Seasoned Reading

Kids' Kitchen

Kids' Kitchen: 40 Fun and Healthy Recipes to Make and Share is a deck of sturdy cards that invite you and a kid age 8 and up to step into the kitchen for a little bit of food fun. Color coded by food groups and delightfully illustrated this will get those little hands into the mix for meals or snacks. Fruity Faces, Paneer, Pasta Dough and root soup are all lushly illustrated and engaging recipes. $19.99

Fat Duck Cookbook

The Fat Duck is considered by some to be the finest restaurant in the world and The Fat Duck Cookbook by Heston Blumenthal will help explain why. A feast for the eye, this lavish volume covers the history, food and science behind this ground-breaking restaurant. Full color photos throughout, $50

Tea and Crumpets

Does the world really need another tea book? Just paging through this
gorgeous delight will tell you that we have never had one like this. A
traveler's guide to European tearooms and all the recipes for the signiture
sweets and savories in these hot spots will entice youand before you know it
you'll be turning out the best Bakewell Tart and Glamorgan Suasages along
with scones and clotted cream. $19.95

Trader Joe's Companion

Ever since Trader Joe's arrived on the food scene in Pittsburgh, we all find
time to pig out on the well priced store brands with the helthy rep. Now we
have a handy 5"x10" guide for all things TJ's in recipes that are simple,
fast and tasty. Everyday you will find the ingredients for Vegetable Tikka
Masala that will come together faster that delivery. How about Asian
Dumpling Soup, Salomn in Puff Pastry and Lemon Tart for company in under one hour. Keep one in your shopping bag for the next trip. $13.95

Born Round by Frank Bruni

In Born Round Frank Bruni, restaurant critic for The New York Times, tells his heartbreaking and hilarious account of his lifelong, often painful struggle with food. $25.95

Sticky, Chewy, Messy Gooey

The title says it all for this mouth-watering treat for kids of all ages.
From Pinkalicious Princess Cupcakes to Cinamon Toast Soldiers you will want
to feed your inner kid some cold Winter snow day. $19.95

Why Italians Love to Talk About Food

Why Italians Love to Talk About Food by Elena Kostioukovitch is a journey through Italy's great regional cuisines, from Alps to Sicily.
Here's a journey through a food culture about which most of us have a
fleeting knowledge. Liguria to Lombardy or Sadinia to Sicily food landscapes
are gloriously detailed. This is a well written book for reading about
food----both festive and nourishing to the spirit. $35

100 Words for Foodies

While watching a recent episode of Chopped on the food channel, I saw a
young chef lose it when he couldn't find the powdered sugar he sought and
another chef kept trying to tell him it was the confectioners' sugar. Well
that's not likely to come up in your life but browsing this little guide is
a boon for food lovers whether they cook or just eat out. Take one as a
hostess gift this season and you will be remembered fondly. $5.95