Your pals Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs started Food52.com, and you helped them scheme up ‘The Piglet: The Tournament of Cookbooks.’ How did you come up with the idea?

It was so whimsical and serendipitous. Powered by Twitter, actually. Amanda was a judge for The Morning News‘ Tournament of Books. It’s a fiction competition that uses that same bracket system and relies on its incredible roster of well-read, honest, and often quirky judges. The award given out to the best book of the year is The Rooster.

Amanda tweeted about her judging, and I clicked on the link. I wasn’t familiar with the tournament, and as soon as I saw it, I thought, this is awesome, and, simultaneously, why doesn’t this exist for cookbooks? I hadn’t thought it out. There was no master plan to create a tournament. It was a simple thought. And it’s true, if you consider it, the cookbook provides this added, interactive bonus. You read the book, but you also cook it. Seems like it lends itself more readily to competition than fiction.

Anyway, as quickly as I had the thought, I replied, via tweet, to Amanda, asking why such a thing didn’t exist for cookbooks. Literally, that’s how it started. Amanda had no idea who had sent the tweet, she just replied in kind, saying that it sounded like a fun idea. They made it a reality. In so many ways. Obviously, their site, which I’m addicted to, hosted it; but, more than that, working with them was a dream. Every collaboration should be that easy and productive and fun.

Which cookbooks are on your bedside table? Which one are you gathering inspiration from and cooking from regularly?

Not a cookbook, but Calvin Trillin’s Alice, Let’s Eat is at my bedside–it’s a two-fold love letter; it’s addressed to a person, his wife, and, to his other passion, FOOD. I kind of collect cookbooks. I read as many as I can get my hands on, and I flag recipes from all of them.

My constants, though, are the original River Cafe books, Ina Garten’s first two cookbooks, the Bittman/Vongerichten collaboration Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef, and, the tiny book Anne Rosenzweig did on her restaurant Arcadia years ago.

Charlotte is currently co-writing Anita Lo’s first cookbook with her, and just wrote the article she’s been waiting to write for a few years, on women chefs for the 10th anniversary issue of Gastronomica. [This is the third in a series of blog interviews with Charlotte. Read part 1 and part 2.]

Update: Here’s a great article on this fabulous duo.

I have a dream. I have a dream that someday I’ll be experienced and eloquent enough to write a cookbook as subtle and inspiring as Canal House Cooking. These books are so good. I devoured volume no. 1 in the course of a weekend. I’m treasuring volume no. 2, only letting myself truly dig into a few pages each night. It’s that good, I want to make it last.

Christopher Hirsheimer is one of the founders of Saveur. Melissa Hamilton worked at several food magazines and is executive chef at the highly regarded Hamilton’s Grill Room in Lambertville, New Jersey (I spot I plan to visit in 2010, it’s about an hour from my hometown). Together, Christopher and Melissa have written, photographed and even drawn pictures of food for these amazing little books that resemble something between a personal diary and a fancy hand-bound scrapbook. (The book was applauded by most in the prized Piglet competition on Food52.com and made it to the final round. It would have won if *I* had something to say about it…)

This is the best little present to offer to the serious cook in your life. You can buy 1 book, or do as I did, sign-up for a subscription to the next 3 books. They’re released by season; volume no. 2 celebrates Fall and the holidays (and has a very sparkly cover!)

Last weekend, I visited Portland, Maine for the annual Harvest on the Harbor Festival. This post is not about the festival as it was kind of a big let-down. (I drove up hoping to mingle and taste with Maine artisans and chefs, as I had done last year, but the rain brought out thousands of people to the event and there was no mingling. In fact, it was so crowded that my guests and I left about an hour into the event.) But my letdown was also my gain!

After escaping the foodie mob on the waterfront, I walked up the road to visit the much talked about Rabelais Books, a small boutique dedicated to books on food, wine and art. A quick visit turned into more than 45 minutes browsing every book in this tiny shop. Between the new and the vintage books lining all the shelves, Rabelais has a foodie tome to please all palates. I was seriously blown away by the variety and seriousness of this spot. No New England home cook, chef or restaurateur should miss the opportunity to chat with Samantha Hoyt Lindgren and Don Lindgren, two very experienced food fans who have completed long stings in the industries for which they now curate books. They also happen to be sweet as pie.

But it’s not all about the books at Rabelais. Their little shop has become a hub of foodie community events, bringing in chefs and authors from all over. On the day of my visit, I bumped into two fabulous, food Gods – Peter Berley, author and former chef of Angelica Kitchen in Manhattan, and Lucinda Quinn Scala, co-host of Everyday Food and leader of all things food at Martha Stewart Omnimedia. Peter was on his way out, but not before he signed my copy of his Fresh Food Fast. I was a regular diner at Angelica in the 90s and felt a bit nostalgic in his presence.

