The Magic of Mini Pies: Sweet and Savory Miniature Pies and Tarts


Abigail R. Gehring - 2012
    Perfect for parties, bed-and-breakfast hosts, or anyone who has a hankering for pie but doesn't want to spend hours in the kitchen, it's no wonder that mini pies and tarts are all the rage. From savory treats like Steak and Guinness Pies and Spinach Mushroom Quiches to sweet favorites like Pecan Cranberry Pies and Chocolate Raspberry Tarts, this book has something for every pie lover.   Here’s a sampling of the more than 50 recipes included:    Apple Pies  Chocolate Chip Cheesecakes  Ginger Peach Pies  Blackberry Malbec Pies  Maple Walnut Pies  Caramel Mousse Tarts  Shepherd’s Pies  Spicy Chicken and Cheese Empanadas  Cornish Pasties  Banana Dulce de Leche Pies  Blackberry Pies with Honey Lavender Cream  Toffee Almond Tarts  Strawberry-Rhubarb Pies  Plum Tarts with Citrus Cream  Peanut Butter Chocolate Pies

100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names


Diana Wells - 1997
    From Baby Blue Eyes to Silver Bells, from Abelia to Zinnia, every flower tells a story. Gardening writer Diana Wells knows them all. Here she presents one hundred well-known garden favorites and the not-so-well-known stories behind their names. Not for gardeners only, this is a book for anyone interested not just in the blossoms, but in the roots, too.

The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between


Patrick Foote - 2018
    From countries and cities to toys and animals to even planets, learn the etymology of interesting words in a fun and entertaining way.Learn new things: Why is New York called New York? The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between has the answer for you. While author Patrick Foote, of the YouTube channel also called Name Explain, doesn’t claim to know everything, he has garnered a lot of knowledge about language over the years and he’s excited to get to share it with you in this new format.Be entertained by education: Learning doesn’t have to be boring. With his fun sense of humor, Patrick explains each name with jokes and quips you’re bound to enjoy. Full of pictures and packed with great information, The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between has a variety of topics that are bound to intrigue anyone interested in the origins of the words we use every day.Find fun facts: The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between is full of interesting facts that are great to keep in your mental pocket. You’ll be able to pull out fun information about words and language all the time, informing and amusing yourself and your friends for ages.The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between does exactly what it says it does—it explains the origin of names in a fun and easy-to-digest way. After reading this book, you will: Know why, exactly, Russia is called Russia Be able to entertain yourself and your friends with interesting fun facts Discover the origins of the names of planets, animals, countries, and much more

Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined


Jason Kosmas - 2010
    In those days, hard beverage options were usually made with homemade hooch and flavorings of dubious origin and quality.      Thankfully, a cocktail renaissance has emerged in many of today’s bars, where inventive drinks showcase both the artistry and craft of bartending. At their moody and atmospheric West Village bar-restaurant Employees Only, master mixologists Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric can regale you with colorful tales of cocktail origins—or just pour you a mean drink. In Speakeasy, Kosmas and Zaric take their inspiration from traditional favorites, then use the finest spirits, the freshest ingredients, and a good measure of reverence for their craft to elevate the mixed drink to artisanal status. More than 80 imaginative libations that riff on the classics are showcased in this one-of-a-kind collection. Recipes emphasize fresh fruits and herbs, homemade syrups and infusions, and a careful balancing of flavors, with a mind toward seasonality. A Ginger Smash is offered in four different versions: kumquat, pineapple, pear, or cranberry, depending on the time of year. The Millionaire becomes the Billionaire with the addition of homemade grenadine and 107-proof bourbon. And the South Side becomes the West Side by replacing the gin with sun-kissed Meyer lemon–infused vodka. With the specter of Prohibition firmly in the past, Speakeasy shares recipes for the choicest potent potables, reimagining the finest drinks of yesterday for today’s thirsty imbibers.

