They set the fashions, encouraged the arts, and, in some cases, ruled nations. Eleanor Herman's Sex with Kings takes us into the throne rooms and bedrooms of Europe's most powerful monarchs. Alive with flamboyant characters, outrageous humor, and stirring poignancy, this glittering tale of passion and politics chronicles five hundred years of scintillating women and the kings who loved them.Curiously, the main function of a royal mistress was not to provide the king with sex but with companionship. Forced to marry repulsive foreign princesses, kings sought solace with women of their own choice. And what women they were! From Madame de Pompadour, the famous mistress of Louis XV, who kept her position for nineteen years despite her frigidity, to modern-day Camilla Parker-Bowles, who usurped none other than the glamorous Diana, Princess of Wales.The successful royal mistress made herself irreplaceable. She was ready to converse gaily with him when she was tired, make love until all hours when she was ill, and cater to his every whim. Wearing a mask of beaming delight over any and all discomforts, she was never to be exhausted, complaining, or grief-stricken.True, financial rewards for services rendered were of royal proportions -- some royal mistresses earned up to $200 million in titles, pensions, jewels, and palaces. Some kings allowed their mistresses to exercise unlimited political power. But for all its grandeur, a royal court was a scorpion's nest of insatiable greed, unquenchable lust, and vicious ambition. Hundreds of beautiful women vied to unseat the royal mistress. Many would suffer the slings and arrows of negative public opinion, some met with tragic ends and were pensioned off to make room for younger women. But the royal mistress often had the last laugh, as she lived well and richly off the fruits of her "sins."From the dawn of time, power has been a mighty aphrodisiac. With diaries, personal letters, and diplomatic dispatches, Eleanor Herman's trailblazing research reveals the dynamics of sex and power, rivalry and revenge, at the most brilliant courts of Europe. Wickedly witty and endlessly entertaining, Sex with Kings is a chapter of women's history that has remained unwritten -- until now.

    Everyone loves smoothies—and this is the ultimate smoothie book, written by Julie Morris, author of Superfood Kitchen and a superfood expert! Morris whips up 100 nutrient-rich recipes using the world's most antioxidant-, vitamin- and mineral-packed foods, and offers innovative culinary methods for making your smoothies incredibly nutritious and delicious.Whether you're looking for an energy boost, seeking a gentle cleanse, or just trying to get healthy, you'll be inspired to power up the blender!

    The journal has captured the imagination of readers nationwide, with content and an aesthetic that reflect a desire to go back to simpler times; to take a break from our busy lives; to build a community around a shared sensibility; and to foster the endless and energizing magic that results from sharing a meal with good friends. Now there’s The Kinfolk Table, a cookbook from the creators of the magazine, with profiles of 45 tastemakers who are cooking and entertaining in a way that is beautiful, uncomplicated, and inexpensive. Each of these home cooks—artisans, bloggers, chefs, writers, bakers, crafters—has provided one to three of the recipes they most love to share with others, whether they be simple breakfasts for two, one-pot dinners for six, or a perfectly composed sandwich for a solo picnic.

     Nothing can discourage a home cook quite like being unprepared—running to the store for that one item, getting halfway through a recipe and realizing something is missing, or simply not knowing quite where to begin. Kitchen pro and popular cookbook author Jennifer Chandler returns with The Southern Pantry Cookbook, a fail-safe game plan for ensuring mealtime success. Chandler helps readers stock their shelves with ingredients that will get them out of the kitchen quickly and around their table with family and friends. From rice and beans to sauces and seasonal produce, Chandler demonstrates how to turn basic recipe supplies into memorable Southern-style meals. With just a little bit of planning and a whole lot of down-home flavor, Chandler has some pretty delicious answers to the question, “What’s for supper?” Recipe highlights include:  Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Dried Cranberries and Pecans  White Bean and Country Ham Soup  Braised Chicken with Mushrooms and Grits  Pan-Seared Pork Chops with Drunken Peaches  Cheesy-Jalapeno Hushpuppies  Blackberry Skillet Cobbler

    This cook's tour of recipes from around the globe is all about the great food you can make without spending a ton of money. With what's left from a simple Roast Chicken, make a fabulous Greek Chicken, Pumpkin, Feta & Filo Pie. Turn a bumper crop of tomatoes and basil into a satisfying Tomato & Pesto Tart. Thanks to a special section on less expensive cuts of meat, you'll soon be creating new family favorites from lamb shoulder, pork belly, skirt steak and the like.

