James Beard Award - Indianapolis

A rich and unapologetic celebration of this luscious food. For all of history, minus the last thirty years, fat has been at the center of human diets and cultures. When scientists theorized a link between saturated fat and heart disease, industry, media, and government joined forces to label fat a greasy killer, best avoided. But according to Jennifer McLagan, not only is our fat phobia overwrought, it also hasn't benefited us in any way. Instead it has driven us into the arms of trans fats and refined carbohydrates, and fostered punitive, dreary attitudes toward food-that wellspring of life and pleasure. In Fat, McLagan sets out with equal parts passion, scholarship, and appetite to win us back to a healthy relationship with animal fats. She starts by defusing fat's bad rap, both reminding us of what we already know-that fat is fundamental to the flavor of our food-and enlightening us with the many ways fat (yes, even animal fat) is indispensable to our health. Mostly, though, Fat is about pleasures-the satisfactions of handling good ingredients skillfully, learning the cultural associations of these primal foodstuffs, recollecting and creating personal memories of beloved dishes, and gratifying the palate and the soul with fat's irreplaceable savor. Fat lavishes the reader with more than 100 recipes from simple to intricate, classic to contemporary, including: * Butter-Poached Scallops * Homemade Butter * Carnitas * Duck Confit * Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Sage Butter * Steak and Kidney Pie * Salted Butter Tart   Observing that though we now know everything about olive oil, we may not know what to do with lard or bone marrow, McLagan offers extensive guidance on sourcing, rendering, flavoring, using, and storing animal fats, whether butter or bacon, schmaltz or suet. Stories, lore, quotations, and tips touching on fat's place in the kitchen and in the larger culture round out this rich and unapologetic celebration of food at its very best.

Gifted chef and storyteller Martha Hall Foose invites you into her kitchen to share recipes that bring alive the landscape, people, and traditions that make Southern cuisine an American favorite. Born and raised in Mississippi, Foose cooks Southern food with a contemporary flair: Sweet Potato Soup is enhanced with coconut milk and curry powder; Blackberry Limeade gets a lift from a secret ingredient;cardamom; and her much-ballyhooed Sweet Tea Pie combines two great Southern staples;sweet tea and pie, of course;to make one phenomenal signature dessert. The more than 150 original recipes are not only full of flavor, but also rich with local color and characters. As the executive chef of the Viking Cooking School, teaching thousands of home cooks each year, Foose crafts recipes that are the perfect combination of delicious, creative, and accessible. Filled with humorous and touching tales as well as useful information on ingredients, techniques, storage, shortcuts, variations, and substitutions, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea is a must-have for the American home cook;and a must-read for anyone who craves a return to what cooking is all about: comfort, company, and good eating.

Great day in the morning, BakeWise is out! You are holding the book that everyone has been waiting for. Sure enough, Shirley did not hold back;it''s all here. Lively and fascinating, BakeWise reads like a mystery novel as we follow sleuth Shirley while she solves everything from why cakes and muffins can be dry to génoise deflation and why the cookie crumbles. With her years of experience from big-pot cooking for 140 teenage boys and her classic French culinary training to her work as a research biochemist at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Shirley manages to put two and two together in unique and exciting ways. Some information is straight out of Shirley''s wildly connecting brain cells. She describes useful techniques, such as brushing puff pastry with ice water;not just brushing off the flour;making the puff pastry easier to roll. The result? Higher, lighter, and flakier pastry. And you won''t find these recipes anywhere else, not even on the Internet. She can help you make moist cakes; flaky pie crusts; shrink-proof perfect meringues that won''t leak but still cut like a dream; big, crisp cream puffs; amazing French pastries; light génoise; and crusty, incredibly flavorful, open-textured French breads, such as baguettes and fougasses. There is simply no one like Shirley Corriher. People everywhere recognize her from her TV appearances on the Food Network and ABC''s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, with Snoop Dogg as her fry chef. Restaurant chefs and culinary students know her from their grease-splattered copies of CookWise, an encyclopedic work that has saved them from many a cooking disaster. With numerous At-a-Glance charts, BakeWise gives busy people information for quick problem solving. BakeWise also includes Shirley''s What This Recipe Shows; in every recipe. This section is science and culinary information that can apply to hundreds of recipes, not just the one in which it appears. For years, food editors and writers have kept CookWise, Shirley''s previous book, right by their computers. Now that spot they''ve been holding for BakeWise can be filled. BakeWise does not have just a single source of knowledge; Shirley loves reading the works of chefs and other good cooks and shares their information with you, too. She applies not only her expertise but that of the many artisans she admires, such as famous French pastry chefs Gaston Lenôtre and Chef Roland Mesnier, the White House executive pastry chef for twenty-five years; Bruce Healy, author of Mastering the Art of French Pastry; and Bonnie Wagner, Shirley''s daughter-inlaw''s mother. Shirley also retrieves "lost arts" from experts of the past such as Monroe Boston Strause, the pie master of 1930s America. For one dish, she may give you techniques from three or four different chefs plus her own touch of science better baking through chemistry. She adds facts about the right temperature, the right mixing speed, and the right mixing time for the absolutely most stable egg foam, so you can create a light-as-air génoise every time. BakeWise is for everyone. Some will read it for the adventure of problem solving with Shirley. Beginners can cook from it and know exactly what they are doing and why. Experienced bakers find out why the techniques they use work and also uncover amazing French pastries out of the past, such as Pont Neuf (a creation of puff pastry, pâte à choux, and pastry cream in honor of the Paris bridge) and Religieuses, adorable little nuns; made of puff pastry filled with a satiny chocolate pastry cream and drizzled with mocha icing to form a nun''s habit. Some will want it simply for the recipes;incredibly moist whipped cream pound cake made with heavy cream whipped slightly beyond the soft-peak stage and folded into the batter; flourless fruit soufflés (puréed fruit and Italian meringue); Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, rolled first in granulated sugar and then in confectioners'' sugar for a crunchy black-and-snow-white surface with a gooey, fudgy center. And Shirley''s popovers are huge.

