2002 Cookbooks by Dede Wilson

The cookbooks of 2002 included some interesting titles, and as always, they make great holiday gifts. Sit back, read the reviews and pick up a title or two for friends and family - and don't forget to stock your own cookbook
shelf.

Every now and then a small press comes up with a big book. Such is the case with Mes Confitures, The Jams and jellies of Christine Ferber (Michigan State University Press, $29.95). I have never had a book on preserves capture my imagination - and palate - like this before. There are a few photos, and they are gorgeous and jewel-toned, but it is the recipes themselves that command attention. Here are but a few: spring recipes for Morello Cherry and Black Cherry with Kirsch and the Spiced Green Walnut that features cardamom; summer recipes for Two Kinds of Apricots with Vanilla and Gewurztraminer; another called Raspberry with Chocolate that has grated
bittersweet chocolate right in the preserve; for fall you'll find Quince with Orange Blossom Honey, Rosehip with Orange; Pinot Noir Jelly; Pear with Glaceed Chestnuts; and Ripe Tomato and Apple with Rosemary; in the dead of winter try the Pineapple and Date, which has nuances of vanilla, rum and lemon; Pumpkin and Caramelized Lemon; Banana and Coconut; and Christmas Jam with 20 ingredients including quince, pears, prunes, dates, citrus rinds, nuts and spices. Along with the recipes, Ferber, an award winning Alsatian chef (the book was translated), gives us helpful advice such as the suggestion to use the Lemon Jelly as a glaze for your favorite lemon tart and that the fresher the apple, the more potent the pectin, which in turn sets up jellies more efficiently and adds to the jelly's clarity and sparkle. She also gives tips on how to make a soup out of the Vineyard Peach with Pinot Noir and Cinnamon jam by a slight alteration of ingredients. This is a book to use in the kitchen as well as one to read just to take in the flavors and aromas evoked on every page.

Vegetarian books continue to be popular as more and more of us are adding a greener approach to eating - you are eating your five servings a day, aren't you? Whether you are a strict veggie or not, you will find many recipes to try in Charmaine Solomon's Complete Vegetarian Cookbook (Ten Speed Press, $39.95). I have been a fan of Solomon's for over a decade ever since I stumbled across her Asian cookbook, which is amazingly complete. Her current book is a 350 page-plus over-sized tome with full-page color photos throughout of enticing recipes such as Radish and Apple Salad, with sesame oil and hot chiles, Walnut and Rice Loaf with Chive Sauce, Braised Endive Lebanese Style, Fresh Homemade Pasta, and a hearty Vegetarian Couscous that includes pumpkin and spicy harissa. You'll also find basics like French Onion Soup, Baba Ghanoush and Ratatouille. The recipes range from Fettuccine Alfredo to a chili made with tempeh, so there is something for everyone. There are even chapters on Breads, Beverages and Snacks and Appetizers. Desserts are given the full treatment with luscious sounding recipes such as Caramel Apple Dumplings, Coconut Chiffon Pie, Pecan Brittle Ice Cream, and a pudding cake called Lemon Delicious that bakes in one dish and comes out of the oven with a tangy sauce on the bottom and a feather-light sponge cake on top.

Finding a new niche in the cookbook market is a challenge but The Magic of Fire, Hearth Cooking, One Hundred Recipes for the Fireplace or Campfire (Ten Speed Press, $40.00) by William Rubel stands alone in the field. Visually the book offers an intriguing combination of photographs and watercolors of everything from ingredients to hearth cooking implements. But let's talk about the cooking: if you have ever wanted to bake potatoes in embers, roast a leg of lamb on a spit in your own fireplace or bake a spiced pumpkin pie in a hearth, this is the book for you. You do need a fireplace or a campfire, and some implements, such as a Dutch-oven, fire-proof tripod (or a couple of bricks), a bellows and such, so this is not spur of the moment cooking. At least not for the typical home of today. But if you are curious about this art form and are willing to invest in a few tools and in the time to learn the cooking methods, you will be richly rewarded. Once you are ready to go try the simple Roasted-Eggplant Spread, Fish Baked in Salt, Roasted Duck, Sweet Potato Casserole, Tile Baked Bread and Indian Chai.

