Information on the basic cuts of meats and varieties of potatoes and buying and storing them accompanies recipes for thirty-five winning dishes ranging from basic burgers and baked potatoes to heaven-and-earth pork pie.

It's what's inside that counts! Surprise your friends and family with these stunningly inventive cakes, including easy-to-follow instructions that even a beginner can master.For Amanda Rettke, founder of iambaker.net, every cake is a gift to be shared, a special treat that should be lovingly prepared and intriguingly designed—from the inside out. Whether it's a striking all-white cake with a secret rainbow heart baked inside, a birthday cake complete with a surprise balloon in the middle, or the gorgeous rose cake that took the blogging world by storm, Amanda's creations are downright revolutionary—and tons of fun! In Surprise-Inside Cakes, she gives us fresh new ways to enjoy life's greatest occasions, with themes and cakes including: Celebrating Family—Stripe Birthday Cake, Paw Print Cake, Rainbow Cake Celebrating You—Leopard Cake, Herringbone Cake, Cowboy Boot Cake Celebrating Love—Kiss Cake, Ring Cake, Sunset Cake Celebrating Holidays—Jack-o'-lantern Cake, Rudolph Cake, Holiday Candle Cake Celebrating Life—Football Cake, Cherry Cake, Smiley Face CakeFeaturing a few classic favorite cakes from her blog and more than forty brand-new cakes—along with her easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step photo tutorials—Surprise-Inside Cakes shows you how to replicate these incredible designs in your own kitchen.To make these dazzling cakes, you can start with one of Amanda's delicious, foolproof recipes for cakes and frostings, or use a boxed cake mix or favorite family recipe. With tips on how to bake a level cake, tricks using household items such as rulers, biscuit cutters, and cookie cutters to carve and shape cakes, and Amanda's simple yet stunning frosting and decorating ideas, you'll not only be re-creating these amazing cakes for occasions large and small, you'll soon be using her techniques to create your own surprises!And your friends and family will be thrilled and delighted when a beautiful cake opens to reveal a special gift inside.

"That's when I saw him—the cowboy—across the smoky room."I'll never forget that night. It was like a romance novel, an old Broadway musical, and a John Wayne western rolled into one. Out for a quick drink with friends, I wasn't looking to meet anyone, let alone a tall, rugged cowboy who lived on a cattle ranch miles away from my cultured, corporate hometown. But before I knew it, I'd been struck with a lightning bolt . . . and I was completely powerless to stop it.Read along as I recount the rip-roaring details of my unlikely romance with a chaps-wearing cowboy, from the early days of our courtship (complete with cows, horses, prairie fire, and passion) all the way through the first year of our marriage, which would be filled with more challenge and strife—and manure—than I ever could have expected. This isn't just my love story; it's a universal tale of passion, romance, and all-encompassing love that sweeps us off our feet. It's the story of a cowboy.And Wranglers.And chaps.And the girl who fell in love with them.

For many people, wine is an anxiety-inducing mystery as arcane as quantum physics, and with so many varieties, it's difficult to know what to choose. As New York Times wine critic Eric Asimov argues, that puzzling uncertainty often prevents people from buying and ordering wine, depriving them of an exquisite, deeply satisfying experience.In How to Love Wine, Asimov examines why the American wine culture produces such feelings of anxiety and suggests how readers can overcome their fears and develop a sense of discovery and wonder as they explore the diversity and complexity of the world of wine. With warmth, candor, and intelligent authority, Asimov interweaves his professional knowledge and insights with engaging personal stories of his love affair with wine, a lifelong passion that began when he was a graduate student on a budget.In a direct, down-to-earth manner, Asimov discusses favorite vineyards, wine's singular personalities, the "tyranny of tasting notes"—those meaningless, overwritten wine de*ions that often pass for criticism today—and current wine issues.Throughout, he incorporates in-depth discussions of beautiful wines, both easy to find and rare, and pays special attention to those that have been particularly meaningful to him. Thought-provoking and enjoyable, How to Love Wine will help diminish readers' anxiety, bolster their confidence, and transform them into true wine lovers.

