Amazon.com (ISBN 0471751375, Hardcover)

A Greenwich Village landmark, the Magnolia Bakery features homemade desserts that people line up for. Recipes from the famous store were featured in The Magnolia Bakery Cookbook by Magnolia owner, Alyssa Torey. In At Home with Magnolia, she provides 90-plus all-course, all-occasion formulas--classic and original--for dishes like Chicken Kiev; Leek, Corn and Mascarpone Tart; and Gemelli with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Artichokes, Arugula, and Yellow Pepper. This is good, simple-yet-sophisticated food with a definite lightness-of-hand; keyed to seasonal bounty, the recipes--including desserts like Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies with Heath Bars and Pecans, and Pineapple Cheesecake with White Chocolate Sauce and Macadamias--are also easy. With many color photos of the dishes and of the author on her farm (where, presumably, the recipes originated), this is just the sort of collection cooks will find themselves relying on again and again. --Arthur Boehm