And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails


Wayne Curtis - 2006
    With a chapter for each of ten cocktails--from the grog sailors drank on the high seas in the 1700s to the mojitos of modern club hoppers--Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society. Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, where rum delivered both a cheap wallop and cash for the Revolution, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America. Here are sugar barons and their armies conquering the Caribbean, Paul Revere stopping for a nip during his famous ride, Prohibitionists marching against "demon rum," Hemingway fattening his liver with Havana daiquiris, and today's bartenders reviving old favorites like Planter's Punch. In an age of microbrewed beer and single-malt whiskeys, rum--once the swill of the common man--has found its way into the tasting rooms of the most discriminating drinkers. Awash with local color and wry humor, "And a Bottle of Rum" is an affectionate toast to this most American of liquors, a chameleon spirit that has been constantly reinvented over the centuries by tavern keepers, bootleggers, lounge lizards, and marketing gurus. Complete with cocktail recipes for would-be epicurean time-travelers, this is history at its most intoxicating.

A Year Without the Grocery Store: A Step by Step Guide to Acquiring, Organizing, and Cooking Food Storage


Karen Morris - 2018
    My name’s Karen, and I care about making sure my family’s dietary needs are met, no matter what. One way I do this is through our year’s worth of personal food storage, and now I’m here to show you how to easily store a year’s worth of food as well. In A Year Without the Grocery Store, I walk you through a step-by-step plan which: - Incorporates the meals your family already loves. - Takes into account your family’s unique food allergies, intolerances, and preferences. - Teaches you how to economically store food, and shows you how, if necessary, you could feed each member of your family for around 160/year. - Provides you with recipes that take your food storage from edible to delicious. - Discusses alternate ways to cook your food storage in case you encounter a power outage. - Discusses properly storing water. - Points out pitfalls and holes in most people’s food storage and crafts a plan for how to avoid them. If you thought the idea of a year’s worth of food storage was a little crazy, take another look at healthy meals, money savings, not having to run to the grocery store before winter storms, and peace of mind that comes with knowing that you’ve planned and prepared and that your family can now go a year without the grocery store.

The Potlikker Papers: A Food History of the Modern South


John T. Edge - 2017
    Beginning with the pivotal role of cooks in the Civil Rights movement, noted authority John T. Edge narrates the South's journey from racist backwater to a hotbed of American immigration. In so doing, he traces how the food of the poorest Southerners has become the signature trend of modern American haute cuisine. This is a people's history of the modern South told through the lens of food.Food was a battleground in the Civil Rights movement. Access to food and ownership of culinary tradition was a central part of the long march to racial equality. THE POTLIKKER PAPERS begins in 1955 as black cooks and maids fed and supported the Montgomery Bus Boycott and it concludes in 2015 as a Newer South came to be, enriched by the arrival of immigrants from Lebanon to Vietnam to all points in between.Along the way, THE POTLIKKER PAPERS tracks many different evolutions of Southern identity --first in the 1970s, from the back-to-the-land movement that began in the Tennessee hills to the rise of fast and convenience foods modeled on Southern staples. Edge narrates the gentrification that gained traction in North Carolina and Louisiana restaurants of the 1980s and the artisanal renaissance that reconnected farmers and cooks in the 1990s and in the 00s. He profiles some of the most extraordinary and fascinating figures in Southern food, including Fannie Lou Hamer, Colonel Sanders, Edna Lewis, Paul Prudhomme, Craig Claiborne, Sean Brock, and many others.Like many great provincial dishes around the world, potlikker is a salvage food. During the antebellum era, masters ate the greens from the pot and set aside the left-over potlikker broth for their slaves, unaware that the broth, not the greens, was nutrient-rich. After slavery, potlikker sustained the working poor, black and white. In the rapidly gentrifying South of today, potlikker has taken on new meanings as chefs have reclaimed the dish.Over the last two generations, wrenching changes have transformed the South. THE POTLIKKER PAPERS tells the story of that change--and reveals how Southern food has become a shared culinary language for the nation.Music Copyright (c) 2012, Lee Bains III

The Berry Bible: With 175 Recipes Using Cultivated and Wild, Fresh and Frozen Berries


Janie Hibler - 2004
    Now berry lovers can maximize their enjoyment with The Berry Bible, the new offering from James Beard Book Award-winning author Janie Hibler.Part encyclopedia, part cookbook, The Berry Bible begins with an explanation of the health benefits of nutrient-rich berries and goes on to profile dozens of important culinary berries and berrylike fruits in the vibrantly illustrated "A-to-Z Berry Encyclopedia." Tips on how to remove berry stains and freeze for the off-season pave the way for 175 delectable recipes that use cultivated, wild, fresh, and frozen berries.From Blackberry-Blueberry Cardamom Muffins, Mango-Raspberry Summer Soup, and Boysenberry Applesauce to Blackberry-Port Lamb Shanks, Almond-Gooseberry Cream Pie, and The Perfect Strawberry Shortcake, these succulent dishes are sure to garner The Berry Bible a permanent spot in any kitchen.

