FOOD, FAMILY & STUNNING BIG SUR VIEWS ABOUND IN NEW MEMOIR

For someone who grew up in the San Francisco Bay area, it's shocking that I've never spent time in Big Sur, that breathtaking region of the central California coast with dramatic views of the Pacific. Since the late 1940s, Big Sur has attracted an artistic crowd of writers (Henry Miller, Richard Brautigan, Jack Kerouac) and other creative people. The wild beauty of this rugged coastline also attracted film stars. Orson Welles bought a cabin for his then wife, Rita Hayworth, which they intended to use as a getaway home from the pressures of Hollywood. They never actually moved in. And in 1947, Bill and Lolly Fassett, a young California couple purchased the cabin and surrounding grounds from Hayworth and built a restaurant on the sight of the original cabin. Nepthene was primarily Lolly Fasset's vision--a gathering place and focal point for bohemian America. Over the next sixty years, Nepenthe, attracted large and loyal family as Big Sur evolved into one of California's most idealized tourist destinations. Celebrated for it's spectacular views, its delicious and unpretentious food, and convivial atmosphere, Nepenthe came of age in the counter-culture of the 60s. Stars such as Kim Novak and Steve McQueen could be seen in its dining room alongside beat artists, poets, painters and other colorful personalities of the era. The restaurant was often the site of folk dancing, fashion shows, poetry readings, concerts and other activities. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton filmed a scene from The Sand Piper at Nepenthe, which only added to its cache. Romney Steele, is a food writer, cook and food stylist. She is also the granddaughter of Lolly and Bill Fassett. She witnessed the flowering of Nepenthe's success first-hand, growing up there. She later launched Café Kevah, on Nepenthe's grounds. She has created MY NEPENTHE: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur (Andrews McMeel). Part memoir, part cookbook, this visually appealing book is loaded with vintage black and white photos and many color shots that evokes the special history of the California coast and the many events hosted by an extraordinary couple who created a popular destination restaurant that has endured for more than six decades.

Imagine creating a rustic retreat perched on the edge of the California coastline with jaw-dropping views, sipping a cocktail on its broad terrace or digging into one of Nepenthe's popular menu offeringss such as the Ambrosia Burger with Golden Plumes (French fries) or Lolly's Roast Chicken with Sage Stuffing, or Nepenthe's Triple-Berry Pie. The spectacular setting features the architecture of Rowan Maiden, a former student of Frank Lloyd Wright. Steele recounts the colorful history of the restaurants, it's patrons and friends. The spirit of her grandmother presides over the restaurant's evolution. This generous spirited woman raised her family, manning the stove and day-today operations of Nepenthe with her husband. At the same time, Lolly Fassett kept guests, family and staff fed and provided many of the restaurant's personnel with staff members with housing, and acted as hostess to the artistic events hosted there. All of their stories and recipes are here.

Of the 85 enticing recipes, I chose Peanut Butter Cookies, which are a childhood favorite I hadn’t made in years, and Café Benedict, a superior version of Eggs Benedict, which adds sliced avocado to the classic preparation and substitutes multi-grain English muffins for the standard muffins. The cookies are not too sweet and have a deep peanut flavor and a tender crumb. The egg preparation is sumptuous with the addition of ripe avocado and the chewy, flavorsome wheat in the muffins nicely offsets this popular brunch entrée’s richness.

MY NEPENTHE makes me want to get to Big Sur as soon as possible, but in the meantime, this lovely book makes me almost feel like I’ve been there before.

COOKBOOKS: The Year's Best

Is there any better gift to give at Christmas time than a book? Yes--a cookbook. Most people are compiling their best of lists and I am no exception. I didn't set out to make a ten-best list. I had six and then I remembered a seventh, and checked on the books I'd reviewed already and found a 8th and 9th and then I remembered the 10 anniversary edition of America's Test Kitchen which I hadn't reviewed, but had recently arrived and qualifies as a new book this year, and just had to add it to the list, and voila!--I have ten. 2009 was a terrific year for cookbooks, with many published that I admired. Let me start with a book that I bought earlier this year and thoroughly loved before I launched StoveTopReadings.com.

