Tartine Bread

Chad Robertson (co-owner, with his wife, Elisabeth Prueitt, of San Francisco's Tartine, Bar Tartine) brings his master Tartine Bread technique to those who may not have the chance to try the famed Bay Area loaves hot out of the oven. This "baker's guidebook" is divided into four parts: Basic Country Bread; Semolina and Whole-Wheat Breads; Baguettes and Enriched Breads; and Day-Old Bread. Robertson's basic recipe is explained in depth with numbered steps, and consists of making a natural leaven and baking in a cast-iron cooker. The author's passionate tone and tales of baking apprenticeships, along with top-notch step-by-step photos, elevate the title from mere manual to enjoyable read. The later sections include variations on the basic recipe; bread-to-use recipes for sandwiches; bruschetta; and salads and entrees made with croutons and breadcrumbs. The sophisticated and clean design, exceptional photos, and padded cover give the book a luxurious feel. (Check Catalog)

Good Eats: The Middle Years

"Good Eats 2: The Middle Years" picks up where the bestselling "Good Eats: The Early Years" left off. Showcasing everything Alton Brown fans (and they are legion!) have ever wanted to know about his award-winning television show, "The Middle Years "is chock-full of behind-the-scenes photographs and trivia, science-of-food information, cooking tips, and--of course--recipes. "Brown's particular genius lies in teaching the chemistry of cooking with levity and exuberance. In episodes such as "Fit to Be Tied" (meat roulades), "Crustacean Nation" (crab), and "Ill-Gotten Grains" (wheat products), Brown explains everything from how to make the perfect omelet to how to stuff your own sausages. With hundreds of entertaining photographs, along with Brown's inimitable line drawings and signature witty writing, this comprehensive companion book conveys the same wildly creative spirit as the show itself. (Check Catalog)

Nigella Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home

The many fans of Lawsons television shows will welcome this newest entry in the ever-growing series of cookbooks the ingenious and pneumatic kitchen diva has produced. Lawson is at home with any number of different cuisines, including Japanese, Italian, South African, Mexican, Australian, Thai, Korean, and her own native British cookery. In the last category she presents a spatchcocked Cornish game hen and intense gingerbread enriched with Guinness stout. She favors hearty meats such as lamb shanks and ham hocks. And she has special affection for dishes that one can easily serve at parties, ennobling even humble pigs in blankets with some decidedly sophisticated puff pastry. Recipes emphasize meticulous preparation and freshness of ingredients. The book includes a series of useful kitchen tips that Lawson has collected over the years. They range from tea-stain removal to easy pasta measuring. Occasional Briticisms may puzzle American readers, but they are far from insurmountable. (Check Catalog)

Fat Witch Brownies: Brownies, Blondies, and Bars from New York's Legendary Fat Witch Bakery

At long last, the owner of New York City's legendary Fat Witch Bakery shares her top-secret recipes for decadent and delicious brownies, blondies, and bars
Patricia Helding's rich, intensely chocolatey Fat Witch brownie is a New York obsession, an internet sensation, and arguably the very best brownie to be found on the planet. Unlike other bakeries that feature a range of desserts, Fat Witch, launched by Helding in 1998, specializes only in brownies--baking and selling over 2,000 each day. In Fat Witch Brownies, Helding showcases for the first time her favorite spins on the classic chocolate brownie with creations like the Banana Bread Brownie and the Breakfast Brownie, and she expands her repertoire even further with recipes for other scrumptious bar-shaped confections.
With over 50 recipes that can be baked in the same 9 x 9-inch pan and require fewer than 10 ingredients, Helding shows that baking from scratch is neither expensive nor time-consuming. All of her recipes include ingredients from local grocery stores, and are ready to serve in one hour or less. Beginning with tips on the proper tools, timing, and techniques, continuing with five chapters of recipes, and finishing with fabulous frostings, Fat Witch Brownies allows you to explore the versatility and richness of brownies and bars and create the incredible desserts in your very own kitchen that have made Helding's bakery famous. (Check Catalog)

The Book of Tapas

The huge popularity of Spanish food has grown even more following the publication of the iconic "1080 Recipes," and the best-loved type of Spanish food is tapas. Tapas consists of appetizing little dishes of bite-sized food, usually eaten before or after dinner, and it has become a Spanish way of life. Served in bars all over Spain, good tapas is all about the perfect marriage of food, drink and conversation.
Now, for the first time, the "1080 Book of Tapas" presents a complete guide to this convivial way of eating with over 200 easy-to-follow recipes that can be served with drinks in typical Spanish style, or combined to create a feast to share with friends. The recipes are fully updated and easy to follow, and include the most popular tapas dishes from "1080 Recipes," along with many brand new recipes from the Ortegas' definitive collection. They are simple to prepare in any kitchen and yet utterly authentic, enabling any aspiring cook to make their first attempt at cooking Spanish food, or helping more experienced cooks to expand their repertoire.
Also included in this book are modern tapas recipes from some of the world's best-known tapas chefs, including Jose Andres, Albert Adria, Albert Raurich, Jose Manuel Pizarro, and Sam and Eddie Hart. The book's authors, Simone and Ines Ortega, are the ultimate authorities on traditional cooking in Spain and have written about food for many years. "1080 Recipes" has sold over two million copies and has been the ultimate Spanish cooking bible since its first publication. Jose Andres, the chef widely credited with bringing tapas to America, has selected the recipes and written a new introduction about the tapas culture that has spread worldwide. (Check Catalog)