Best Sellers
Christmas 2006
(These rankings do not include sales from book launches or signings)
  1. Lucy's Kitchen
Lucy Waverman
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.
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.
 3. 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.
 4. 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.
5. Jamie's Flavour Shaker (Not a book...but a kitchen utensil !!)
 6. 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.
 7.
Joy of Cooking 75th Anniversary Edition
Irma S. Rombauer
In 1997 Joy came out in the first updated edition since 1975, except without
much of the reference material (canning, freezing, etc) and some beloved but
old-fashioned recipes like tuna casserole (as made with cream of mushroom soup).
This anniversary edition makes up for those shortcomings, keeping the modern
recipes but adding back many of the original dishes that reflected 1940s-1970s
American tastes. Perhaps more useful than ever, and besides, where else would
you find a recipe for lemonade for 100 or how to cook raccoon? Hardcover, 1132
pp. $36.00.
 8. The
Bon Appetit Cookbook
Barbara Fairchild
Always perceived as more accessible than its rival, Gourmet,
the American food magazine Bon Appetit celebrates its 50th anniversary
with this collection of more than 1200 of its best recipes. From breakfast dishes
to elegant frozen desserts, the recipes are designed for success whatever the
skill of the cook. Colour photos. Hardcover, 792 pp. $41.99 including a 12 month
complimentary subscription to the magazine.
 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. Feast: Food that Celebrates Life
Nigella Lawson
The Yummy Mummy’s fifth book is the best since her first. As in How
to Eat ($63.00,$37.50) this book appeals to both the cook and the reader.
Nigella’s feasts range from a funeral reception to a Passover seder always
using tempting yet simple dishes. Colour photos. Softcover, 472 pp, $39.95. Hardcover,
472 pp, 50.00.
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