WHAT WE EAT WHEN WE EAT ALONE: Stories and 100 Recipes by Deborah Madison and Patrick McFarlin (Gibbs Smith). Deborah Madison's books have always held a pride-of-place position in my cookbook collection. She is a wonderfully inventive creator of delicious recipes, and an elegant writer. WHAT WE EAT WHEN WE EAT ALONE is a charming, unscientific investigation of the things we consume when nobody is looking. Madison uncovers some hilariously awful bad meals such as a mustard sandwich with reworked coffee, or boiled pork rinds mixed with fried onions and scrambled eggs and then put in a hot tortilla. She found that people loved telling her stories about the strange and creative things they prepared to eat while standing over the kitchen sink or sitting down to a solitary yet formally set dinner table. In between Madison offers a selection of recipe fixes for some of these bizarre combinations such as Spaghetti with Tuna and Capers, or Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese. The is a delightful book to read as well as cook from and Madison is superbly abetted by her husband Patrick McFarlin's humorous drawings. This is the best armchair book about food since David Kamp's The United States of Arugula.

RUSTIC FRUIT DESSERTS: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobbles, Pandowdies, and More by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson (10 Speed Press). I launched this blog with this wonderful cookbook. Fruit desserts are amongst my very favorite sweet pastimes, and I predict you will want to bake everything here. I loved making the Upside-Down Pear Chocolate Cake as much as I enjoyed eating it. The recipes are clearly written and well within the baker's ability from beginner to expert. Another favorite was Caramel Peach Grunt.

NEW AMERICAN TABLE by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley). To my mind, this is the most exciting cookbook published this year. Samuelsson surveys the incredible fusion of ethnic and modern foods in this country and has created in this large, overflowing volume many spicy, sweet, sour, pungent, hot, salty, tangy, and immensely satisfying dishes. Try the Lobster Orzo or Lentil Soup with Pork and Lamb Meatballs, and you'll see what I mean.

GOURMET TODAY edited by Ruth Reichl (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). Published just weeks before Conde Nast closed down this beloved culinary magazine, GOURMET TODAY received an ironic shot of publicity that made the book a national bestseller. I'm a sucker for big, all-purpose cookbooks and this one now goes to the head of the class as one of the best all-purpose cookbooks available. Gemelli with Mushrooms with Parmesan Crumb Topping and Seared Scallops with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon are just two of the flavorful recipes that just might make it into your regular repertoire of favorite recipes.

SLOW: Life in a Tuscan Town by Douglas Gayeton (Welcome Books). Not a cookbook, but an art book about food that qualifies as the most beautiful book published this year. Gayeton, a documentary film maker was asked by PBS to do a film about the slow food movement in Italy. He decided on Pistoia, a Tuscan village town where he lived, and a place were every citizen knows exactly where their food comes from. The film never got made, but Gayeton's camera evocatively captures the hunters, foragers, wine producers, olive growers, cheesemakers, butchers, bakers, and other personalities who created and cultivated the foods enjoyed by this town's citizens. The glorious sepia-tone photo montages are enlivened by Gayeton's elegantly written perspectives on many of the images created here.

660 CURRIES by Raghavan Iyer (Workman). Here's another book that I purchased before I launched StoveTopReadings. Iyer, a Minneapolis-based cooking teacher and a fine cookbook writer broke through this year with this hefty tome. It's a great introduction to the art of curries and to judge from Iyer's expert excavation, the subject is as vast as the regions from which these dishes come from. Workman has always found those cookbooks that define a cateory such as Steve Raichlen's barbecue books or the Silver Palate ladies. Demystifying a great cuisine is always difficult and often it takes time to make a splash. 660 CURRIES definitely does. Curries are organized here by category such as beef, lamb and pork, or shellfish and other seafood, or by beans or vegetables. Try New Potatoes and Spinach in a Garlic-Red Chile Sauce or Beginner Almond Shrimp with Tomatoes. This book is an culinary adventure you'll want to return to again and again.