This book is a revelation to Americans who have never tasted real Cornish Pasties, Scotch Woodcock (a splendid version of scrambled eggs) or Brown Bread Ice Cream. From the sumptuous breakfasts that made England famous to the steamed puddings, trifles, meringues and syllabubs that are still renowned, no aspect of British cooking is overlooked. Soups, fish, meat and game, vegetables, sauces, high teas, scones, crumpets, hot cross buns, savories, preserves and sweets of all kinds are here in clear, precise recipes with ingredients and utensils translated into American terms.

Sophisticated and stylish vegetarian main course pose the greatest challenge for the busy cook seeking meatless meals. With that in mind, Jeanne Lemlin, the award-winning author of Quick Vegetarian Pleasures, has created 125 recipes for savory vegetarian entrees to suit all occasions. Delicious, healthful, and easy to prepare, the recipes in Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures--Roasted Vegetables with Polenta, Risotto Primavera, Pumpkin and Corn Chowder, among many others--take vegetarian cooking into that magical realm where style and substance produce genuine pleasure.

Get that great taste of wood-smoked food using the top of your kitchen stove.Contains everything you need to know about smoking foods at home, using a stovetop smoker.Chris serves up 36 master recipes for smoking everything from whole chickens to shrimp, plus 95 recipes for soups, salads, and sides that use smoked ingredients. There's Tea-Smoked Duck; Smoked Eggplant Soup; and Fettuccine with Smoky Salmon, Peas, and Leeks to name just a few. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and your love for smoky flavor. With Chris Styler's tips, techniques, and pointers, smoking food is simple, fast, and the taste speaks for itself. Smokin' -- it's well, smokin'.

In 2001 Chez Panisse was named the number one restaurant in America by Gourmet magazine -- quite a journey from 1971 when Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse as a place where she and her friends could cook country French food with local ingredients and talk politics.As the restaurant's popularity grew, so did Alice's commitment to organic, locally grown foods and to a community of farmers and producers who provide the freshest ingredients, grown and harvested naturally with techniques that preserve and enrich the land for future generations. After thirty years, the innovative spirit and pure, intense flavors of Chez Panisse continue to delight and surprise all who visit, and even those who cant get there know that Alice started a quiet revolution, changing the culinary landscape forever. Inspired by Chez Panisse, more and more people across the country are discovering the sublime pleasures of local, organic vegetables and fruits.Now join Alice Waters and the cooks at Chez Panisse in celebration of fruit. Chez Panisse Fruit draws on the exuberant flavors of fresh, ripe fruit to create memorable dishes. In this companion volume to Chez Panisse Vegetables, discover more than 200 recipes for both sweet and savory dishes featuring fruit. Glorify the late-summer peach harvest with Peach and Raspberry Gratin, and extend the season with Grilled Cured Duck Breast with Pickled Peaches. Enjoy the first plums in Pork Loin Stuffed with Wild Plums and Rosemary. Preserve the fresh flavors of winter citrus with Kumquat Marmalade or Candied Grapefruit Peel. Organized alphabetically by fruit -- from apples to strawberries -- and including helpful essays on selecting, storing, and preparing fruit, this book will help you make the very most of fresh fruits from season to season. Illustrated with beautiful color relief prints by Patricia Curtan, Chez Panisse Fruit is a book to savor and to treasure.

Tea for two. That's what it's all about, rightSo how come every recipe you pick up says "serves 4 to 6"Or more! What do you do when you want macaroni and cheese, but don't want to be reheating it for three nightsOr a couple of cookies, but don't want to be tempted by two dozen sitting on the counter all week?Creative cookbook authors and cooks Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough have all the answers in Cooking for Two.Brimming with 120 smaller-serving, big-taste recipes,Cooking for Two offers cooks familiar favorites such as PastaBolognese, Chicken Pot Pie, and Mushroom Barley Soup, as well as new dishes for today's tastes like Pork Satay Salad and Snapper Fillets Sautéed with Orange and Pecans. Simply cutting down larger recipes leads to wasted ingredients. But Bruce and Mark have developed each recipe so you buy only what you need, and use all of what you buy. Instead of opening a can of vegetable stock only to use three tablespoons, use the liquid the dried mushrooms have soaked in. If an onion is too large for a recipe, chop a shallot instead. The dessert chapters are filled with cookies, puddings, and cakes, all designed for two servings. Small-batch baking requires strict attention to detail. A regular egg can be too big for a small batch of six cookies, so they suggest quail eggs or the easy-to-find pasteurized egg substitutes, which you can measure out in tablespoons.Truly a cookbook for everyday use, each recipe is labeled as quick (ready in minutes with minimal cooking), moderate (requires a bit more preparation or cooking), or leisurely (perfect for quiet celebrations or weekend meals) to help you decide which dish best fits into your day. With ingredient and equipment guides, as well as tips on how to stock your pantry to avoid those there's-nothing-in-the-house-so-let's-go-out moments, Cooking for Two will surely become the cookbook you reach for every night of the week.It's just two perfect.