WineWise is a must-have for anyone seeking the knowledge and confidence to select and enjoy great wines. It gives readers a basic introduction to wine: how to select different varieties and identify their flavors, how to read wine labels, and how to identify grapes from wine-growing regions all over the world. The interior features detailed maps, examples of wine labels, and hundreds of four-color photos. Chapters include Enjoying Wine, White Grapes, Red Grapes, Living with Wine, Wine and Food, and Wine in Restaurants, as well as chapters on wine-growing regions from France, Italy, and Germany to California and New York State to South America, Australia, Spain, and Portugal. There is also a chapter on Bargains, featuring the greatest inexpensive wines from around the world. Detailed information on grapes, flavor profiles, regions, and food and wine pairings makes it easy for consumers to choose the right wine for any occasion and any budget. Filled with understandable, consumer-friendly, expert advice, this book is the ideal companion for any wine enthusiast.

The debut cookbook from the restaurant Gourmet magazine named the best in the country. A pioneer in American cuisine, chef Grant Achatz represents the best of the molecular gastronomy movement--brilliant fundamentals and exquisite taste paired with a groundbreaking approach to new techniques and equipment. ALINEA showcases Achatz's cuisine with more than 100 dishes (totaling 600 recipes) and 600 photographs presented in a deluxe volume. Three feature pieces frame the book: Michael Ruhlman considers Alinea's role in the global dining scene, Jeffrey Steingarten offers his distinctive take on dining at the restaurant, and Mark McClusky explores the role of technology in the Alinea kitchen. Buyers of the book will receive access to a website featuring video demonstrations, interviews, and an online forum that allows readers to interact with Achatz and his team. "Achatz is something new on the national culinary landscape: a chef as ambitious as Thomas Keller who wants to make his mark not with perfection but with constant innovation . . . Get close enough to sit down and allow yourself to be teased, challenged, and coddled by Achatz's version of this kind of cooking, and you can have one of the most enjoyable culinary adventures of your life." --Corby Kummer, senior editor of Atlantic Monthly "Someone new has entered the arena. His name is Grant Achatz, and he is redefining the American restaurant once again for an entirely new generation . . . Alinea is in perpetual motion; having eaten here once, you cannot wait to come back, to see what Achatz will come up with next." --GourmetReviews & AwardsJames Beard Foundation Cookbook Award Finalist: Cooking from a professional Point of View Category James Beard Foundation Outstanding Chef Award!nbsp;"Even if your kitchen isn't equipped with a paint-stripping heat gun, thermocirculator, or refractometer, and you are only vaguely aware that chefs use siphons and foams in contemporary cooking, you can enjoy this daring cookbook from Grant Achatz of the Chicago restaurant Alinea.. . . While the recipes can hardly become part of your everday cooking, this book is far too interesting to be left on the coffee table. As you read, a question emerges: Is Alinea's food art? . . . I go a little further, describing Achatz with a word that he would probably never use to describe himself: avant-garde, as it defined art movements at the beginning of the last century--planned, self-concious, and structured attempts to provoke and shake the status quo. Just as with those artists, the results are not necessarily as interesting as the intentions and concepts behind them. In this sense, this volume constitutes a full-blown although not threatening manifesto."--Art of Eating

