Cooks' Books from Creators Syndicate

Curry Lots of Favor -- and Flavor -- in Your Own Kitchen for 07/10/2008

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

“Complete Curry Cookbook: 250 Recipes from Around the World” by Byron Ayanoglu and Jennifer MacKenzie (Robert Rose, $24.95)

Imagine every delightful curry dish you’ve ever feasted on in a restaurant emerging bubbling and aromatic from your kitchen. This isn’t a dream you’ve had after a particularly spicy sampling of the sumptuous sauce: It’s reality th ...

Updated: Thu Jul 10, 2008

Cuddling up With Cupcakes Just got Much Easier for 07/17/2008

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make" by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson (Houghton Mifflin, $15.95).

Many bakers write cookbooks about gorgeous cupcakes that decorate bakery windows. Lots of people read cookbooks about the spectacular sweets, but just how many of us are taking the leap in our own kitchens?

It's my guess after reviewing many tas ...

Updated: Thu Jul 17, 2008

The Casual Cookbook You Would have Written -- if Only You had the Time for 07/24/2008

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Sara Foster's Casual Cooking: More Fresh, Simple Recipes from Foster's Market" by Sara Foster with Carolynn Carreno (Clarkson Potter, $35).

Most of us probably could have stolen Sara Foster's thunder when it came to her cookbook theme — casual cooking — and written a pretty handy-dandy version of the book ourselves. Isn't it considered fairly casual when you throw ...

Updated: Thu Jul 24, 2008

Try Tapas as Tempting Time-Savers for 07/31/2008

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Tapas: The Little Dishes of Spain" by Penelope Casas (Knopf, $30)

Whether it's cooking — or just plain eating — how many of us have time these days for multicourse meals? A quarter of a course grabbed on the run is usually more like it.

Twenty years ago when Penelope Casas, acclaimed author of Spanish cookbooks, was the first to introduce tapas to the Americ ...

Updated: Thu Jul 31, 2008

Twin Recipes Double your Diet Success for 08/07/2008

Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"The Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone in Between" by Peter Berley with Zoe Singer (Houghton Mifflin, $30)

Recently, sneaky moms have written popular cookbooks where they hide vegetables for kids by grounding them up in muffins or stowing them away in macaroni and cheese. I'd like to suggest Peter Berley's "The Flexitari ...

Updated: Thu Aug 07, 2008

Enjoy Gourmet and Tasty Meals in Less Cooking Time for 08/14/2008

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"A Twist of the Wrist: Quick Flavorful Meals with Ingredients from Jars, Cans, Bags, and Boxes" by Nancy Silverton with Carolynn Carreno (Knopf, $29.95)

I've heard many people, who are never far from a fast-food drive-thru lane, savagely put down the breed of popular culinary TV hosts and cookbook authors that preach half-homemade or half-scratch cooking.

"Ehhh! Tha ...

Updated: Thu Aug 14, 2008

Turn Cooking Fish into a Love Story Rather than a Horror Film for 08/21/2008

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Fish Without a Doubt: 250 Simple Seafood Recipes" by Rick Moonen and Roy Finamore (Houghton Mifflin, $35)

Have you ever seen a horror film about a trout amandine or shrimp scampi?

According to statistics, it's as if most of us have been scared in the dark by such creatures. Just as fear of public speaking is often cited as the top anxiety of a majority of people in ever ...

Updated: Thu Aug 21, 2008

When These Authors say "Family Cookbook," They Really Mean it for 08/28/2008

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"The River Cottage Family Cookbook" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr (Ten Speed, $32.50)

Most cookbook authors who title their guides "family cookbooks" mean that you alone will be doing the cooking; they recommend the dishes as those your kids will not sneak to the pet dog under the kitchen table. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Fizz Carr, however, have l ...

Updated: Thu Aug 28, 2008

Covet your Neighbor's Barbecue with Delicious Results for 09/04/2008

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Barbecue Nation: 350 Hot-Off-the-Grill, Tried-and-True Recipes from America's Backyard" by Fred Thompson (Taunton, $18.95)

Have you ever stepped into your backyard, whiffed the delectable aroma of a neighbor's grilled food and wanted to drop your own tongs and crash his barbecue? If so, you might want to take advantage of the last bites of this barbecue season by confiscating ...

Updated: Thu Sep 04, 2008

Let Autumn be All About the Ketchup for 09/11/2008

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"The Heinz Tomato Ketchup Cookbook" by Paul Hartley (Ten Speed, $12.95)

Sometimes, seasonal cooking might be better if revolved around the products rather than the ingredients. Sure, fresh and crisp autumn pleasures like pumpkins, cranberries and pears are splendid, but why not consider making this fall all about the ketchup?

Wouldn't it be easier than all that scooping, ...

