
Best Sellers
2006
(These rankings do not include sales from book launches or signings)
 1. Lucy Waverman
Lucy's Kitchen
We eagerly await any new book from Lucy Waverman with great anticipation. Lucy’s
home cooking is a magical blend of the simple and sophisticated, informed by
her love of international travel and her Scottish roots. In what is probably
her most personal book, Lucy celebrates the kitchen as the heart of her home.
She also embraces another part of her past - as a cooking teacher - in highlighting
the various techniques and ingredients integral to bringing meals to the table
quickly and tastefully every day. Rob Fiocca’s glorious photography adds
another element of pleasure to a book we will reach for again and again. Hardcover,
288 pp, $39.00.
2. Jamie's
Italy
Jamie Oliver
One of the great delights of this business has been watching the
maturation of Jamie Oliver. Despite the great and early fame which
came to him in his 'Naked Chef' incarnation, he has retained a
sense of whence he came. In this culinary tour of Italy he celebrates
the food which played a major part in his early career with Rose
Gray and Ruth Rogers at the River Café, with Gennaro Contaldo,
with Antonio Carlucci. There are some less familiar versions of
well-known dishes including some particularly seductive risottos,
one with
artichoke,
another with cauliflower. Not just content to pass along recipes,
Oliver also creates a sense of the place and of the personalities
which have
shaped them and perhaps himself. Wonderful photograph of landscapes,
food, and people. Hardcover, 319 pp, $49.95.
3. Cheapeats Toronto 2006
 4. Best of Heartsmart
Bonnie Stern
At last all those best loved recipes from the Heartsmart series are back with 100 fab new recipes bringing a more global and contemporary feel to this well received edition from Toronto doyen of all things culinary, Bonnie Stern. One of the best brunch sections with healthier options for all your breakfast favourites. Softcover 480pp $34.95.
 5.
Au Pied De Cochon: The Album
Martin Picard
Just when we think that after reading cookbooks every day for the last 23 years
we have seen it all, something comes along that makes us absolutely giddy with
pleasure. This book from the celebrated Montreal restaurant is such a book. Both
the book and the restaurant it chronicles marry traditional Quebecois cuisine
to the French brasserie then immerse it in the wild abandon of a medieval feast.
Day-in-the-life photos and the Steadman/Searle-esque illustrations of Tom Tassel
and Marc Sequin aid and abet the air of unrestrained pleasure. The accompanying
DVD reinforces both the sense of revelry and the inherent respect for the ingredients
and traditions which inform the cooking of Martin Picard. Hardcover, 191 pp.
$74.95.
6. Barefoot Contessa Cooks at Home
Ina Garten
When we say more of the same we mean this in good in a good way. Contessa fans
will not be disappointed. Garten has also included four pages of food places
to visit when touring the Hamptons. Hardcover, 256 pp, $45.00.
 7. Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal
and Fine Cheeses
Gurth Pretty
Finally, a book celebrating Canada's cheese makers. Details on the producers
and their cheeses from coast to coast, as well as storage and serving information,
cheese and wine pairings, purchasing the cheeses and thirty recipes developed
with the cheese makers. Softcover 320 pp, $29.95.
 8. For
the Love of Soup
Jeanelle Mitchell
Whether a traditional favourite like turkey barley or a less familiar soup such
as African peanut chicken soup, the methods in this self-published book usually
feature only two steps.Mitchell offers tips for preparing, serving and making
the recipes more healthy.Most of the recipes make 4-6 servings. Line and colour
illustrations. 210pp. $20.00. Recipe: Roasted
Tomato Garlic Soup / PDF.
9. Cook with Jamie
Jamie Oliver
This latest offering from Jamie Oliver has shot to number one on
the bestseller list since being released this month in the UK. School
lunch reform completed, Jamie is set to improve home cooking. Solid
information and simply sensational recipes, perfectly synthesizing
Oliver's English heritage and River Café Italianate
training, will help any cook build confidence in the kitchen. The
Ultimate Gingerbread recipe is to die for! Colour photos. Hardcover,
447 pp. $64.95.
 10. Vij's Indian Cuisine
Vikram Vij
Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala
Indian by birth, European by culinary training, Vikram Vij fuses
the two cultures into addictively unique dishes. Seared striped bass
with sour cream curry, sautéed Brussels sprouts with red bell pepper,
paneer and cashews and beef short ribs in cinnamon and red-wine curry
are typical creations. Colour photos. Softcover, 205 pp. $40.00.
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