THE FOODIE HANDBOOK: The (Almost) Definitive Guide to Gastronomy by Pim Techamuanvivit (Chronicle Books). I was prepared to be put off by this title. Foodie sounds so cliquish, something this warm, funny and very readable books is not. The author of Chez Pim, a very popular food blog, Ms. Techamuanvivit's mission is for you to stop worrying about how to order foreign cuisine in a restaurant, pilot your way through a wine list, demystifies sushi, all while getting in touch with your inner foodie. She offers examples of shams, and other signs of culinary mediocrity. I'm going to quote one of my favorite lines in the book: "Frankly, I don't take people seriously when they tell me they can't bake." I wholeheartedly agree and Ms. Techamuanvivit sets about teaching the insecure baker how to make basic tart dough. The book is filled with wonderful recipes and the author is a confident-enough cook to offer her own improvements of a roast chicken recipe from none other than Joel Robochon. Simple Bread and Onion Soup is an astounding creation. I'll have more to say about this entertaining and encouraging book in the next few weeks.

THE COMPLETE AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN TV SHOW COOKBOOK: 2001-2010. Remember I said I love big cookbook collections? I cannot resist any episode of America's Test Kitchen and have been an avid fan for years. Even when I know I'm not going to make a recipe they are featuring, I won't skip an opportunity to find out about new equipment and learn new techniques. They rate products they have tested as well, so you find out who makes the best peanut butter or which cake mix produces the finest results. I gave away my individual yearly collections when this big survey arrived at my door. The Simple Roast Chicken is beyond dependable and utterly delicious. Brining ensures will emerge tender and juicy instead of the tough shoe leather frying on top of the stove invariably produces. This big book features popular daily fare from soup to desserts and everything is reliably tasty.

LIDIA COOKS FROM THE HEART OF ITALY: A Feast of 175 Regional Recipes (Knopf) by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich. My favorite TV chef has a new companion book to her PBS series, and as usual with this great teacher and food personality, it' a winner. Lidia is so consistent and always manages to provide a great sampling of recipes featuring everyone's favorite cuisine (or should I say, cucina?). Try the Lamb Chunks with Olives, a savory dish that is quite simple to make and addictive. Celery Steamed in a Skillet is a delicious way to finally liberate this vegetable from supporting player in salads, soups an stews, to "a grand side dish for grilled fish or chicken." There are always new things to discover in a book by Lidia and this outstanding new one is no exception.

THE COCKTAIL PRIMER: All You Need to Know to Make the Perfect Drink (Andrews McMeel Publishing) by Eben Klemm. A master mixologist distills the wisdom accumulated through his years overseeing and creating the cocktail menus of some of New York's most popular restaurants. This book doesn't seek to turn you into a bartender. But it will show you how to make outstanding versions of cocktails you will most likely make at home such as Martini's, Manhattan's, Sidecars, Mojitos, Margaritas, Sazeracs and a True Sour. Rather than being an encyclopedic survey of cocktails, this book entertainingly explores the nuances of mixing, stirring, pouring and enjoying. It's also a great-looking book to give this holiday season.

All these wonderful cookbooks are available at your local bookstore, or on Amazon.com or other websites.

THE COCKTAIL PRIMER: The Only Source You Need

Did you know that if you stir your gin or vodka martini, rather than shake it, your cocktail will have "a light-catching diamond" clarity that you'll never see in a shaken version. This advice comes from Eben Klemm, a master mixologist and author of a lively and spirited new drink guide entitled THE COCKTAIL PRIMER: All You Need to Know to Make the Perfect Drink (Andrews McMeel Publishing, December 2009). I've tried it twice with a vodka martini and once with a vodka gimlet, and it works. There's a cloudy, unappealing quality to the shaken martini, and the author further states that if you give your martini a moment to settle down in the ice while you fetch your glass, or garnish, the "pause in the midst of stirring a drink somehow ties it together." After reading through this attractively designed book, you'll never think about cocktails in quite the same way.