Updated: Thu Sep 11, 2008

An Old Farmer Can Very Definitely Do New Tricks for 09/18/2008

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

“The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook” (Yankee Publishing, $24.95)

Today, the “Old Farmer” in “The Old Farmer's Almanac Everyday Cookbook” might just be a young mom or a 35-year-old single businessman who needs to figure out what to eat for dinner every night. At the least, it's an old farmer in a brand-new pair of spiffy overalls who is up on all the latest culinary trends.

Updated: Thu Sep 18, 2008

Say Hello to Lunch in Multiple Languages for 09/25/2008

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Everybody Eats Lunch" by Cricket Azima with art by Titus V. Thomas (Glitterati, $16)

If your kids are like 90 percent of others, after a few weeks into the school year, they are probably tired of all the usual lunch foods. You can cheer them up in any number of languages, however, by getting them a copy of "Everybody Eats Lunch" by Cricket Azima.

Kids' cooking ...

Updated: Thu Sep 25, 2008

Cheesecake 24/7? With this Bible, that Prayer is Answered for 10/02/2008

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"The Cheesecake Bible" by George Geary (Robert Rose, $24.95).

Add cheesecake to your list of indispensable and versatile meals, somewhere between meatloaf and quiche. In "The Cheesecake Bible," George Geary makes a strong case for indulging morning, noon and night in what many have never considered more than a dreamy dessert.

Geary, a prolific cookbook author & ...

Updated: Thu Oct 02, 2008

Get Paid for Eating and Other Creamy, Dreamy Careers for 10/09/2008

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Food Jobs: 150 Great Jobs for Culinary Students, Career Changers and Food Lovers" by Irena Chalmers (Beaufort, $19.95)

If you think that going to culinary school and becoming a chef is the only way to satisfy your craving to work in the food industry, Irena Chalmers would like to introduce you to a few food futurists, food historians, kitchen designers and grape advocates.

...

Updated: Thu Oct 09, 2008

From Halloween through next Labor Day, Transform Yourself into a Holiday "Diva of Do-Ahead" for 10/16/2008

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead: A Year of Feasts to Celebrate with Family and Friends" by Diane Phillips (Harvard Common Press, $14.95).

Like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, "It's a Wonderful Life," the Jimmy Stewart Christmastime movie, or the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day, Diane Phillips' "Happy Holidays from the Diva of Do-Ahead: A Year of Feasts ...

Updated: Thu Oct 16, 2008

A Virtual New England Autumn Vacation is as Close as This Cookbook for 10/23/2008

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"A Master Class: Sensational Recipes from the Chefs of the New England Culinary Institute, Fresh Passionate New England Cooking" by the Chefs of the New England Culinary Institute and Ellen Michaud (University Press of New England, $35).

Can you take your fall vacation without doing more than cracking open the pages of a cookbook? You can if the book is "A Master Class: Se ...

Updated: Thu Oct 23, 2008

Less is a lot More When it Comes to this Money-Saving Wedding Guide for 10/30/2008

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 00:00:00 -0700

"Do It For Less! Wedding: How to Create Your Dream Wedding Without Breaking the Bank" by Denise Vivaldo (Sellers, $19.95).

When you're thinking of choosing a wedding planner, remember Denise Vivaldo. She may not be as chatty as most candidates, but don't let that fool you. She has plenty to say — 272 pages worth.

The Los Angeles-based caterer and event coordinator, ...

Updated: Thu Oct 30, 2008

Sit By the Fire and Feast on Some Charming American Food History for 11/06/2008

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

"American Food Writing: An Anthology with Classic Recipes" edited by Molly O'Neill (Library of America, $40).

If you're thinking about curling up in front of the fireplace with a good book, consider "American Food Writing" edited by Molly O'Neill — but don't dare get cozy on an empty stomach. If so, Thomas Jefferson's recipe for ice cream, "The Joy of Cooki ...

Updated: Thu Nov 06, 2008

Turn Your Kitchen into a Famed New York City Gourmet Shop for 11/13/2008

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

"Gourmet Shops of New York: Markets, Foods, Recipes" by Susan Meisel and Nathalie Sann (Rizzoli, $39.95)

A fall trip to New York City might find some ice skating at Rockefeller Center, others lined up for a famous holiday parade and crowds waiting for tickets for the latest hit Broadway show. Those really in the know, though, aren't heading down the aisles of a theater; instead ...

Updated: Thu Nov 13, 2008

Ditch the Holiday Sugar Daze for even Sweeter Alternatives for 11/20/2008

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 00:00:00 -0800

"Sweet! From Agave to Turbinado, Home Baking with Every Kind of Natural Sugar and Sweetener" by Mani Niall (Da Capo, $18.95).

Do you stumble through the holiday season in a sugar haze? With cookie exchanges (where typically hundreds of batches of treats get swapped), one wrapped box of truffles after another and pans of fresh baked goods popping up at party after party, it's ha ...

Updated: Thu Nov 20, 2008