Today's Favorite Kitchen Companion--Revised and Better Than Ever Mark Bittman's award-winningHow to Cook Everything has helped countless home cooks discover the rewards of simple cooking. Now the ultimate cookbook has been revised and expanded (almost half the material is new), making it absolutely indispensable for anyone who cooks--or wants to. With Bittman's straightforward instructions and advice, you'll make crowd-pleasing food using fresh, natural ingredients; simple techniques; and basic equipment. Even better, you'll discover how to relax and enjoy yourself in the kitchen as you prepare delicious meals for every occasion. "A week doesn't go by where I don't pullHow to Cook Everything down from the shelf, so I am thrilled there's a new, revised edition. My original is falling apart!" --Al Roker "This new generation ofHow to Cook Everything makes my 'desert island' cookbook choice jacked up and simply universal. I'll now bequeath my cookbooks to a collector; I need only this one." --Mario Batali "Mark Bittman has done the impossible, improving upon his now-classicHow to Cook Everything. If you need know-how, here's where to find it." --Bobby Flay "Mark Bittman is a great cook and an incredible teacher. In this second edition, Mark has fine-tuned the original, making this book a must for every kitchen." --Jean-Georges Vongerichten "Throw away all your old recipes and buyHow to Cook Everything. Mark Bittman's recipes are foolproof, easy, and more modern than any others." --Isaac Mizrahi "Generous, thorough, reliable, and necessary,How to Cook Everything is an indispensable reference for both experienced and beginner cooks." --Mollie Katzen, author of theMoosewood Cookbook "I learned how to cook fromHow to Cook Everything in a way that gives me the freedom to be creative. This new edition will be my gift to new couples or for a housewarming; if you have this book, you don't really need any others." --Lisa Loeb, singer/songwriter

2009 IACP Winner Health and Special Diets Category Cookbooks and diet books that focus on healthful eating, nutrition, dietary concerns and special or restrictive diets. And The James Beard Foundation 2009 Award in the Healthy Focus category. For author Ellie Krieger -- and also host of the Food Network's Healthy Appetite -- good health isn't about deprivation, it's about good choices. From appetizers to desserts, Ellie has a recipe to satisfy your every craving, whether it's for creamy mashed potatoes or luscious chocolate pudding. She offers up tasty ideas for healthy grab-and-go breakfasts and mid-afternoon snacks. You'll find useful tips on ingredients, going organic, and easy ways to change your eating habits. Plus each recipe comes with a complete nutritional analysis. But this book is much more than a collection of recipes. It's a new way of looking at food -- a fresh approach to eating that gives you the flavor and satisfaction you crave in a healthier way. Here's a little taste of the philosophy behind every delicious recipe in The Food You Crave. Moderation -- Not only in portion size, but you'll find healthy suggestions about which ingredients should be used "Usually," "Sometimes," and "Rarely" Keeping it Fresh -- Most of the recommended foods and ingredients are fresh -- as close to their original state as possible -- which makes them tastier and healthier Keeping it Real -- Recipes steer clear of foods with artificial additives or a list of ingredients that read like a chemistry experiment -- to protect your health In The Food You Crave, you'll find dozens of healthy recipes that are bursting with flavor -- for everyday meals that will make you feel great.

WINNER OF THE 2009 JAMES BEARD FOUNDATION INTERNATIONAL COOKBOOK AWARD WINNER OF THE 2009 IACP BEST INTERNATIONAL COOKBOOK AWARD A bold and eye-opening new cookbook with magnificent photos and unforgettable stories. In the West, when we think about food in China, what usually comes to mind are the signature dishes of Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai. But beyond the urbanized eastern third of China lie the high open spaces and sacred places of Tibet, the Silk Road oases of Xinjiang, the steppelands of Inner Mongolia, and the steeply terraced hills of Yunnan and Guizhou. The peoples who live in these regions are culturally distinct, with their own history and their own unique culinary traditions. In Beyond the Great Wall, the inimitable duo of Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid--who first met as young travelers in Tibet--bring home the enticing flavors of this other China. For more than twenty-five years, both separately and together, Duguid and Alford have journeyed all over the outlying regions of China, sampling local home cooking and street food, making friends and taking lustrous photographs. Beyond the Great Wall shares the experience in a rich mosaic of recipes--from Central Asian cumin-scented kebabs and flatbreads to Tibetan stews and Mongolian hot pots--photos, and stories. A must-have for every food lover, and an inspiration for cooks and armchair travelers alike.