I had my first GIN martini at the age of 20 (no, I will not tell you when that was!). My great-aunt drank two gin martinis every day of her adult life and lived to the age of 94. That martini was delicious, but at 20 I wasn't ready for that adult a drinking experience and I allowed myself to be lulled into having a second. I have no memory of getting home that night and for about two years I drank a lot of gin martinis with the old girl. But one night I got so soused that I gave them up permanently. Gin and I were never to be on intimate terms again. For the next twenty years, scotch and wine were my preferred drinks. Then sometime in the 90s, I got the cocktail bug, and started to imbibe such wonderful concoctions as Martinis (vodka this time), Gimlets, Whiskey Sours, Manhattans, Old Fashions, Sazeracs (now that's a cocktail) and even the ultimate girly drink--the Cosmopolitan. To help me create these cocktails at home, I have the Mr. Boston guide, but this new guide was the first time I have looked at the art of the cocktail as seriously as I look at cookbooks. Klemm has a considerable amount to say about this subject, which he takes very seriously. And if you make cocktails at home, so should you.

After years of wine dominance, the cocktail has risen Phoenix-like as a serious beginning to a night out at a good restaurant or in the home as a prelude to a great meal. Klemm, studied biology at Cornell, honed his bartending skills in New York City to "pay the rent." But his fascination with the cocktail culture has endured and today he oversees the cocktail program and creates signature drinks for B.R. Guest Restaurant's, which include the enduringly popular Water Grill, Dos Caminos, Wildwood Barbecue, and many others.

THE COCKTAIL PRIMER is now my preferred go-to-guide for thinking about, and re-creating great cocktails. It doesn't seek to be encyclopedic. Klemm imparts the significance of techniques such as pouring, shaking, stirring and muddling. He groups his drink recipes around around a specific spirit. Best of all, Klemm removes himself from the laboratory of his working life to "create variations or develop complex infusions or foams because I have all the resources and equipment at my fingertips." In short, THE COCKTAIL PRIMER is an elegantly pared down reference of the essential cocktails you'll want to create at home. Yes you will learn how to set up a bar, but you'll also know why he considers the Sidecar as "perhaps the most important cocktail of all time." He explores the key distinction between wine-based, fruit-based, herb-based and sweet-based spirits. In his chapter on bar essential equipment, Klemm outlines only what you need. I didn’t know you could make your own cocktail cherries. He provides an interesting recipe.

The cocktail recipes themselves offer fascinating reading. Under the Martini section alone, Klemm presents "Martini's children," which includes the Martinez (London-style gin, sweet vermouth, maraschino liquor and orange bitters) the Old-Time Martini (a mixture of equal parts gin and vermouth plus angostura bitters) a 1930s Dry Martini (2/3 gin, 1/3 vermouth, lemon peel or green olives) and today's New-Time Dry Martini (vodka or gin, a dash of vermouth lemon peel or olives. Then there are the vodka-derived versions, which include the Vesper and Negroni. Each subsequent chapter is grouped by Manhattans, Simple Sours (Gimlet, Fizz) Complex Sours (Sidecar, Muddled Drinks (Mojito) and Highballs (Perfect Harvest). Most interesting to me is Klemm's breakdown of each grouping in which he lists the makeup of the category plus its complexity, sweetness, acidity, strength and level of refreshment. This inspires you to think about the components of a drink. And without an A-to-Z book of every drink including all the exotic drinks available in bars and restaurants, which most people are not likely to want to mix at home, you'll be able to concentrate on a focused variety of outstanding classic cocktails that have stood the test of time with a few new classics-to-be.

THE COCKTAIL PRIMER is a great-looking book. I wanted to sample every cocktail beautifully photographed here. And if you’re looking a great gift for the holidays, I highly recommend this handsome and sleek volume. So let me close by describing the martini I prepared with vodka in the picture here: a slightly thickened crystal elixir that is pungent, elegant—an adult tasting drink. As I slowly sip my way to the bottom of the glass, my brain feels a bit lulled but my taste buds are demanding my dinner. Maybe it’s time to give gin another try.

GLUTEN-FREE HOLIDAY COOKING IS TASTIER THAN EVER!