The Home Distiller's Workbook - Your guide to making Moonshine, Whisky, Vodka, Rum and so much more!


Jeff King - 2001
    Along the way though I developed my own style. I boiled down what I learned and moved it indoors. I've developed designs that can be used right in the comfort of you own kitchen or out back in the woods! The truth is that Moonshining, aka "Home Distilling" is a folk art that helped build this country. Together we can make it live again, and have a little fun in the process! "But isn't this dangerous" you ask. Cooking up spirits isn't any harder then properly roasting a Thanksgiving turkey. In fact it's so easy that a redneck like me can do it. And folks if I can do it, then imagine what you might be able to create! Imagine the holidays when you pull out your own special label. Think of the drinks and dishes you can concoct. Open up a whole new world of creativity and step into the hobby that is truly one of the founding traditions of our country. There are dozens of reasons why people look into home distilling. Maybe you are looking for a new culinary branch to explore, maybe you just like the idea of knowing how to do things for yourself, perhaps you just like to keep the old ways alive or maybe you are just tired of our government telling us what we can and can not do! In this book I will show you how easy and safe this hobby really is. This book is designed for the beginner distiller and I take the time to introduce you to all the concepts of distilling that you need to get started. One of the great thing about distilling is that you can keep it simple or as get as complicated as you could possible want. This journey is all about where you want to take it. Please be advised that this is for informational purposes only. After you read this you will understand just how easy it is to make your own Moonshine, Whiskey, Vodka, Rum or even alternative fuels. Then once you understand how easy this is, how safe and how stupid the laws that restrict this are, then you can contact your congressman and/or senator and tell them to repeal the laws that are only in place to protect big businesses. Believe it or not there are Moonshiners everywhere, we have a grand tradition that goes back to the first settlers. Many historians will even tell you that it was moonshine that built this country! It's time to take back our heritage. Thank you for your support! Jeff King Moonshiners Unite!

Whisky: The Manual


Dave Broom - 2014
    All whisky styles are covered, including (just whisper it) blends. Along the way a good few myths are exploded, including the idea that whisky has to be taken neat. In 'What to Drink', Dave Broom explores flavour camps - how to understand a style of whisky - and moves on to provide extensive tasting notes of the major brands, demonstrating whisky's extraordinary diversity. In 'How to Drink', he sets out how to enjoy whisky in myriad ways - using water and mixers, from soda to green tea; and in cocktails, from the Manhattan to the Rusty Nail. He even looks at pairing whisky and food. In this spirited, entertaining and no-nonsense guide, world-renowned expert Dave Broom dispels the mysteries of whisky and unlocks a whole host of exciting possibilities for this magical drink.

Marshmallow Madness!: Dozens of Puffalicious Recipes


Shauna Sever - 2012
    Author Shauna Sever also includes easy recipes for homemade graham crackers, drinks for mallow dunking, and a host of irresistible desserts, including Lemon Dream Whoopie Pies, Blonde Rocky Road, and S’mores Cupcakes.

Food of the Italian South: Recipes for Classic, Disappearing, and Lost Dishes: A Cookbook


