Al Dente: 2010 Cookbook Preview

2010 Cookbook Preview

Today I was going to write about Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter, by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough. And then, as if by fate (or maybe it was because I asked for an early copy), James Villas' glorious Pig: King of the Southern Table landed on my desk this morning (thank you, Marcy!). I'm sure you'll see these two titles paired up together in magazine roundups, but I think they each deserve their own time in the porcine spotlight. Inspired by my indecision, I elected instead to offer our readers a quick rundown (in no particular order) of the some of the cooking titles I'm most excited about in the new year. Pig and Ham, I'll be back. I promise.

It's Hard to Decide, But if I Had to Pick Just One Book I'm Really Really Excited About

The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual by Frank Falcinelli, Frank Castronovo, and Peter Meehan

Right Up My Alley Picks

Pig: King of the Southern Table by James Villas (April)
Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough (March)
Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook by Bruce Bromberg and Eric Bromberg and Melissa Clark (April)
The River Cottage Preserves Handbook by Pam Corbin (June)
Meat: A Kitchen Education by James Peterson (September)
Baked: Great Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito (October)

Seattle Authors I Know--But Don't Just Take My Word For It and Do Check These Out

Untitled Ethan Stowell Cookbook by Ethan Stowell (September)
Urban Pantry: Tips & Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen by Amy Pennington (April)
Double Take: One Fabulous Recipe, Two Finished Dishes, Feeding Vegetarians and Omnivores Together by A.J. Rathbun and Jeremy Holt (January)
The Newlywed Kitchen: Delicious Meals for Couples Cooking Together by Lorna Yee and Ali Basye (May)
Gourmet Game Night by Cynthia Nims (March)

Celebrity Chefs

Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking by Mario Batali (April)
Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California by Giada De Laurentiis (March)
Fiesta at Rick's by Rick Bayless and Deann Bayless (July)
In the Green Kitchen: Techniques to Learn by Heart by Alice Waters (April)
Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook by Bobby Flay (September)
Daisy: Morning, Noon, and Night by Daisy Martinez (March)
Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist by Cat Cora and Ann Kruegar Spivack (June)
The Good Stuff Cookbook by Spike Mendelsohn (June)

Bust Out the Rolling Pin

Amy's Bread (Revised and Updated) by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupree (February)
Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes by David Lebovitz (April)
The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook by John Barricelli (March)
Luscious Coconut Desserts by Lori Longbotham (February)
What's New, Cupcake? by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson (April)
Whoopie Pies by Sarah Billingsley and Amy Treadwell (April)