One of my closest friends suffers from celiac's disease, which means's she is wheat intolerant. This makes Thanksgiving and the holidays a particularly difficult time of the year for anyone who requires a gluten-free meal. Pies, cakes and cookies containing wheat flour are out of the question. So are stuffing, gravies thickened with flour, breads, rolls, and muffins, nearly all crackers and other foods that are practically required eating during the holidays. Publishers have recently been stepping into the breach offering some very fine gluten-free cookbooks. Two new and very appealing ones have recently appeared, making the task of cooking for those who must eat gluten-free that much easier and a lot tastier too!

THE GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND FLOUR COOKBOOK by Elana Amsterdam (Celestial Arts; $16.99; ISBN 978-1-58761-345-6) and GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN: Over 150 Irresistible Recipes without Wheat--from Crostini to Tiramisu by Jacqueline Mallorca (Da Capo Lifelong, a Member of the Perseus Books Group; $18.95; ISBN 978-0-7382-1361-3)

THE GLUTEN-FREE ALMOND FLOUR COOKBOOK may have the edge here because almond flour "is as easy to use as wheat flour and much less tedious than complex gluten-free flours, which require numerous supplemental ingredients such as xanthum gum, cornstarch, and potato flakes for binding purposes," says Elana Amsterdam. While you can offer anyone in your family lots of choices of alternative gluten-free foods, dessert poses all kinds of problems, as I've discovered whenever I've had a guest for dinner requiring a wheat-free ending to the meal. Amsterdam offers a fine group of tasty desserts such as a Classic Carrot Cake, Chocolate Velvet Torte, Chocolate Cranberry Biscotti, Pear Crisp and Pecan Pie. In addition to fine main courses, Amsterdam provides recipes for five different crackers plus breakfast muffins, French Toast, pancakes, which have been off -limits to people with wheat allergies. This attractive cookbook offers 95 easy recipes with handsome photographs and clear instructions.

Italian food would seem to be a nearly insurmountable cuisine with its emphasis on pasta, gnocchi, bread and pizza. GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN is Jacqueline Mallorca's second gluten-free cookbook. The former West Coast editorial assistant to James Beard, and a food columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mallorca when she discovered she was "a food writer with celiac's disease. I could no longer eat anything that contained wheat, barley, or rye," she reveals in GLUTEN-FREE ITALIAN. "As I had absolutely no intention of giving up good food, I acquired a lot of funny flours and set to work." She discovered that a gluten-free Italian pantry has lots of wonderful options such as anchovies, balsamic vinegar, many cheeses such as mozzarella, pecorino, gorgonzola, tallegio and others, pancetta, prosciutto, porcini, polenta/cornmeal, risotto, tomatoes--even gluten-free pasta. And of course, there are a huge variety of vegetables--a category that Italian cooking has elevated to an art form. Mallorca has assembled a wide-ranging collection of recipes for breads, pizza, and crostini, soups, pastas, polenta, and gnocchi, risotto and other grains, fish, poultry and meat entrees, and desserts.

These two books add considerable luster to a growing health-related cookbook category.

MARCUS SAMUELSSON'S NEW COOKBOOK IS CONTEMPORARY, HIP AND TOTALLY FUN!

Marcus Samuelsson has been a member of New York's culinary elite for years through his famous restaurant, Aquavit, and later Riingo and C-House. He became the youngest chef ever to win two three-star ratings from The New York Times. I admired his previous cookbook, The Soul of the New Cuisine, an exploration of mostly African foods, but I was totally unprepared for the pizzazz, diversity and sheer fun of his newest work, NEW AMERICAN TABLE (Wiley; November 2009; ISBN: 978-0-4702818808). This is a thoroughly contemporary cookbook that celebrates the diversity of foods so many in America are eating today--ethnic, regional, international, spicy, exotic, small plates, casual and formal and often fused into new tastes and flavors.