    He tasted it long ago, in a restaurant, and has been trying to reproduce it ever since. Without success. Now, on the theory that practice makes perfect, he sets out to bake peasant bread every week until he gets it right. He bakes his loaf from scratch. And because Alexander is nothing if not thorough, he really means from scratch: growing, harvesting, winnowing, threshing, and milling his own wheat.   An original take on the six-thousand-year-old staple of life, 52 Loaves explores the nature of obsession, the meditative quality of ritual, the futility of trying to re-create something perfect, our deep connection to the earth, and the mysterious instinct that makes all of us respond to the aroma of baking bread.

    Angelo Acquista began "prescribing" them recipes for nutritious and flavorful home-cooked meals prepared with ingredients key to the Mediterranean diet. The Mediterranean Family Table combines his medical experience and Sicilian roots to outline the guiding principles of the Mediterranean diet and takes it one step further with a collection of easy, wholesome, and delicious recipes the entire family will love.From purees made with fresh vegetables that will tempt the taste buds of bambini—and can serve as easy sides for the rest of the family—to recipes tailored to meet the special nutritional needs of children and seniors (highlighted by icons for easy reference), this well-curated collection of recipes will allow you to:Reinvent classic recipes by replacing mayonnaise and butter with heart-healthy olive oil in dishes like Mediterranean Potato Salad and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes Discover good-for-you Mediterranean greens in kid-approved recipes like Orecchiette with Bread Crumbs and Broccoli Rabe, and Swiss Chard and Cannellini Beans alla Alessandra Create your own "Sunday Supper" family tradition with recipes like Quick and Easy Tomato Sauce and Mama's Meatballs with PastaThe Mediterranean Family Table contains a wealth of helpful information, including how to make healthier eating choices; instill good habits in kids that will last a lifetime; and buy, store, and cook ingredients fundamental to the Mediterranean diet. Anecdotes from Acquista's family history are woven throughout, as well as stories of growing up near the Mediterranean Sea, and the techniques he uses to incorporate what he learned from his Sicilian upbringing into his busy, landlocked, modern family life. Buon appetito!

    The food staff of Southern Living has uncovered and updated a treasure-trove of heirloom recipes that will be relied on for generations to come. These recipes will "stick around" and are staples for family get-togethers, church suppers, and covered dish dinners. They are unforgettable and memory evoking, and thus won't ever go out of style. From an aunt's famous buttermilk biscuits, to country-fried steak, homestyle meatloaf, double-crust peach pie, and homemade bread and butter pickles, over 200 of our highest-rated recipes have been selected for this unique collection of prized family favorites. As more consumers look for ways to enjoy family and home in today's economy, this is a perfect "feel good" book that brings back memories of "the good ole days" and has a classic vintage look but includes all the great flavors and expert advice readers expect from Southern Living. Perfect for the holiday season, this book is a celebration of Southern traditions, filled with all-time favorite recipes like those handed down from generation to generation.

    Enjoy fresh-baked breads at home using carefully tested recipes that include:- San Francisco Sourdough French Bread- Black Forest Pumpernickel- Zucchini-Carrot Bread- Russian Black Bread- Banana Oatmeal Bread- Coconut Pecan Rolls- Caramel Sticky Buns- Portuguese Sweet Bread- And much more!These wholesome, preservative-free recipes are accompanied with tips for baking the perfect loaf.Whether you're a newcomer to bread machine baking or a longtime enthusiast, this book will help you fill your kitchen with the delectable aroma of one freshly baked loaf after another.

    But do we know where these everyday recipes came from, who invented them, and using what techniques? This book provides a colourful and entertaining journey through the history of cuisine, celebrating the world's greatest dishes.

    . . just haven't gotten around to it. No Plot? No Problem! is the kick in the pants you've been waiting for.Let Chris Baty, founder of the rockin' literary marathon National Novel Writing Month (a.k.a. NaNoWriMo), guide you through four exciting weeks of hard-core noveling. Baty's pep talks and essential survival strategies cover the initial momentum and energy of Week One, the critical "plot flashes" of Week Two, the "Can I quit now?" impulses of Week Three, and the champagne and roar of the crowd during Week Four. Whether you're a first-time novelist who just can't seem to get pen to paper or a results-oriented writer seeking a creative on-ramp into the world of publishing, this is the adventure for you.So what are you waiting for? The No Plot? approach worked for the thousands of people who've signed up for NaNoWriMo, and it can work for you! Let No Plot? No Problem! help you get fired up and on the right track.

