James Beard Foundation Awards

Two Hunters Cooking a Meal, Italian mosaic, 3rd-4th CE

Posted by Staff

The 2011 James Beard Awards were announced recently and reading the list of winning cookbooks makes one hungry!   We have many of these books available - what better way to learn about food trends and good cooking than read a new cookbook!  We don't have room to list all the nominees and winners, but have chosen a selection from each category.  Happy cooking!

American  Cooking
Pig: King of the Southern Table by James Villas.  Go way beyond ham, bacon and ribs in this thorough and delectable exploration of southern cooking.  If you don't find something tasty in these pages, you are picky, indeed!

Baking and Dessert
My Sweet Mexico:  Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats by Fany Gerson.  Tired of tacos & enchiladas?  This cookbook covers the commonly overlooked topic of sweets in Mexican cooking.  Desserts are well represented, as are beverages, fruits, and spices.  Educational as well as inspirational.

Beverage
Opus Vino Editor-in-Chief, Jim Gordon  Written by a new generation of wine critics with tons of new information.

General Cooking
Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys by David Tanis  The author, a chef at Chez Panisse, has written about his kitchen philosophy while providing  20 seasonal menus.

Healthy Focus
The Simple Art of Eating Well: 400 Easy Recipes, Tips and Techniques for Delicious Healthy Meals by Jessie Price and the Eating Well Test Kitchen  Easy to prepare, health conscious and delicious meals for busy families. 

International
Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge: The Ultimate Guide to Mastery, with Authentic Recipes and Stories by Grace Young    Learn the elegant art of stir-fry along with recipes from multiple cuisines.

Single Subject 
Meat: A Kitchen Education by James Peterson  The author believes we should be eating less meat, but have more understanding about it's preparation and where it ultimately comes from.