Peanut butter makes everything better. Think about it: Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. Cold Peanut Noodles. Peanut Butter Fudge. Still not convincedTry Peanut Butter Waffles, Pad Thai, or Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Centers. In The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book, the tenth addition to their Ultimate series, Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough offer up hundreds of recipes and variations for America's favorite spread. From comforting Peanut Butter Sticky Buns to decadent Peanut Butter Cheesecake to outrageous Elvis Spread (peanut butter, bacon, and bananas), The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book takes Peanut butter way beyond the same old PB&J.

The Dumpling: A Seasonal Guide by Wai Hon Chu and Connie Lovatt is the most comprehensive collection of dumpling recipes ever produced.Discovering that dumplings—as a category of food—have never been properly defined, Chu and Lovatt developed a definition that takes into account the ingredients, cooking methods, and shapes that most commonly define dumplings, not just in a particular region or culture, but around the world. "A dumpling is a portion of dough, batter, or starchy plant fare, solid or filled, that is cooked through wet heat, and is not a strand or a ribbon"This exciting collection shows us that not only are pot stickers, pierogis, and shao mai dumplings but so too are tamales, steamed cakes, and steamed breads. From Chickpea Dumplings in a Tomato Sauce (India) to Leaf-Wrapped Rice Packages Stuffed with Peanuts and Sausage (China), from Chocolate Tamales (Mexico) to a "Napkin" Bread Dumpling with Cherries (Austria), from Cloud-Shaped Bread Buns (Tibet) to Potato Dumplings with Cabbage Layers (Hungary), dumplings, whether steamed or simmered, are as fun to make as they are to eat. A truly passionate exploration of every dumpling type imaginable, The Dumpling contains dessert varieties, dumplings for gifts or entertaining, dozens of vegetarian and vegan options, fast and easy dumplings, as well as 21 pages of step-by-step dumpling making-illustrations. Arranged by month so as to encourage all of us to cook dumplings seasonally and year round, The Dumpling contains a recipe for every taste bud, table, and occasion. Chapters 10, 11, and 12 October No-Fuss Potato Dumplings Spiced Carrot Pudding Collard Greens with Corn Dumplings Chicken Paprika with Dumplings Bean Soup with Tiny Dumplings Chickpea "Fish" in a Spicy Onion Sauce Bacon and Sage Roly Poly Daikon Cake Cheddar Cheese and Potato Pierogi Lentil and Onion Pierogi Potato "Tamales" Stuffed with Chicken and Jalapeno Beef-Stuffed Plantain Balls in a Cassava-Corn Soup November Dumplings and Cocky’s Joy "Napkin" Bread Dumpling Turkey Stew with Stuffing Dumplings Cranberry Pudding Lord Randall’s Pudding, An Apricot Dessert Sticky Toffee Pudding Potato Dumplings with Crouton Centers Country Cabbage Soup with Large Cornmeal Dumplings Philadelphia Pepperpot Soup with Dumplings Large Beef- and Spinach-Filled Dumplings in Beef Broth Dumplings Stuffed with Pears, Figs, and Chocolate Pumpkin and Lentil Ravioli with Browned Butter and Rosemary "Little Ear" Dumplings Stuffed with Mushrooms in a Beet Soup December Root Vegetable Bread Dumplings Clootie Dumpling Starchy Coconut Stew with Slippery Rice Balls Guava Duff Potato Dumplings with Cabbage Layers John in the Sack Classic Christmas Pudding Chocolate Tamales Siberian Meat Dumplings Chestnut Ravioli with Sage Butter Sauce Chicken-Filled Dumplings in an Escarole Soup Dumplings Stuffed with "Stewed" Breadcrumbs