Who better than Marcus Samuelsson to take us on this fascinating culinary journal? Born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, Samuelsson's initial culinary training was in Sweden. Before finishing his training at a Michelin three-star French restaurant, he got his first exposure to the food melting pot of New York by working at Acquavit (long before he took over ownership). From the cooks there he found himself immersed in many ethnic cuisines. He was thrilled by the Korean, Indian, Chinese, Greek, Jewish delicatessans and other international foods he encountered, and soon began to cook these new ethnic dishes for his friends. After finishing his training in France, he signed on as a cook for a luxury cruise ship which took him all over the world where he experienced the markets and cuisines of Barcelona, Casablanca, Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro, Rhodes, Singapore, Sydney and other ports. As a famous chef, Samuelsson's education was further enhanced by his visits to various food festivals where he experienced the rich diversity of this country's regional foods.

In NEW AMERICAN TABLE, Marcus Samuelsson has synthesized so much of what he's learned in this book. His range is prodigious. While some of the chapters are conventionally labeled such as salads, poultry, meat and game, desserts and drinks, there is equal emphasis on condiments, dips and sauces, small plates, everyday dishes, relaxed weekend recipes and holidays. The book is loaded with many color photographs illustrating this range from home cooks, finished dishes, regional foods and wines to bakers, eaters, farmers's markets, ethnic neighborhoods, ranchers, fisherman, brewers and personalities that both inspire and inform on nearly every page.

In the chapter on condiments, dips and sauces, a Cuban-inspired Avocado "Mayo" caught my eye. I lavishly painted this addictively rich yet tangy emulsion on grilled fish, a turkey sandwich, a salad of romaine lettuce and radishes, and grilled pork sausages over a three-day period. A friend of mine prefers her breakfasts on the savory side rather than sugar-loaded foods and would adore the Morning-After Sandwich, a tasty restorative that will get you back on your feet after a night on the town. It features fried eggs, garlic, baby arugula, sourdough bread, white sardine fillets and sliced tomato. It is anchored by an intriguing condiment called Sambal Oelek, an Indonesian concoction of two different chilies, salt, brown sugar and garlic. Empanadas with Peanut-Mango Sambal combines an Agentinean snack food with an Indonesian-style sauce. Other ethnic match-ups include Chinese Soy-Glazed Dumplings with a Thai-style Sweet Chilie Sauce, Corn Pancakes from the American Southwest are paired with Chili Covered Gravlax from Sweden, and an American style Banana Bread Pudding with Hazelnut Kulfi from India.

Some of the recipes found in NEW AMERICAN TABLE are reminiscent of street or cart food. This style of eating has exploded of late, with carts serving ethnic and popular American quick meals in cities as diverse as New York, Portland and Los Angeles. Small plate dining is also on the rise, where eaters can sample and share a number of small dishes for variety and different flavors. Most of the recipes are just fascinating and made me want to hit the kitchen: Noodle Paella with Pistachio Aïoli uses vermicelli instead of rice in this updated version of the Spanish seafood classic. Lentil Soup with Pork and Lamb Meatballs is not only economical but a wonderful winter dish. The New Orleans-style Head-On Shrimp pairs wonderfully with Bacon Orzo. Braised Pork Roast with Grilled Chile Vinaigrette features a host of international ingredients including Indian fenugreek seeds, Hungarian paprika, and Scandinavian caraway seeds. "The grilled chile vinaigrette served on the side is pure American Southwest," says Samuelsson. The holiday section spotlights foods to celebrate Christmas, Cinco de Mayo, Chinese New Year, Father's Day, as well as fused regional dishes.

I don't think there is anything quite like this eclectic book. Samuelsson's enthusiasm for all of this food is as infectious to read about as it will be to cook. Lidia Bastianich says in her introduction to NEW AMERICAN TABLE that Marcus Samuelsson has a "unique view of our 'culinary landscape'". Indeed he does, which is why I think this magnificent book belongs in every cook's library.

My Final Favorite Holiday Cookbook

My final favorite holiday cookbook is one of my all-time favorite holiday guide. This 25-year-old classic takes the home cook through all the great celebrations of the year. The Silver Palate Ladies revolutionized the way contemporary cooks fed and entertained their friends and families and their impact on their generation was huge. From Valentine's Day to New Year's Day, here is a holiday primer you can rely on.

