From the Restaurant That Frank Sinatra Made Famous Of the thousands of restaurants in New York City, very fewwithstand the tests of time—and only one can lay claim to beingFrank Sinatra’s favorite. And where Frank went, his friendsfollowed—from close pals such as Tony Bennett and fellow RatPackers Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. to the show-biz colleaguesthey brought in. Established nearly sixty years ago, Patsy’s has long been acelebrity favorite and a New York institution. Why? Great food,family friendliness, and a welcoming atmosphere that makes you feellike you’ve come home. And the fare is the classic southern Italiancuisine that’s become America’s comfort food: Mussels Arreganata,Fettuccine Alfredo, Rigatoni Sorrentino, Chicken Parmigiana, VealMarsala, Shrimp Scampi, Tiramisù . . . a greatest hits ofNeapolitan-influenced dishes. And Patsy’s Cookbook provides more than recipes: also in the mixare anecdotes from family and friends, including the occasion whenPablo

Lidia Bastianich, loved by millions of Americans for her goodItalian cooking, gives us her most instructive and personalcookbook yet. Focusing on the Italian-American kitchen—the cooking sheencountered when she first came to America as a youngadolescent—she pays homage to this “cuisine of adaptation born ofnecessity.” But she transforms it subtly with her light,discriminating touch, using the authentic ingredients, notaccessible to the early immigrants, which are all so readilyavailable today. The aromatic flavors of fine Italian olive oil,imported Parmigiano-Reggiano and Gorgonzola dolce latte, freshbasil, oregano, and rosemary, sun-sweetened San Marzano tomatoes,prosciutto, and pancetta permeate the dishes she makes in herItalian-American kitchen today. And they will transform for youthis time-honored cuisine, as you cook with Lidia, learning fromher the many secret, sensuous touches that make her foodsuperlative. You’ll find recipes for Scampi alla Buonavia (the garlicky shrimp

The Surprising Power of Family Meals is the first book to takea complete look at a ritual that was virtually universal ageneration ago but has undergone a striking transformation. Nolonger honored by society as a time of day that must be set aside,some families see family supper as little more than a quaint relic.But others are beginning to recognize it as a lifeline – a way toconnect with their loved ones on a regular basis and to get moreenjoyment out of family life. The Surprising Power of Family Mealspresents stories, studies, and arguments from the fields ofpsychology, education, nutrition, family therapy, anthropology,sociology, linguistics, and religion. It provides examples offamilies and communities around North America responding creativelyto the pressures of a 24/7 world to share strategies for takingwhat is best from our past and transforming it to meet currentneeds.

"I want my wines to tell a good story. I want them naturaland most of all, like my dear friends, I want them to speak thetruth even if we argue," says Alice Feiring. Join her as she setsoff on her one-woman crusade against the tyranny of homogenization,wine consultants, and, of course, the 100-point scoring system of acertain all-powerful wine writer. Traveling through the ancientvineyards of the Loire and Champagne, to Piedmont and Spain, shegoes in search of authentic barolo, the last old-style rioja, andthe tastiest new terroir-driven champagnes. She reveals just whatgoes into the average bottle--the reverse osmosis, the yeasts andenzymes, the sawdust and oak chips--and why she doesn’t find muchto drink in California. And she introduces rebel winemakers who areembracing old-fashioned techniques and making wines withindividuality and soul. No matter what your palate, travel the wine world with Feiringand you’ll have to ask yourself: What do I really want in myglass?

America's favorite baker, Nancy Baggett, has been on a roadtrip around the country. Now she's back, with something for everydessert lover: the best pies, cakes, puddings, crisps, cookies, icecreams, and candies in the land. Many of her discoveries werelocally famous family secretsuntil now. They include a memorablysimple blueberry buckle from a Vermont bed-and-breakfast; a coconutchiffon cake from an island off the coast of Virginia that hasbecome a "destination dessert"; a never-before-revealed recipe forchocolate-dipped caramel candies, the fund-raising specialty of thewomen of an Episcopal church in New Mexico; and a sublime peachcobbler from a cook in the Ozarks. Baggett has tested and retestedevery recipe in her home kitchen to ensure that all cooks get thesame results. She has even included a chapter on easy gifts to makewith children, from "bars in a jar" (a homemade brownie mix) tofancifully decorated graham-cracker holiday cottages. Every recipein this lavishly photographed book comes with an