The cookbook hailed by theLos Angeles Timesas a "showstopper" and by Jeffrey Steingarten ofVogueas "the most glorious spectacle of the season...like no other book I have seen in the past twenty years" is now available in a reduced-price edition. With a reduced trim size but an identical interior, this lavishly illustrated, stunningly designed, and gorgeously photographed masterpiece takes you inside the head of maverick restaurateur Heston Blumenthal. Separated into three sections (History; Recipes; Science), the book chronicles Blumenthal's improbable rise to fame and, for the first time, offers a mouth-watering and eye-popping selection of recipes from his award-winning restaurant. He also explains the science behind his culinary masterpieces, the technology and implements that make his alchemical dishes come to life. Designed by acclaimed artist Dave McKean-and filled with photographs by Dominic Davies-this artfully rendered celebration of one of the world's most innovative and renowned chefs is a foodie's dream.

Winner of the 2009 James Beard Book Award for Best Book: Reference and Scholarship Great cooking goes beyond following a recipe--it's knowing how to season ingredients to coax the greatest possible flavor from them. Drawing on dozens of leading chefs' combined experience in top restaurants across the country, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg present the definitive guide to creating "deliciousness" in any dish. Thousands of ingredient entries, organized alphabetically and cross-referenced, provide a treasure trove of spectacular flavor combinations. Readers will learn to work more intuitively and effectively with ingredients; experiment with temperature and texture; excite the nose and palate with herbs, spices, and other seasonings; and balance the sensual, emotional, and spiritual elements of an extraordinary meal.Seasoned with tips, anecdotes, and signature dishes from America's most imaginative chefs, THE FLAVOR BIBLE is an essential reference for every kitchen.

A rich and unapologetic celebration of this luscious food. For all of history, minus the last thirty years, fat has been at the center of human diets and cultures. When scientists theorized a link between saturated fat and heart disease, industry, media, and government joined forces to label fat a greasy killer, best avoided. But according to Jennifer McLagan, not only is our fat phobia overwrought, it also hasn't benefited us in any way. Instead it has driven us into the arms of trans fats and refined carbohydrates, and fostered punitive, dreary attitudes toward food-that wellspring of life and pleasure. In Fat, McLagan sets out with equal parts passion, scholarship, and appetite to win us back to a healthy relationship with animal fats. She starts by defusing fat's bad rap, both reminding us of what we already know-that fat is fundamental to the flavor of our food-and enlightening us with the many ways fat (yes, even animal fat) is indispensable to our health. Mostly, though, Fat is about pleasures-the satisfactions of handling good ingredients skillfully, learning the cultural associations of these primal foodstuffs, recollecting and creating personal memories of beloved dishes, and gratifying the palate and the soul with fat's irreplaceable savor. Fat lavishes the reader with more than 100 recipes from simple to intricate, classic to contemporary, including: * Butter-Poached Scallops * Homemade Butter * Carnitas * Duck Confit * Prosciutto-Wrapped Halibut with Sage Butter * Steak and Kidney Pie * Salted Butter Tart   Observing that though we now know everything about olive oil, we may not know what to do with lard or bone marrow, McLagan offers extensive guidance on sourcing, rendering, flavoring, using, and storing animal fats, whether butter or bacon, schmaltz or suet. Stories, lore, quotations, and tips touching on fat's place in the kitchen and in the larger culture round out this rich and unapologetic celebration of food at its very best.  

What to eat, what not to eat, and how to think about health: a manifesto for our times "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." These simple words go to the heart of Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, the well-considered answers he provides to the questions posed in the bestselling The Omnivore's Dilemma. Humans used to know how to eat well, Pollan argues. But the balanced dietary lessons that were once passed down through generations have been confused, complicated, and distorted by food industry marketers, nutritional scientists, and journalists-all of whom have much to gain from our dietary confusion. As a result, we face today a complex culinary landscape dense with bad advice and foods that are not "real." These "edible foodlike substances" are often packaged with labels bearing health claims that are typically false or misleading. Indeed, real food is fast disappearing from the marketplace, to be replaced by "nutrients," and plain old eating by an obsession with nutrition that is, paradoxically, ruining our health, not to mention our meals. Michael Pollan's sensible and decidedly counterintuitive advice is: "Don't eat anything that your great-great grandmother would not recognize as food." Writing In Defense of Food, and affirming the joy of eating, Pollan suggests that if we would pay more for better, well-grown food, but buy less of it, we'll benefit ourselves, our communities, and the environment at large. Taking a clear-eyed look at what science does and does not know about the links between diet and health, he proposes a new way to think about the question of what to eat that is informed by ecology and tradition rather than by the prevailing nutrient-by-nutrient approach. In Defense of Food reminds us that, despite the daunting dietary landscape Americans confront in the modern supermarket, the solutions to the current omnivore's dilemma can be found all around us. In looking toward traditional diets the world over, as well as the foods our families-and regions-historically enjoyed, we can recover a more balanced, reasonable, and pleasurable approach to food. Michael Pollan's bracing and eloquent manifesto shows us how we might start making thoughtful food choices that will enrich our lives and enlarge our sense of what it means to be healthy.