From Fairway Market's master buyer and author of the hugely successful Cheese Primer comes a celebration of the store's extravagant food collection and the stories surrounding its culture.Fairway, a local institution in New York City for more than fifty years, is the busiest food store in the world. There shoppers can find innumerable artisanal food products, which, for three decades, Steven Jenkins has traveled the world to find. With a wonderful narrative and anecdotes from the man who personally brought so many of the world's greatest foods to New York and the United States, readers will become more enthusiastic shoppers and better cooks. Jenkins's longtime associate, Mitchel London, provides recipes that will attract not only Fairway customers but any home cook who has access to great ingredients.

Good Luck Life is the first book to explain the meanings of Chinese rituals and to offer advice on when and how to plan for Chinese holidays and special occasions such as Chinese weddings, the Red Egg and Ginger party to welcome a new baby, significant birthdays, and the inevitable funeral. Packed with practical information, Good Luck Life contains an abundance of facts, legends, foods, old-village recipes, and quick planning guides for Chinese New Year, Clear Brightness, Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and many other festivals.Written with warmth and wit, Good Luck Life is beautifully designed as an easily accessible cultural guide that includes an explanation of the Lunar Calendar, tips on Chinese table etiquette for dining with confidence, and dos and don'ts from wise Auntie Lao, who recounts ancient Chinese beliefs and superstitions. This is your map for celebrating a good luck life.

William L. Hamilton loves a good gimlet. Rose's and lime. Straight up. Perfectly iced. Make the glass pretty too. "It ruined my reputation for thinking before I speak," he writes of that love. "I accept the trade-off." Like Lewis Carroll's Alice, when Hamilton sees it, he drinks it -- and tells the incredible tale.In "Shaken and Stirred," his biweekly Sunday Styles column, now an original book of his drinking adventures, the intrepid New York Times reporter offers a gimlet-eyed look at contemporary culture through the panoptic view of a cocktail glass. From the venerable martini to the young Dirty Jane, Hamilton shares his tip on the sip.You hold in your hands a guide to "how it goes down." Not a cocktail manual or a Baedeker to the bar scene but a drinker's guide to drinking. These are four-ounce adventures of cocktails and the people who make them, from the bartenders and chefs to the patrons, the politicians and the power players of the liquor industry.There are tales of the Champagne high life, the Long Island Iced Tea low life; men like Dr. Brown and his celery soda, and women like Eve and her Apple Martini. Hamilton's weekly Runyanesque rounds cover all the watering holes and their poisons, from the East Side's Southside to the Incredible Hulk in the Bronx, and monitors the latest trends, from the ultra-premium vodka wars to the Red Bull market. Shaken and Stirred is a report on a popular culture that comes alive after five, when the mood turns social and the moment is sweet (or sour, or bitter, or dry).Hamilton has also picked up the best (or the most unbelievable) cocktail recipes from bars, lounges and restaurants in New York City and beyond. There is common sense and creativity in the classics, and new inventions with their eye on the prize, such as the Huckleberry Ginn and the Bleeding Heart."drink me," said the bottle in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Hamilton has, in every instance, and bottled his thoughts in sixty-four essays that are as readable as they are drinkable. Mix a gimlet, or a Minnesota Anti-Freeze, or a Gibson or a Bone. And spend a night in, on the town.

