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Best Sellers
August 2006
1. Jamie's Italy
Jamie Oliver
One of the great delights of this business has been watching the maturation of
Jamie Oliver. 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.
2. Cheapeats Toronto
2006 edition
This latest edition of the best selling guide sends the reader to neighbourhood
hidden gems that are also gratefully, inexpensive. Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- no stone is left unturned in the quest for good cheap eats. You will delight
in finding new places to spend your hard earned dollar; indexes are organized
by neighbourhoods as well as cuisines. Also included celebrity favourites, Olivia
Chow's fav? Bright Pearl Restaurant on Spadina. Rick Mercer? The Detroit Eatery
on the Danforth. Softcover, $11.95.
3. Heat
Bill Buford
If you have now finished My Life in France and are looking for
another food book to read then pick up this latest arrival. It couldn't be more
different, but no less passionate, or well written. A highly readable book from
this engaging former New Yorker writer.
When Mario Batali invites amateur home cook Buford to work at Babbo,
well, you can imagine what ensues when you have a dysfunctional group of people
in a cramped area with sharp objects, hot equipment, who really don't
like each other, yes, welcome to the Babbo kitchen! Buford combines humour,
kitchen soap opera drama, the common goal of perfection on every
plate and a highly volatile Batali to keep the rollicking pace. When Buford heads
off to Italy however, the pace lags somewhat as he sets to work with
the Dante quoting butcher. In spite of this his layman's curiosity as to the
origins of Italian food, ingredients & techniques both at Babbo and
in Italy keeps the reader engaged. And you will never again order
pasta after 10 pm in a restaurant! Hardcover, 318 pp. $32.95
4. Rebar Cookbook
Audrey Alsterberg and Wanda Urbanowicz
A landmark cafe in Victoria, this book serves up delicious vegetarian food,
even for those who aren't vegetarian. Softcover, 256 pp, $29.95.
5. Giada's Family Dinners
Giada de Laurentiis
What's a best selling author (Everyday Italian, $42.00) and
Food Network star to do for an encore? Write another book of course. If you liked
the first one you'll like this one as well. More straightforward recipes that
will always work. Kudos for making this a book that doesn't feel like a collection
of recipes that didn't make it into the first effort. Hardcover, 256 pp, $43.00.
6. Kitchen for Kids
Jennifer Low
It may be aimed at children but the aesthetics of the new book from Canadian
House and Home
s food editor will appeal to adults as well. Though heavy on sweets, there
are some savoury recipes as well. Donna Hay-like colour photos. Paper, 176 pp,
$24.95.
7. The Silver Spoon
The trick for the team translating this classic Italian book(originally published
in 1950, now in its eighth edition) for English-speaking cooks was to balance
the English tendency to over-explain with the opposite impulse amongst Italians.
While shifting this balance and substituting ingredients where certain products
were unavailable outside of Italy, the team which included Tom Norrington-Davies
has managed to maintain The Silver Spoon’s distinctly
Italian character. Along with its 2000 recipes, this edition also features menus
from some of the most-renowned Italian chefs from the past 50 years. Mario Batalia,
Lidia Bastianich, Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray, and Aldo Zilli are among the group
of farflung chefs. Colour photos. Hardcover, 1263 pp, $59.95.
8. Maran Illustrated Coooking Basics
The Maran Family with expert consultant Gail Gordon Oliver
With its simple recipes, the Maran Illustrated Cooking Basics is
a great find for beginners. Better still, ingredients, tools, and
techniques are illustrated both verbally and with colour photographs,
a sure path
to success. Softcover, 233 pp, $26.95.
9. Art Culinaire no. 81
10. Molecular Gastronomy
Herve This
Here is a must-read for aspiring Blumenthals and Adrias. A collaborator
of Pierre Gagnaire and a pioneer of molecular gastronomy, This explains
the scientific processes behind everyday culinary reactions. A few
hydrocarbon chain diagrams would be welcome but this is still an
entertaining read. Hardcover, 377 pp, $35.95.
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