Everyone loves potatoes. This book transports cooks beyond theusual side dishes and introduces them to the secrets andspecialties of great chefs and cooks the world over. Finamore showshow to prepare spectacularly simple appetizers, including dips,chips, and showstopping cocktail potatoes made from a few ordinaryingredients. He presents dozens of soups and salads, including richSummer Vichyssoise and Herb Garden Potato Salad. There are morethan fifty main-dish possibilities, such as Sunday Lamb with ProperRoast Potatoes and Chicken Stuffed with Potatoes and ShiitakeMushrooms not to mention a sophisticated rendition of Shepherd'sPie. The potato turns up as the hidden ingredient in such breads asPotato Cheddar Bread with Chives and in such desserts as moistFarmhouse Chocolate Cake. Finamore shows how to master crisp steakfries, silky mashes, and sumptuous gratins. A bonus feature of thebook is the sweet potato, in dishes from a delightfully nostalgicBaked Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallow to an urbane Semi

What's the secret to making foolproof friands? How do you bakethe perfect piped cookie dough pinwheel? And what puts the snap inthe very best ginger snaps? Find out in "Field Guide to Cookies", ahandy pocket reference to more than 100 cookie recipes, completewith the fascinating historical background (the first known recipefor brownies was published in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catalogue),season (April 9 is Chinese Almond Cookie Day), and helpful bakingnotes for each delicious variety, from traditional favourites tomore exotic concoctions from all over the world. Including drop,bar, piped, rolled, puffed, sandwich, savoury, and mouldedvarieties, every cookie is illustrated in glorious full colour,with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare, bake, serve, andstore your creations. Gooey, delicious, home-baked confections arejust minutes away with "Field Guide to Cookies" in your pantry!

Having your friends over is no big deal when you have theperfect recipe, one that's not only foolproof but simple and thatfits into your hectic schedule. In her new cookbook, Pam Andersonshares nearly 200 perfectly convenient dishes, including * LacyCheddar Crisps -- An irresistible one-ingredient hors d'oeuvre,ready in 10 minutes. * Oven-Barbecued Pork -- Slow-cooked for 10 to12 hours. You literally make this one in your sleep. * Creamy BakedMacaroni and Cheese -- When kids are coming, why not serve the bestversion of their favorite? * Shish Kebabs -- Satisfy every guest,from vegetarians to carnivores, in the same meal. Six excitingflavoring pastes offer all the variety you need. * Easy BakedRisotto -- Elegant and effortless, with many sumptuous variations,including seafood and vegetarian. You socialize while it cooks. *Orange-Glazed Asparagus -- One of the most versatile side dishesimaginable. Ready in 8 relaxed minutes. * Molten Chocolate Cakes --15 minutes to oozy decadence. Every recipe comes with

As the chef and owner of the acclaimed Blue Ginger restaurantin Wellesley, Massachusetts, and an Emmy award-winning televisionpersonality, Ming Tsai has become the standard-bearer of East-Westcuisine, the innovative blending of Eastern flavors and techniqueswith Western ingredients and presentations. Now, in Simply Ming, he presents a breakthrough technique forbringing East-West flair to everyday cooking, making it possible totransform a handful of fresh ingredients into a delicious meal in amatter of minutes. The genius of Simply Ming is a versatile arrayof master recipes—intensely flavored sauces, pestos, salsas,dressings, rubs, and more that eliminate much of the last-minuteprep work. So sophisticated dishes such as Tea-Rubbed Salmon withSteamed Scallion-Lemon Rice, Grilled Miso-Citrus Scallop Lollipops,and Green Peppercorn Beef Tenderloin with Vinegar-Glazed Leeks canbe on the table in less than 30 minutes. Even casual dishes such as spaghetti, burgers, fried calamari,and chicken wing

Hailed by the New York Times, Esquire, and the AtlanticMonthly as one of the best delicatessens in the country,Zingerman"s is a trusted source for superior ingredients — and anequally dependable supplier of information about food. Now, AriWeinzweig, the founder of Zingerman"s, shares two decades ofknowledge gained in his pursuit of the world"s finest foodproducts: oils, vinegar, and olives; bread, pasta, and rice;cheeses and cured meats; seasonings like salt, pepper, and saffron;vanilla, chocolate, and tea.