Firm, ripe tomatoes. Golden corn. Fragrant basil. Juicy peaches. Nothing compares with the bounty of summer when colors, flavors, and aromas are at their peak and cooking is easier than ever. Fresh, ripe produce is so tasty and perfect on its own that creating a terrific summer meal can be stress-free, delicious, and fun.In Summer Gatherings, award-winning cooking instructor Rick Rodgers has compiled his favorite simple summer recipes that make the most of the season's flavors. Purposely casual, stripped to their essentials, these recipes are uncomplicated by elaborate sauces or fussy garnishes, focusing instead on the fruits and vegetables that make summer cooking what it is. With Watermelon, Tomato, and Mint Salad to Fried Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms; Soft Shell Crab BLT Sandwiches; Chocolate Cherry Parfaits; Grilled Chicken with White Rosemary Barbecue Sauce; Risotto with Tomatoes, Basil, and Ricotta Salata; and Cantaloupe Ice Pops, Rodgers will help you take full advantage of summer's bounty.From family cookouts to neighborhood block parties, from picnics on the lawn to picnics at the beach, the appetizing recipes and photographs in Summer Gatherings are guaranteed to satisfy and inspire all season long.

It's salty, smoky, and sweet. It's experiencing a culinary renaissance. It can make almost any dish better. It's bacon, and it's the best meat ever. And now, here's the book that celebrates that deliciously sinful strip of cured pork belly. In Bacon: A Love Story, popular bacon blogger Heather Lauer serves up a piping hot dish of fun and facts with this definitive love letter to what she calls meat candy. Heather explores the ins and outs of how bacon finds its way to your skillet and what to do with it when it gets there.Bacon: A Love Story features:Makin' Bacon: a tour of country-style bacon outfits and their time-honored methods and traditions. Hankering for some pepper, cinnamon, honey, jalape?o, or vanilla bourbon-flavored baconThey've got it! There are also tips for making your own signature cure."Bacon Nation": profiles of bacon-loving chefs across the country who incorporate the meat into their menus in increasingly innovative ways.There's Bacon in This?: Heather dishes out more than twenty delicious recipes for tons of bacon goodies like Bacon-Wrapped Tator Tots, BLT with caramelized bacon, Jalape?o-Bacon Pizza, and a few surprises like Bacon Bloody Marys and Bacon Brownies.Bacon 411: an extensive resource section on all things bacon.Written in a witty, engaging style and brimming with Lauer's infectious passion for the Best Meat Ever, Bacon: A Love Story is a must-read for anyone who loves bacon or is passionate about food.

Can't tell a Gin Fizz from a GimletThink a Sidecar is something you'd see at the racetrackIf your idea of a wild night is a few Lemondrop shots washed back with a Cosmo, you're in need of some cocktail therapy! And there's no one better to tell you everything you need to know about a Brandy Crusta, a French 75, a Cacha?a Swing, and much, much more than Ti Adelaide Martin and Lally Brennan, who will take you on a rip-roaring trip. . . .In the Land of CocktailsProprietors of the legendary New Orleans restaurant Commander's Palace, Ti and Lally are cocktail divas, spread-ing the gospel about how to make drinks properly, from why a true Sazerac can only be made with Peychaud's bitters to why hand-chipped ice is best for cocktails. In this marvelously entertaining book—both a guide to making some of the world's best cocktails and a memoir of the authors' lives surrounded by family, friends, and delicious food—there are recipes for familiar classics like the Corpse Reviver and the Old-Fashioned; New Orleans favorites like Brandy Milk Punch and the Sazerac; and new inventions created by Ti and Lally, such as their now-famous Whoa, Nellie!In the Land of Cocktails includes information on pairing food with cocktails, introductions to the beloved, boisterous Brennan family and their friends, and explanations of some of the unique, perhaps strange to some, words and ways of life in New Orleans. Filled with wit, sass, warmth, and lots of good times, In the Land of Cocktails is the ideal gift for cocktail lovers everywhere, whether you're a novice or an old drinking pro.

