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We have good news and bad news. It turns out that when it comes to global warming, what we eat counts as much as the cars we drive. The bad news is that the standard American diet is a huge contributor to the earth’s rising temperature. The good news is that by following Laura Stec’s advice, you ... (more)can partake in a delicious solution to the problem. In “Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming.”” chef Laura Stec, along with her co-author, atmospheric scientist Eugene Cordero, explains in graphic detail how the normal American diet is akin to a Hummer on a plate. Massive amounts of meat, imported food, heavy pesticide and fertilizer use, and reliance on processed food, puts a strain on our economy as well as the planet. She goes on to show you how to reduce your carbon footprint while eating delightful local, organic and fresh foods. This is one of those win-win books you will not want to miss.

Sometimes a chance encounter can change your life forever. When Rebecca O’Connor was a child she met a falconer’s peregrine and found it captivating. “Lift” is not simply the story of one woman’s desire to understand and control her world through the art of falconry—it is the story of holding ... (more)on, of letting go, of recognizing and allowing competing forces in our own lives to sustain and shape us. Predator and prey, what is loved and what is hated, what we must accept and what we must reject—each of these dichotomies become O’Connor’s quarry in this poignant memoir.

In “Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking.: Traditional and Modern Recipes to Savor and Share,”
renowned chef Paula Wolfert perhaps says it best: “I’m not quite sure how it happened that I became a clay pot ‘junkie.’ Perhaps it was the different shapes and sizes, the colors and glazes, the myriad ... (more)variations on primal shapes that attracted me. Or perhaps it was just that earthenware produced such great-tasting food. And that’s where I begin this book, by asserting a simple truth: Most food—and Mediterranean food in particular—tastes better cooked in clay.” We couldn’t agree more. Come taste. Paula will be cooking and St. Francis is going to pour.

When Joan Ryan’s son suffered a traumatic brain injury, what seemed like a downwardly spiraling family tragedy turned instead into an opportunity and a second chance at motherhood. In The Water Giver: The Story of a Mother, a Son, and Their Second Chance,” Ryan writes with honesty and grace about ... (more)her son’s very slow difficult passage back to health but what sticks with you is how resilient we humans are and how the greatest gifts of life often come wrapped as our worst nightmares. This is an amazing tale told by an amazing woman.

Finally a cookbook has arrived that is dedicated to the true mission of every chef—to bring family members of all ages back to the kitchen. “Cooking Dinner: Simple Italian Family Recipes Everyone Can Make” is a simple, down-home tour of the very best of Italian dishes. It is loaded with recipes, ... (more)tips and ideas for encouraging everyone to join in the lost “art” of family cooking. Come and listen. Come and mangia.

Rarely if ever have we read such a beautifully written tale of the misery and nostalgia that suffused the old Soviet Union. “Grisha the Scrivener” is a jewel, a prism spanning twenty-six years of one Gregory Gregorovich Samidze, an exiled Georgian journalist who knows how to keep his head down under ... (more)the iron fist of Communism while still maintaining his own identity. Baer’s intertwining tales of political intrigue, forbidden love, and the fierce bonds of family and friendship will haunt you for a long time.

. “My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family and Big Sur” is part cookbook, part photography, part history and personal reminiscences, It weaves together assorted strands of magic and wonder that make the famous California restaurant perched on the cliffs of Big Sur what it is. Since its inception ... (more)Nepenthe has been a magnet for writers, artists, travelers, dancers, stage and film actors, and of course, food lovers from around the world. Nani Steele is a writer, cook and food stylist. She also happens to be the granddaughter of Bill and Lolly Forsett, the creators of Nepenthe. Her beautiful tribute comes on the sixtieth anniversary of the restaurant. Come celebrate one of the crown jewels of California. Pisoni Vineyards located in the Salinas Valley will be pouring.

Chef, author of Kitchen Confidential, and host of The Travel Channel's No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain has been dubbed “the bad boy of cuisine” for his rock star look and blunt observations. In front of an audience, his distinct voice resonates with wry examination of self and society. A savvy ... (more)manager, he has even shared team building tips with The Harvard Business Review. Bourdain's talent for connecting food and culture to important social and political issues gives audiences a unique and rare view of the 21st century.

Chef, author of Kitchen Confidential, and host of The Travel Channel's No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain has been dubbed “the bad boy of cuisine” for his rock star look and blunt observations. In front of an audience, his distinct voice resonates with wry examination of self and society. A savvy ... (more)manager, he has even shared team building tips with The Harvard Business Review. Bourdain's talent for connecting food and culture to important social and political issues gives audiences a unique and rare view of the 21st century.