TV chefs are going strong, both in terms on popularity and in the high quality of food that many of them are creating. Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking, Wine Country Cooking for Family and Friends (Chronicle Books, $35.00) is a companion volume to his popular public television series. The chapters cover topics from Appetizers to Sweet Things with Soups, Eggs & Sandwiches, Pasta and Meat & Poultry, among others, in between. Like the television show, Michael's cookbook recipes are straight-forward with clean, bold flavors. I love the Shaved Carrot, Fennel and Tangerine Salad, Lucca-Style Roasted Olives, Pappardelle with Veal and Pork Bolognese, Crispy White Beans with Chili Oil and Caramel Panna Cotta. And try the Damn Hot Peppers and Potato Hash with Baked Eggs for a holiday breakfast. It will tide you over until the main meal. The book has over 200 pages including close-up color photography, some of techniques or ingredients, others of the finished dish. If you like the idea of being able to re-create a dish you see on TV, I suggest you check out this book.Italian cookbooks are still quite popular. This year I'd like you to check out Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen (Knopf, $35) by Lidia Bastianich, which is a companion to her television series where her very comfortable manner brings to life her tempting authentic food. The 400 plus page book is sprinkled with color photographs and covers Antipasti, Soups, Pasta and Risotto, Pizza, a very large section on Entrees, Contorni (side dishes) and Desserts. In the pasta/risotto chapters there is a sub-section on vegetarian and "mostly" vegetarian options. Bastianich owns several New York City restaurants, including Felidia and Esca, which she co-owns with Mario Batali. Oftentimes, restaurant chefs write books that are not user friendly. Thankfully, this book calls for easy-to-find ingredients and the recipes are written in a very straightforward style. Try the Stuffed Calamari Braised with Fresh Peas, Stuffed Veal Chop Validostana and Broccoli-Taleggio, Shells with Fennel and Shrimp, Spare Ribs Roasted with Vinegar and Red Pepper, Monkfish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce, the intriguing Salt Cod, Potato, and String Bean Salad. For dessert, try Baked Peaches with Amaretti Filling or Chocolate Tartufo.

These days hard-core outdoor cooking enthusiasts don't let a little snow get in the way of their pursuit of grilled perfection. Even if you prefer to wait for warmer weather, pick up a copy of Asian Grilling by Su-Mei Yu (William Morrow, $24.95). The book begins with a primer on building a perfect charcoal fire and an overview of Asian ingredients, then it's on to the recipes. The book is divided into chapters on Satay, Kebabs and Skewers; Wrapped and Grilled; Grilled and Wrapped; Grilled Salads; Noodles, Rice and Flatbread; Grilled Fruit and Vegetables and Seasonings, Sauces and Condiments. The Grilled Shrimp on Sugarcane Stalks is fragrant with mint, cilantro, chiles and fish sauce. Grilled Curried Lamb Wrapped in Radicchio uses the burgundy colored lettuce that Su-Mei Yu says reminds her of the wild bitter greens of Thailand. Don't miss the Grilled Tuna and Rice with Sesame and Bonito Shavings, Vietnamese-Style Grilled Beef in Lettuce, or Grilled Chicken in Chinese Flatbread with Scallions, and there are plenty of vegetarian options such as Indonesian-Style Grilled Vegetables with Peanut Dressing, Thai-Style Grilled Eggplant Salad and Soba Noodles with Grilled Vegetables and Sesame-Ginger Dressing. Not only does all her food taste fantastic, but it is very clean and light and I always feel great after eating in this style. To end your grilled meal, there are a few desserts, such as Coconut Ice Cream and Grilled Mangoes with Ginger Syrup.

If you love strolling through a new place, or a favorite old-haunt, sampling street food, then I have the perfect book for you. Mediterranean Street Food (HarperCollins, $29.95) by Anissa Helou is more than a mere cookbook. The subtitle, Stories, Soups, Snacks, Sandwiches, Barbecues, Sweets, and More from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, gives you a more complete picture. Along with the recipes, there are evocative black and white photographs from the author's collection of settings, ingredients and finished dishes. The headnotes are personal and descriptive, giving us stories of where the dish was first found or how it might best be enjoyed.

But let's talk food: K'sra, the bread of Morocco, Tunisian Tagine with Parsley with chicken, parsley, cinnamon, onions paprika and optional rose petals, Swordfish Brochettes, Boiled Fava beans with Spiced Salt, Spanish Potato Omelet, Baked Stuffed Eggplants, Couscous with Seven Vegetables, Paella, Fried Mussels, Neopolitan Pizza, Fried Calamari, Onion and Parsley Salad and Chili Shrimp. On the sweet side, try the Chestnut Pudding, Sweet Cheese Pies, Lebanese Shortbread or Kairounan Pastries, flavored with saffron, cinnamon and orange and filled with dates. Many of the dishes are very easy (they are street-food, after all) and while there are some ingredients that you might have to search for, most are easy to find.

