarb? How about Pickled Shrimp? Just last week I featured a pickled fish known as Escabeche. I have a vinegary Filipino adobo coming to these pages very soon.

Well, pickled things are also a staple in Turkish cuisine. I have been reading quite a bit about Turkish cooking lately and will soon start featuring a few of my finds every once in a while.

So, with my love of pickles I was naturally very intrigued when I read that in Istanbul there are entire shops devoted to pickles. The photos I have seen are very inspiring. Shop windows filled with stunning displays of pickled things gleaming like jewels in the sunlight. It’s common to see brined cucumbers, peppers, cabbage, beets and stuffed eggplant in these shops. But there can also less expected versions of the plain ol’ pickle too. Things like whole ears of corn, unusual fruits and even pinecones!