    In "Real Thai, " she demystifies once and for all every aspect of this flavorful, healthy cuisine. Organized geographically by region, over 100 tempting, easy-to-follow recipes explore not only dishes that may be familiar to Americans, such as Chicken Coconut Soup and Pork Satay, but also lesser-known local specialties such as Crab Cakes with Cilantro Paste, Fish with Yellow Curry Steamed in Banana Leaves, Sticky Rice with Mangoes, and Son-in-Law Eggs. Including advice on basic utensils and techniques, a glossary of ingredients, a list of shopping sources, and a section of suggested menus, this is the definitive guide for novice and expert alike to the diverse flavors of a regional Asian cuisine that is rapidly becoming an international favorite.

    Like fashions and fads, food—even bad food—has a history, and Lovegren's Fashionable Food is quite literally a cookbook of the American past.Well researched and delightfully illustrated, this collection of faddish recipes from the 1920s to the 1990s is a decade-by-decade tour of a hungry American century. From the Three P's Salad—that's peas, pickles, and peanuts—of the post-World War I era to the Fruit Cocktail and Spam Buffet Party loaf—all the rage in the ultra-modern 1950s, when cooking from a can epitomized culinary sophistication—Fashionable Food details the origins of these curious delicacies. In two chapters devoted to "exotic foods of the East," for example, Lovegren explores the long American love affair with Chinese food and the social status conferred upon anyone chic enough to eat pu-pu platters from Polynesia. Throughout, Lovegren supplements recipes—some mouth-watering, some appalling—from classic cookbooks and family magazines, with humorous anecdotes that chronicle how society and kitchen technology influenced the way we lived and how we ate.Equal parts American and culinary history, Fashionable Food examines our collective past from the kitchen counter. Even if it's been a while since you last had Tang Pie and your fondue set is collecting dust in the back of the cupboard, Fashionable Food will inspire, entertain, and inform.

    As they have pursued their passions for travel photography and culinary research, they have found around the world a shared and nourishing element of culture and cuisine: flatbreads, the simplest, oldest, and most marvelously varied form of bread known to humankind. Immersing themselves in local cultures-from the Malaysian island of Penang and the high Himalayan passes of Tibet to the market stalls of Provence and the pueblos of New Mexico -- Adford and Duguid have studied bread baking and cooking with local bakers, in family kitchens, with street vendors, and at neighborhood restaurants and cafes.In Flatbreads and Flavors they share more than sixty recipes for flatbreads of every origin and description: tortillas from Mexico, pita from the Middle East, naan from Afghanistan, chapatti from India, pizza from Italy, and French fougasse. As well within the eight regional chapters of the book, they provide 150 exuberant recipes for traditional accompaniments to the breads. These include chutneys and curries, salsas and stews, rich samplings of the Mediterranean mezze table and the Scandinavian smorgasbord, and such delectable pairings as Chinese Spicy Cumin Kebabs wrapped in Uighur nan or Lentils with Garlic, Onion, and Tomato spooned onto chapatti.Oven-baked, grilled, fried, skillet-baked, steamed, or even baked beneath the desert sand, flatbreads are a fascinating, satisfying, and simple form that brings wholesome grains into our diet. They can be made from every grain imaginable: wheat, rye, corn, oats, millet, sorghum, teff, rice, buckwheat. They can be unleavened or leavened. They can be made so thin that they become transparent, or they can be two inches thick and sliceable.But Flatbreads and Flavors is not only a book about the original life-sustaining food served around the world since time began, it is also a book about people and places, with vivid images and shared experiences captured in brief prose essays and in Alford and Duguid's own acclaimed photographs. Redolent with the tastes and aromas of the world's hearths, it maps a course through cultures old and intriguing. With clear and patient recipes and special sections defining techniques, ingredients, and equipment, Flatbreads and Flavors makes accessible to the novice and experienced baker alike the simple and satisfying bread baker's art.Flatbreads and Flavors has 8 maps and 16 pages of full-color photographs of breads and their accompaniments. It is a Main Selection of HomeStyle Books a division of Book-of-the-Month Club.

    (Why? Shush, dear. A lady doesn't question.) UNMENTIONABLE is your hilarious, illustrated, scandalously honest (yet never crass) guide to the secrets of Victorian womanhood, giving you detailed advice on: ~ What to wear ~ Where to relieve yourself ~ How to conceal your loathsome addiction to menstruating ~ What to expect on your wedding night ~ How to be the perfect Victorian wife ~ Why masturbating will kill you ~ And moreIrresistibly charming, laugh-out-loud funny, and featuring nearly 200 images from Victorian publications, UNMENTIONABLE will inspire a whole new level of respect for Elizabeth Bennett, Scarlet O'Hara, Jane Eyre, and all of our great, great grandmothers. (And it just might leave you feeling ecstatically grateful to live in an age of pants, super absorbency tampons, epidurals, anti-depressants, and not-dying-of-the-syphilis-your-husband-brought-home.)