A renowned chef and nutritionist has the recipe for delectable meals with a healthy Mediterranean focus, featuring more than 100 recipes for flavorful, seasonal local foodHailed as the Napa Valley of the East, New York's Hudson Valley has become a major hub for local foods and agriculture—and Laura Pensiero's acclaimed restaurants are at the center of it all. Customers from near and far flock to Gigi Trattoria in Rhinebeck (named one of Hudson Valley's best restaurants in Hudson Valley Magazine) and Gigi Market and Catering in Red Hook to dine on Laura's interpretations of traditional Italian dishes that highlight the bounty of the farms, gardens, and artisans of the Valley.A celebration of the food of the Hudson Valley and the people who grow and produce it, Hudson Valley Mediterranean shows how to use seasonal ingredients to create delectable, nourishing meals. Here are more than 100 easy-to-prepare and cost-effective recipes made with the best ingredients and a touch of Mediterranean flair, including:Gigi Potato Gnocchi with Northwind Farm Chicken and Pea RaguBaked Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower and ChardFava Bean and Fregola SaladSpring (and Every Other Season) LasagnaSeared Salmon over Spring TrifolatiMr. Mink's Panzanella Salad with fresh herbsStrawberry Mascarpone TartThis local and seasonal food movement is happening throughout the country, and Pensiero invites everyone to bring these foods into their own kitchens and communities using regional resources—because cooking with fresh food harvested nearby brings pleasure to eating and connects people to their family, friends, and community.

Join New York Times bestselling author and Food Network star Guy Fieri for a second helping of the best diners, drive-ins, and dives across America!Guy Fieri strikes again with More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, giving you a road map to road food that's earned its culinary citizenship in "Flavortown." Join Guy on a cross-country noshing parade, mapping out the best places you've never heard of—more than fifty establishments off the beaten path. Compete in a (no hands) apple-pie-eating contest at Bobo Drive-In in Topeka, Kansas, dip your taste buds in Sweet Spicy Love sauce at Uncle Lou's Fried Chicken in Memphis, Tennessee, and get a load of the killer four-cheese mac-and-cheese at Gorilla Barbeque in Pacifica, California. Filled with Guy's hilarious voice and rampant enthusiasm for these hidden culinary gems, More Diners, Drive-ins and Dives is the perfect book for lovers of the American food scene and fans of Triple D.

The bestselling author of Italian Grill and Molto Italiano delivers a gorgeous collection of mouthwatering recipes to bring some Italian favorites home.Chef Mario Batali's zest for life infuses the casual Italian fare that has made his restaurant Otto Enoteca Pizzeria a perennially popular New York City destination. Now you can have the flavors of Otto at home, with Molto Gusto, a collection of recipes for everyone's favorites, from pizza, pasta, and antipasti to gelati and sorbetti. Mario has written the definitive book on great pizza making for the amateur, the novice, the foodie, and the gourmet cook, teaching how to make really great pizza at home without any fancy equipment. Here too are recipes for classic pizza, Otto's special pizzas, and even kids' pizzas.Looking for something a little lighterTry the antipasti. Based on seasonal vegetables, with a few recipes showcasing seafood and meat, these dishes can make up an entire, healthy meal. Also included are many of Mario's favorite simple pasta dishes, and to finish it all off, fantastic recipes for gelati, sorbetti, and copette.Filled with Mario's infectious personality and love of robust flavors, and illustrated with luscious full-color photos, Molto Gusto makes it easy to spend a night on the town without leaving home.

How would you like to eat rich, flavorful, healthy food at home and not worry about calories?Today show nutritionist Joy Bauer has helped millions of people improve their health, and now she wants to improve their home-cooked meals as well. Tired of the misconception that you have to dine out to eat delicious food, Joy proves in Slim and Scrumptious that not only can you eat fresh, rich, and filling food, but that it is quick, affordable, and easy, too! Slim and Scrumptious features more than seventy-five recipes for every meal and every taste. Whether you want Double Chocolate Pancakes or Eggs Benedict for breakfast, Sesame Chicken Tenders or Spicy Pork Tacos with Sassy Slaw for lunch, or Spice-Rubbed Flank Steak with Chimichurri and Creamy Spinach for dinner, Joy shows you that classic, rich food can still be made to taste great with just a fraction of the fat and calories. She also includes fun snacks, desserts, and appetizers that will keep you satisfied all day long, such as Cinnamon Cheesecake Fondue, Frozen Hot Chocolate, and Banana Pecan Bread. With every recipe, Joy helps you stretch your food and cooking dollars for everything from a fast and easy family meal to a relaxing and romantic dinner for two. These meals are so amazingly delicious, no one (but the chef!) will ever know that they're healthy, too.