Katie Parla - 2019
    The pasta-heavy, tomato-forward “Italian food” the world knows and loves does not actually represent the entire country; rather, these beloved and widespread culinary traditions hail from the regional cuisines of the south. Acclaimed author and food journalist Katie Parla takes you on a tour through these vibrant destinations so you can sink your teeth into the secrets of their rustic, romantic dishes. Parla shares rich recipes, both original and reimagined, along with historical and cultural insights that encapsulate the miles of rugged beaches, sheep-dotted mountains, meditatively quiet towns, and, most important, culinary traditions unique to this precious piece of Italy. With just a bite of the Involtini alla Piazzetta from farm-rich Campania, a taste of Giurgiulena from the sugar-happy kitchens of Calabria, a forkful of ’U Pan’ Cuott’ from mountainous Basilicata, a morsel  of Focaccia from coastal Puglia, or a mouthful of Pizz e Foje from quaint Molise, you’ll discover what makes the food of the Italian south unique.Praise for Food of the Italian South “Parla clearly crafted every recipe with reverence and restraint, balancing authenticity with accessibility for the modern home cook.”—Fine Cooking  “Parla’s knowledge and voice shine in this outstanding meditation on the food of South Italy from the Molise, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, and Calabria regions. . . . This excellent volume proves that no matter how well-trodden the Italian cookbook path is, an expert with genuine curiosity and a well-developed voice can still find new material.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)  “There's There’s Italian food, and then there's there’s Italian food. Not just pizza, pasta, and prosciutto, but obscure recipes that have been passed down through generations and are only found in Italy… . . . and in this book.”—Woman’s Day (Best Cookbooks Coming Out in 2019)“[With] Food of the Italian South, Parla wanted to branch out from Rome and celebrate the lower half of the country.”—Punch “Acclaimed culinary journalist Katie Parla takes cookbook readers and home cooks on a culinary journey.”—The Parkersburg News and Sentinel

Don't Eat This If You're Taking That: The Hidden Risks of Mixing Food and Medicine


Madelyn Fernstrom - 2015
    But beware: The foods you eat and the medications you take could be working against each other.Don’t Eat This If You’re Taking That takes the mystery out of food and medication interactions. This easy-to-use guide details foods that can interfere with the action of the medication—whether taken for the short or long term. In this book, readers can easily find a medication, see what foods to avoid, and make smart swaps.We all believe a diet rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products is part of healthy eating—right? Not always. Dr. Fernstrom explains exactly what foods to avoid when and why. For instance,If you’re taking cholesterol medicine, you should cut out—or cut down on—grapefruit.On a blood thinner? Avoid dark green veggies.If you’re on thyroid medication, nix the soy.And more small diet changes with big health payoffs!As an added bonus, each chapter offers a “Dietary Supplements Alert” box, providing the most up-to-date information on interactions with vitamins, minerals, and other dietary supplements.With this concise, scientifically based guide, consumers can easily personalize their eating plan to work with, not against, their medications.

A Compendium of Collective Nouns: From an Armory of Aardvarks to a Zeal of Zebras


Jason Sacher - 2013
    Chock-full of treasures of the English language, the diversity of terms collected here covers topics from plants and animals (a parade of elephants, an embarrassment of pandas) to people and things (a pomposity of professors, an exultation of fireworks) and range from the familiar (a pride of lions) to the downright obscure (an ooze of amoebas). Pronunciations, definitions, etymologies, and historical anecdotes make this beautiful book an entertaining read, a standout reference, and a visual treat. Language lovers and art appreciators alike will be captivated by this gem, rich in word and image.

Dim Sum: The Art of Chinese Tea Lunch: A Cookbook


Ellen Leong Blonder - 2002
    More than sixty carefully crafted, authentic recipes, each illustrated with Ellen's exquisite watercolor paintings, put the key to re-creating these delectable morsels in every cook's hand. Anyone who has enjoyed the pleasures of a dim sum meal has inevitably wondered what it would be like to create these treats at home. The answer, surprisingly, is that most are quite simple to make. From dumplings to pastries, Dim Sum is filled with simple, foolproof recipes, complete with clear step-by-step illustrations to explain the art of forming, filling, and folding dumpling wrappers and more. Ellen Blonder offers her favorite versions of traditional Pork and Shrimp Siu Mai, Turnip Cake, and Shrimp Ha Gow, each bite vibrantly flavored, plus recipes for hearty sticky rice dishes, refreshing saut�ed greens, tender baked or steamed buns, and a variety of pastries and desserts--all the ingredients required for an authentic, restaurant-style dim sum feast. Practical advice on designing a tea lunch menu and making dim sum ahead of time round out this irresistible collection.Lovingly created from years of tasting, refining, and seeking out the best dim sum recipes from San Francisco to Hong Kong, Dim Sum is a gem that any student of Chinese cooking will treasure.