THE SILVER PALATE GOOD TIMES COOKBOOK by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins (Workman) is one of those ultimate holiday cookbooks and covers every type of holiday, party or celebration. So if you're looking for inspiration for a July 4th gathering, there is an adjustable Mean, Meaner and Meanest Barbecue Sauce, a Baked Country Ham for Easter, or aSmoky Pumpkin Soup for Thanksgiving. There's a whole chapter devoted to savory and sweet souffles--always a festive dish. And for Christmas there is a full compliment of holiday cookies (I have a friend who has made the delicious Viennese Christmas Trees for years), and an impressive Christmas Goose. The Silver Palate ladies have never disappointed me, and it's good to be reminded of this book, especially as 2009 saw the passing of co-author, Sheila Lukins.

More Favorite Holiday Cookbooks

Continuing with my favorite holiday cookbooks, here are a a few more favorites.

BETTY CROCKER CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK (Wiley) is an especially good holiday reference from this iconic corporate brand. Before I started working on Betty Crocker cookbooks, I didn't pay much attention to them. My mother is a loyal Betty Crocker fan, and once you move past the New York/California snobbery that affects some of the food journalists working in these regions, you begin to understand why so many millions of American cooks love Betty Crocker. This book shows you why. First of all it is as beautiful a book as any of its rivals in this category. And the recipes are terrific. There is a strong group of Christmas breakfast dishes, and lots of options for the big holiday dinner from beef and ham to leg of lamb, turkey and lasagna. There are Christmas cookies galore, holiday breads and muffins, candy for indulging and giving, and other Christmas gifts (the Decadent Fudge Sauce is outstanding). A holiday survival guide and countdown calendar keep you focused and organized. There are lots of idea for decorating the table, making a gingerbread house, ornaments, making BETTY CROCKER CHRISTMAS COOKBOOK a truly one-stop game plan for making the holiday special.

There is a spectacular potato cake (Gatto Napoletano) from MARIO BATALI HOLIDAY FOOD (Clarkson Potter) that nearly caused a friend I made it for to call the fire department during a recent Christmas dinner. The butter in this rich potato dish, dripped out of the spring form pan I made it in to the bottom of the oven where it was baking. The burning fat quickly began to smoke, which chocked us in the kitchen and dining room. I quickly removed it from the oven, wiped up the floor of the oven and put an aluminum foil "diaper" on the spring form pan, which saved the day. Would I make this recipe again? In a red-hot second, but don't tell my doctor. It has eggs, whole milk, ricotta, Parmigiano Reggiano, pecorino, sopressata, butter, bread crumbs and a pound of mozzarella. But don't let that stop you from tucking into a thin slice of this heavenly dish. This thin and profusely illustrated book is loaded with Italian goodies including Struffoli, those tiny honey-covered round fritters that are addictive. From the Feast of the Seven Fishes (Christmas Eve) to the relaxed entertaining traditional to New Year's Day, Mario Batali's captures all the superb Italian flavors of the season.

Michele Scicolone deserves to be much more widely known. In her many cookbooks, she has shown herself to be a gentle authority on Italian cooking, and nowhere is that more evident than in ITALIAN HOLIDAY COOKING: A Collection of 150 Treasured Recipes(Morrow). Italians have many traditions and feasts throughout the year. Michele Scicolone provides the family stories and the splendid recipes that make every Christmas, New Year's, Easter, and other important holidays memorable occasions for families to gather round the table and celebrate. One of the first recipes I prepared when I first acquired this wonderful book was Reinforcement Salad, a sturdy winter recipe which included cauliflower, pickled red and yellow peppers, black olives, sour gherkins, celery and anchovy filets. The idea was to have a salad that could be added to throughout the Christmas holidays. I added artichoke hearts, radishes, garbanzo beans, chunks of cheese, and other sturdy ingredients. I've made this salad during the holiday ever since. The addictive Crispy Lamb Chops dispense with utensils so that you can pick them up in your fingers and "get every bit of meat on the bones." And the Roast Pork Porchetta Style is the ultimate holiday dinner. There are many tradition seafood dishes for Christmas Eve, and Easter Pies for spring. Most importantly, how you can not stop to read a recipe that reads like this: Timbale of Boniface VIII. I dare you.