Here is my pick for stocking-stuffer cookbook of year. To qualify, a book must be small, so you can stocking-stuff it and be inexpensive so that it is easy to afford for that purpose. Party Nuts! 50 Recipes for Spicy, Sweet, Savory, and Simply Sensational Nuts that will be the Hit of Any Gathering, by Sally Sampson (Harvard Common Press, $9.95) is the real deal. Not only do you get dozens of delectable recipes, but the hardcover book is packed with color photographs. There are also tips on appropriate drinks and which finished recipes can be added to recipes of your own (such as tossing Curried Pecans with Orange over your favorite butternut squash soup). All of these recipes are easy to make and use readily available ingredients. I absolutely love the Shellacked Balsamic Pecans that are sweetened with brown sugar, tart with vinegar and enlivened with a jolt of chili powder. Also make sure to try the Curried Chili Cashews, Honey-Cardamom Almonds, Rosemary Walnuts, Curried Garlic Peanuts, Greek Pistachios and Pine Nuts and Paige's Cinnamon and Clove Spiced Hazelnuts. Give this to someone who loves to entertain and is always looking for a new dish to whip-up. The book is also great for "non-cooks" who only occasionally dabble in the kitchen - the recipes are that easy.

The holidays usually mean heading into the kitchen to bake - cookies, cakes, pies, even candies. And dessert cookbooks are great to give and receive this time of year; aren't we always looking for inspiration? Marcel Desaulniers delivers creative options with his new book Celebrate with Chocolate (William Morrow, $24.95). As with all of Desaulniers' dessert books, the recipes are rich and layered in flavor and texture. They are often complex and somewhat lengthy, but very exacting directions are given for each and every step.Try the Hot Chocolate Snow Day Cakes (that really start with making a rich hot chocolate), Bob's Big-Ass Chocolate Brown Sugar and Bourbon Birthday Cake (a gigantic triangular cake), Chocolate Brandy Swirl Eggnog Ice Cream, Chocolate-in-Paradise Toasted Almond Bark (semisweet chocolate with dried apricots, papayas, mangoes and pineapple), Chocolate Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches (made with cookies, not bread), and don't miss the Hot Chocolate Buccaneer, which decadently combines hot chocolate, spiced rum, cream and brewed coffee. The book is small with just a few chapters: Cakes, Cookies, Frozen Desserts and Mousses, Candies and Other Chocolate Treats. The one downfall - not enough pictures; I want to see every one of these desserts! Anyone up for Woozy Chocolate Brioche French Toast with Oozy Chocolate Maple Syrup? Invite me over...I suggest this book for seasoned bakers who like a challenge.

Perfect Cakes (HarperCollins, $37.50) is Nick Malgieri's newest book and it will help you make luscious cakes, both basic and elaborate. On the simple side, try the Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Auntie Rae's Apple Cake or Macao Christmas Cake, which is chock-full of dark and golden raisins, citrus peels, nuts and spices. For a special occasion cake try the Coconut Raspberry Layer Cake (four coconut covered layers of lemony cake, three layers of filling), Apricot Bavarian Cake (moist with rum) or the Devil's Food Bombe. There's a whole chapter on cheesecakes (such as Dark and White Chocolate Cheesecake), meringue cakes (like the classic Zuger Kirschtorte), rolled cakes (featuring a summery Strawberry Roulade) and individual cakes (like miniature Fruit Financiers), among other chapters and dozens of other cakes. All of the recipes are clearly and simply written - you can tell Malgieri is a teacher par excellence. You will also find helpful diagrams for techniques such as filling a pastry bag, piping icing borders and even making marzipan flowers. This book will be appreciated by any cake baker on your list.

Who doesn't love apple pie? In fact, years ago when I was interviewing Roland Mesnier, the White House pastry chef, he deemed apple pie a la mode to be his very favorite dessert. Apple Pie Perfect, 100 Delicious and Decidedly Different Recipes for America's Favorite Pie by Ken Haedrich (Harvard Common Press, $15.95) truly offers an apple pie for everyone. As the title suggests, this book is all about apple pies, both sweet and savory. The book starts out with some basic, and not-so-basic, crusts such as All-American Double Crust, Best Butter Pie Pastry, Cheddar Cheese Pastry, and my favorite, his Flaky Cream Cheese Pastry. Then it's on to several chapters such as Apple Pies for Fall and Winter, where you can sample My Mom and Dad's Brown Sugar Apple Pie, Andy's Cranberry Apple Pie with Walnut Crumb Topping and Baked Apple Dumpling Pie. The Special Occasion Apple Pies chapter offers Sausage, Apple and Prune Potpies and Vanilla Bean Apple Cherry Pie. There are a few photos in the middle of the book amongst chapters on pies that include recipes that are easy to make with kids or that you can whip up in a hurry. Other recipes in the book include Jonagold Apple Pie with Gingersnap Crumb Topping, Honeyed Apple Pear Pie in a Rosemary Semolina Crust, Farm-Style Buttermilk Pie with Fried Apple Rings and No-Bake Apple Ice Cream Pie. Whew! I can hardly decide where to start. This is one book that is definitely going to become splattered and stained (the highest compliment) in my kitchen.