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News November 17, 2006
Table of Contents
Recent Arrivals
 Bread Matters
Andrew Whitley
Whitley, founder of the celebrated Village Bakery in England, talks
about the state of bread today and why it does matter what bread
we eat. Quite an exhaustive discussion of bread, ingredients and
of course recipes. Also a very helpful discussion, and recipes
for gluten free baking. Hardcover, 371 pp. $46.95.
Bread Science
Emily Buehler
An easy to use Bakers manual from one of America's top artisan bakeries,
bringing bread science and technique together for the professional
or serious home baker. Softcover, 254 pp. $24.95.
 Breakfast Lunch Tea
Rose Bakery
Rose Carrarini's shares over 100 deliciously popular recipes from
her Anglo-French bakery 'Rose Bakery' in Paris. Co-founder of Villandry
in London, Rose believes "Life is improved by great food and
great food can be achieved by everyone." Her book is beautiful,
user friendly and informative. Hardcover, 186 pp. $39.95.
 Cooking with Tom Aikens
Tom Aikens
Aiken's cooking is credited to be sexy and indulgent, he says he
prefers simple meals at home, yet spends his days creating complicated
dishes. His stunning new book delivers his own favourites passing
along many tidbits of useful advice and alternative serving suggestions
as he steps the reader through each recipe. Hardcover, 256 pp.
$59.95.
 Essence: Recipes from le champignon sauvage
David Everitt-Matthias
Two Michelin stars by the age of forty, this kitchen star has stayed
true to his passion by actually staying in the kitchen and continuing
to cook at his celebrated restaurant in Cheltenham, England. With
a foreward by Gordon Ramsay and an endorsement from Heston Blumenthal
on the cover, Everitt-Matthias has many admirers. The book includes
probably the most intriguing food shot of the year - Roast wood
pigeon with cockscomb. Hardcover, 192 pp. $59.95.
 Field Guide to Meat
Aliza Green
Long overdue a handy meat guide to help identify more than 200 cuts
of meat, from beef to poultry to game and cured meat. An excellent
addition to the reference area on your cookbook shelf. Softcover,
311 pp. $19.95.
 Made in Italy: Food and Stories
Giorgio Locatelli
Italians are so passionate about their food and Locatelli is not
one to let the side down. A tome of a book that covers all manner
of Italian cuisine in an unhurried, down to earth & convivial
tone. Influenced by the slow food movement Locatelli combines his
talents at his eponymous restaurant Locanda Locatelli in London
with an understanding of what home cooks are prepared to undertake.
Hardcover, 615 pp. $59.95.
 Whole
Grains Every Day Every Way
Lorna Sass
As the availability of different varieties of grains increases by
leaps and bounds this book is a timely addition to the shelf for
those wanting to expand their repertoire of recipes. Lots of great
reference information about grains is also included. Hardcover,
324 pp. $44.00.
 How
I Learned to Cook
Edited by Kimberly Witherspoon & Peter
Meehan
Following on the heals of the hugely successful Don't Try
this at Home, forty renowned chefs from around the world
share their experiences about learning to cook. Funny, touching we
share in their first encounters in the kitchen, epiphany moments
and always the unexpected. Hardcover, 306 pp. $29.95.
 Italy for the Gourmet Traveller
Fred Plotkin
This indispensable guide for the food traveller to Italy has been
updated and of course expanded since its debut ten years ago. Plotkin
is comprehensive, going where the locals eat and shop.
Softcover, 724 pp. $34.95.
 Lucy's Kitchen
Lucy Waverman
We must admit up front to our bias for Lucy's recipes - we like them!
We have already tried the Cuban Stir Fry of Pork, Black Beans and
Sweet Potatoes; Potato Gratin with Onions and Goat Cheese; Muskoka
Bars. Softcover, 288 pp. $35.00.
 Michael Mina: The Cookbook
Michael Mina
With restaurants in San Francisco and Las Vegas Mina manages to oversee
a quietly expanding empire. His trio concept takes a primary ingredient
and accessorizes with a trio of accompaniments; followed by three
presentations. Visually stunning, but we don't particularly like
the faint type and small font used for the text. Hardcover, 256
pp. $65.00.
 New York Times Dessert Book
Edited by Florence Fabricant
Hard to believe this is the first time the NY Times has
done a major book on desserts. It features recipes from Times staffers,
such as Marion Burros' Plum Torte to name chefs/cooks, such as Nigella
Lawson, Francois Payard. Hardcover, 567 pp. $39.95.
