Brooks - Cookin it with Kix: the art of celebrating and the fun of outdoor cooking

L ast year, as I wrapped up filming on the Cooking Channel program Steak Out with Kix Brooks, I realized I had discovered a whole new appreciation for cooking, enjoying great food, and the importance of pairing food and drinks, wine in particular. I already knew that food and cooking have so much more to offer than just keeping you from being hungry. Where I grew up, hunting and fishing and even taking a drive to find something fresh, whether it was fresh oysters or shrimp in South Louisiana or fresh summertime peaches in North Louisiana, were all part of the process. Going after something special to eat was always accompanied by a great adventure and made for a good story. Those stories make the food taste that much better when it hits the table or tailgate.

This book is as much about the experience of eating as it is about cooking. I dont claim to be a chef, and if you bought this book, chances are youre not a chef either, but we dont have to be. The part of the world and the family that I came from taught me this: cooking is something you take pride in and have fun doing. Preparing food isnt meant just for the women folk down South either; the ladies can sure get it done, but theres a prideful competition between men and women about who does what the best, and theres a lot of teamwork as well.

At a fairly young age, I learned to fry fish and potatoes (and just about everything else) and how to grill a steak. I also was taught how to deal with venison and all the other game and fish we hunted and caught. Wild game is a world unto itself, and Ill share some tips from some great outdoor cooks along with recipes and tricks from friends and family.

I cant tell you how many times before concerts I have gone out into the parking lots to hang with the fans and just been blown away by the stuff they had going on their grills and the platters of great-looking snacks on their tailgates. Tailgating is an art form, and whether its a football game or a Kenny Chesney festival, knowing your way around parking-lot parties is important. Im here to help you out.

To complete the whole package, we mustnt forget the beverages. The drinks can be as simple as making fresh margaritas to go with Mexican food or knowing what wines to pair with a chocolate dessert. I will do my best to give some basics on what I think works well.

Finally, Im looking forward to reliving some of the memories I had growing up: making fig and peach preserves with my grandparents and taking turns with my cousins turning the crank on a homemade ice cream churn, catching fish on the lake where I lived with my dad, and showing up with dinner where the grease was always hot and ready. We had a big country kitchen outside next to the house, and there was no end to what might be steaming or boiling or frying or smoking. Cooking was just part of living, and the living was good.

I hope the stories will be fun and the tips will be helpful as a quick reference for food that is delicious and easy to prepare, all contributing to a lifestyle that you can share with your friends and family thats sure to come with a full stomach and many great memories of your own.

ENJOY!

KIX BROOKS

LOUISIANA ROOTS

H ello! Im Kix Brooks, and yes, Im the Brooks part of the country music duo Brooks & Dunn. Im also the host of the nationally syndicated radio show AmericanCountry Countdown, the former host of Steak Out with Kix Brooks on the Cooking Channel, and a founding owner/partner of Arrington Vineyards outside of Nashville, Tennessee. Ive lived in Tennessee for years now, but I was born and raised in Louisiana, and my family roots run deep there.

Its hard to describe what being from Louisiana means. Every state has an identity and its own culture, but Im not sure any is more recognizable or more diverse than Louisianas. Louisiana is known as the Sportsmans Paradise, which suits us well, but who doesnt think about food and cooking when they think about Louisiana, especially New Orleans.

This might be a good time to explain the difference between Creole and Cajun cooking, as I understand it. Creole cooking is more prominent in the southern part of the state, and it especially shines through in the great restaurants of New Orleans, where this elegant treatment of classic Louisiana cooking becomes an art form in itself. I think most chefs would tell you that Cajun cooking comes from the more casual side of things, no less appetizing, but more from the backyard or boat dock, home kitchen, or duck camp. This book is my own hybrid collection of dishes inspired by the food of my homeland and actual family recipes. Its Cajun, its Creole, its Tex-Mex, its Southern, and its even Northern since my wife is from Massachusetts. There are some generations-old, hand-me-down dishes as well as some brand-new ideas that seem to fit right in there with the flavors I love.

Ive certainly never claimed to be a chef or honestly even attempted to recreate most of the great meals Ive had at fine New Orleans establishments like Commanders Palace or Antoines. But meals Ive had at those places have been inspiring, and once you get a taste, like most good things, you cant wait to do it again. And then on a good night Im thinking,