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Good Books for Cooks '08 Recently, we received an email from a devoted cookbook
fan. She'd moved to a new home, with a bit of downsizing involved, but she still brought along her library of more than
900 cookbooks! "The books are my friends," she wrote. That's
how so many of us feel about our favorite reads. If it's time to add to your best friend list, consider these entertaining
new reads for 2008. We visited Lanny Parks at the Compleat Bookseller in Chestertown and asked her for some of her food-related favorites. Lanny's a cook herself, and has these to recommend
for yourself or your favorite foodie. She suggests:
Let's Go Somewhere and Eat! Food and Travel Books Travel writing and food writing have finally married — and are cranking out
progeny at a furious pace. This year, it's just as likely foodies will find an interesting read in the travel section
as the foodwriting/cooking area of your fave bookstore. Pick your dream
destination, and there's a good chance someone's out there to lead you to all the food hotspots. Check out these three:
A Vineyard in Tuscany. Author Ferenc Máté's
account of rebuilding a Tuscan ruin into a world-class winery. Good reviews! List Price: $24.95 Provencal Cooking: Savoring the Simple Life in France. A Professor at CUNY, Mary Ann Caws praises the food,
the markets, the lifestyle of her 2nd home in Provence, with recipes from her new friends. List Price:
$24.00 Bràsseries of Paris. An insider's guide to the history
of 49 food and drink bars in Paris. Their history, their menus, and how to get there. A good guidebook for daydreaming. List
Price: $16.95
Regional Cuisine Southern Belly: The Ultimate Foodlovers Companion to the South. John
T. Edge. Stories, drawings, recipes, maps, restaurants. A guide to the honest
food from the South. List Price: $24.95  America's Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast, by
Sheryll Bellman. You'll be pleased to know that Attman's in Batimore is
there, along with their recipe for Reuben Dip. Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast
Guide to 799 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners and Much, Much More. (Honestly,
after that subtitle, could there be much more?) Jane and Michael Stern. A "bible" for real-live food that's
not from chains. And one you'll want to keep handy in the car. List Price: $21.95
This Year's Must-Haves: Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients. Chalk up another hit for Ina Garten.
Her new "Back to Basics" book is flying off the shelf. It's all about simple tips and techniques. Ten ways to
boost the flavor of your ingredients, ten things not to serve at a party, stress-free impressive recipes. Folks love how she
makes elegant easy. Here are some inside tips. List Price: $35.00  Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. What do you do after you've already turned the
food world on its head? Omnivore's Dilemma was a breakthrough in understanding our relationship with food. But what
should we eat? What's healthy? Bottom line: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Discover more here. List
Price: $21.95And one that caught my eye: Cooking with Les Dames
d'Escoffier: At Home with the Women Who Shape the Way We Eat and Drink. Really, could these titles get much
longer? Les Dames d' Escoffier is a 1300-member professional organization of leaders (with a strong membership in D.C., we might add). This is their collection—and
a tribute to the culinary arts. List Price: $35.
More Food for Political Junkies The President's Table: 200 years of Dining and Diplomacy is a proud addition to any cocktail table. Barry H. Landau has gathered together stories of D.C. socializing and politicking for every president from G.W. to G.W.Bush. If you haven't been invited to the inauguration, or perhaps if you have, this is a great way to celebrate the history. List price: $34.95.
Backyard Gems A Thyme to Entertain: Menus and Traditions of Annapolis is the latest cookbook from the Junior League of Annapolis. Organized by events and menus, it has ideas for everything from a Steeplechase Picnic to a Chesapeake Bay Crab Feast. Local photographer Dean Alexander took the pics; they're luscious. $29.95 Just
want a good dinner out? Wouldn't it be great to find some place that can cook better than you can? Pick up the new Zagat
Guides for 2008. The Washington D.C. Guide also covers Annapolis, the Eastern Shore (sort of), and Northern Virginia.
Baltimore and Philly are also available. $13.95
The Compleat Bookseller This
local centerpiece of Chestertown is a full-service independent bookstore. And the service
from Lanny Parks and her staff is something you just won't find online or at the behemoths. Plus, Lanny knows her cooking. Visit soon. Hours: Monday through Thursday: 9:30 - 5:30 Fridays: 9:30 - 6:00 (During the holiday season - until 8:00) Saturdays: 9 - 5 Sunday: 11 - 4 |
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