 Red Cat Cookbook
Jimmy Bradley & Andrew Friedman
The Red Cat restaurant has been a mainstay in New York city's Chelsea
district. A true neighbourhood place where good, seasonal food
meets hearty preparation. Definitely a restaurant cookbook made
for the kitchen, not the coffee table. Hardcover, 266 pp. $47.00.
 Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle
Kate Zuckerman
This book is more about the talented Zuckerman than the venerable
Chanterelle, and rightly so. Voted one of the ten best pastry chefs
in America in 2005 by Pastry Art & Design magazine.
From tarts to cakes to candies to souffles, only three of the ten
chapters to whet your appetite. Hardcover, 223 pp. $46.00.
 Tartine
Elisabeth Prueitt & Chad Robertson
San Francisco's beloved neighbourhood bakery and cafe has produced
a book that has caught the attention of the most discerning of
professional bakers who have given the book positive reviews. The
lemon buttermilk pudding cake is on our list of recipes to try!
Hardcover, 223 pp. $44.00.
Alain Ducasse's Desserts and Pastries
Frederic Robert
Hardcover, 567 pp. $250.00.
Upcoming Events
Jancis Robinson
Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition
Friday December 1st, 7 pm $100/person
OFF SITE EVENT, reservations required
A return visit from one of the world's foremost wine writers. Celebrating
the latest edition of the Oxford Companion to Wine.
British Master of Wine, Jancis Robinson makes wine a fun learning
experience whether you're a beginner or long time collector. The
latest edition of the Companion adds almost 400 new entries. Our
event celebrates the publication of this new edition with an evening
of exceptional wine and food as well as hearing the latest from Jancis
herself.
The event will be held in Barberians stunning new wine cellar, whose
wine list has been recognized by Wine Spectator.
Gurth Pretty
Gurth Pretty's Definitive Guide to Canadian Artisanal and Fine Cheeses
Saturday December 2nd, 2 to 4 pm.
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.
Barbara Fairchild, Editor in Chief of Bon Appetit
The Bon Appetit Cookbook
Wednesday, December 6th at 12 noon
An excellent opportunity to meet and chat with one of America's foremost
food editors. Always perceived as more accessible than its rivals,
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.
Lucy Waverman
Lucy's Kitchen
Saturday December 9th, 2 to 3 pm.
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.
Media Events
CBC Radio One / Talking Books
with host Ian Brown - Saturday, November
18th at 4:30 pm.
Alison and fellow panelists Pat Holtz (freelance editor, writer)
and Chris Nuttall-Smith (food editor, Toronto Life magazine) discuss
the
75th Anniversary edition of Joy of Cooking and also Nigella Lawson's
Feast. Funny, insightful never dull.
CityLine
with host Marilyn Denis - Monday, November 20th at 10 am.
It's the Baking Special on Around the House! Alison joins Marilyn
showcasing her picks of the hottest cookbooks for the festive season.
Anna Olson also creates a decadent dessert inspired by Christmas
in Vienna, and Sandra Pittana shows how to save and splurge when
creating an opulent dessert table centrepiece.
Recipe
Recipe from Another Cup of Sugar by Anna Olson
Shortbread Cookies
1 cup / 250ml unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup + 2bsp / 150ml icing sugar
1/4 cup / 60ml cornstarch or rice flour
1 1/2 cups / 375ml all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp / 2ml fine salt
1 tsp / 5ml vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350F. Beat butter until light and fluffy. Sift in
icing sugar and beat again until fluffy, scraping down the sides
of the bowl often. Sift in cornstarch or rice flour and blend in.
Sift in all-purpose flour and salt and mix until dough comes together
(it will be soft). Stir in vanilla.
Spoon large teaspoonfuls of cookie dough (or use a small ice cream
scoop) onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between cookies,
and bake for 18-20 minutes, until bottoms brown lightly. Remove from
cookie sheet to cook on a rack.
Makes about 3 dozen.
Anna Olson
Another Cup of Sugar
Saturday November 25th, 2 to 3 pm.
Pastry chef extrodinaire. Host of the popular Food Network Canada show, Sugar,
Anna delivers a new book that will satisfy the sweet tooth and then some. Each
chapter is focused around a them ingredient eg. brown sugar. Get the butter,
flour and sugar to the ready! Softcover 272 pp. $24.95.
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