Now in paperback–the debut cookbook from the beloved Italiancook, restaurateur, and public television personality. Lidia Bastianich is famous for her Italian-American cooking, butthis cookbook–her first–captures the distinctive cuisine of hernative Istria, located on Italy’s northeastern Adriatic coast nearthe border of the former Yugoslavia. This book is also her mostpersonal; in addition to the recipes, she has included numerouspersonal stories, memories, and photographs from herchildhood. With La Cucina di Lidia, you can savor antipasti such as Polentawith Fontina and Mushrooms or Shrimp and Mixed Bean Salad. Rice andpastas include Plum Gnocchi, Risotto with Squash Blossoms, andZucchini and Tagliatelle with Leek Sauce. Entrées feature fish(Swordfish in Sweet and Sour Sauce), fowl (Roast Chicken withRosemary and Orange), meat (Stuffed Breast of Veal), and game (DuckRoasted with Sauerkraut). Desserts range from Chocolate ZabaglioneCake to Apple-Custard Tart. Here is an Itali

The daughter of a British Foreign Service officer, MoiraHodgson spent her childhood in many a strange and exotic land. Shediscovered American food in Saigon, ate wild boar in Berlin, andlearned how to prepare potatoes from her eccentric Irishgrandmother. Today, Hodgson has a well-deserved reputation as adiscerning critic whose columns in the New York Observer were devoured by dedicated food lovers for two decades. A delightful memoir of meals from around the world—completewith recipes— It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time reflectsHodgson’s talent for connecting her love of food and travel withthe people and places in her life. Whether she’s dining on Moroccan mechoui , a whole lamb baked for a day over coals, orstruggling to entertain in a tiny Greenwich Village apartment, herreminiscences are always a treat.

James Beard was the "dean of American cookery" ( New YorkTimes ), and he put practically everything he learned aboutcooking into this single magnificent--now classic--cookbook. JAMESBEARD'S AMERICAN COOKERY includes more than fifteen hundred of hisfavorite and most successful recipes, as well as advice on dozensof cooking questions, from choosing meats and vegetables topreserving fruit and making real cheeseburgers. Acelebration of the roots of cooking in the American style, thisrepackaged edition features the original text and colorillustrations, and a new foreword by Tom Colicchio. Like Mastering the Art of French Cooking and The Joy ofCooking , it is a standard reference no kitchen is completewithout.

What was eating them? And vice versa. In What the Great Ate, Matthew and Mark Jacob have cooked up abountiful sampling of the peculiar culinary likes, dislikes,habits, and attitudes of famous—and often notorious—figuresthroughout history. Here is food · As code: Benito Mussolini used the phrase “we’re makingspaghetti” to inform his wife if he’d be (illegally) dueling laterthat day. · As superstition: Baseball star Wade Boggs credited his on-fieldsuccess to eating chicken before nearly every game. · In service to country: President Thomas Jefferson, America’soriginal foodie, introduced eggplant to the United States and wrotedown the nation’s first recipe for ice cream. From Emperor Nero to Bette Davis, Babe Ruth to Barack Obama, thebite-size tidbits in What the Great Ate will whet your appetite fortantalizing trivia.

Part memoir, part guidebook, part cookbook, and all partshilarious, Two for the Road shares the lessons the Sterns havelearned during thirty years of sampling regional fare on America'sback roads. If you want a great restaurant, forget the YellowPages, ask the local cop--and avoid anything that calls itself"world famous." Sure bets are places with a giant plastic pig onthe roof or pictures of Jesus on the walls. As the Sterns searchfor the Holy Grail of barbecue, they relate achingly funnyadventures and misadventures, and what emerges is a big picture ofAmerica, revealing exotic eating customs that flourish right underour noses.