Lucinda was just starting her signing event and chatted with me for a while. She had fun stories about Martha Stewart and Jamie Oliver, and we shared our food blogging stories and Twitter experiences. If you’re on Twitter, do follow her and let’s hope she gives me a follow too. I also love her new book Mad Hungry, Feeding Men and Boys; it feels like a book that’s needed writing for some time. She did it very well, IMHO.

I had a delightful time meeting some great food folks and exploring Rabelais Books last week. I could have disappeared into each and every book, easily losing myself for hours and hours. But Duck Fat is just down the street from Rabelais and I needed a well-deserved pile of their fancy fries. And, frankly I think I had stalked Lucinda for long enough.

Rabelais’ fabulous upcoming events:

• Saturday, November 14th: Novella Carpenter, author of Farm City, the Education of an Urban Farmer.  1-3 PM.
• Saturday, November 21st: Barbara Lynch, chef and author of Stir, Mixing it Up in the Italian Tradition. 4-6 PM.
• Sunday, November 29th: Julie A. Usher, author of Cookie Swap, Creative Treats to Share Throughout the Year. 1-3 PM.
• Saturday, December 6th: David Chang, chef and author of Momofuku. 1-3 PM.

I have a thing for Deirdre Heekin and Caleb Barber. This thing is more like a crush, a serious crush. Well, perhaps it’s more like a rabid fascination with and aspiration for what they are… a sweet couple who cares so much about authentic food and old-fashioned hospitality that they’ve carved a great life for themselves and their guests out of some green hills in Vermont.

I met them about five years ago when I stumbled upon Osteria Pane e Salute, their unique and very special restaurant in Woodstock, Vermont. Their menu elevates Vermont’s local harvest with the techniques of real Italian cooking, skills acquired during their Italian honeymoon and on every return trip since. They’re so into Italy that they now even host adventures there, in conjunction with Garber Travel.

Deirdre and Caleb have written several books. I smile every time I cook from Pane e Salute: Food and Love in Italy and Vermont as it’s this cookbook that introduced me to the story behind my fabulous meal. (They’re “Salmone al Pepe Verde” on page 231 always impresses my guests.) I devoured In Late Winter We Ate Pears, as it’s serious and too charming for words.

And on my bedside table sits the little book titled Libation: A Bitter Alchemy, one that fascinates me as I’m permanently tempted to put my cordial-making skills to work nurturing and bottling my very own wine. Perhaps I will someday, and I’ll have learned a mouthful or two from Deirdre’s treasured experiences that she documents in Libation. Meg Houston Maker recently profiled Deirdre at Palate Press. It’s a beautifully written review of the couple’s growing vineyard called La Garagista, Deirdre’s book and Deirdre in general. Get yourself here to read it.

Why post about Deirdre and Caleb now? I’m reminiscing. I typically visit their special restaurant every Autumn, but missed them this year. They close the restaurant during the month of November. But lucky for me, and those who live near Boston, Massachusetts, the inspired couple will be discussing In Late Winter We Ate Pears at the Andover Bookstore on Wednesday, November 4th. You may have to wait until ski season to dine at their restaurant again, but there’s no need to put off getting their latest books. Their fine words will delight you during these cold upcoming months.

[Photographer Peter Miller shot the above photo for their book jacket. I use it here with respect for Mr. Miller's fine photography skills.]

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to meet Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa. It was an incredibly intimate affair, one I shared with a close friend of mine and about… 2,000 other people. Yes, I was one of THOSE people who waited in line for two hours to purchase copies of her new book “Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients” and get her signature inside those pretty, pristine, chartreuse-spiked pages.

It was quite the community affair, one that involved sore feet, lots of coffee and loads of gabbing on our attempts, both failures and successes, with the Contessa’s recipes. We exchanged techniques, remembered previous books and familiar recipes, and complained about the rules.

Yes, there were distinct rules to be followed if we wanted our few seconds with the Contessa. First, there was simply no time for her to personalize messages, so a straight signature would have to do. Second, the Contessa would only sign books purchased at the venue. And lastly, we could certainly take photos but could not expect the Contessa to pose for photos. She was a bit busy signing her name 2,000 times.

The crowd that assembled to welcome her to Boston was excited to be in each other’s company but grumpy about her rules. Apparently, we should be so lucky to get a few seconds with her…

Regardless, I must admit, I felt a bit lucky and quite a bit star-struck. The Food Network star was every bit the elegant, gracious home cook you would expect her to be; she radiated the same poise and warmth that comes across in her show. No matter how much we all complained in line, when we met her for those brief moments, we were charmed and delighted. Our issues vanished and we simply smile proudly and broadly, sort of like she did for all those many hours.

Alas, when I did finally step before her, I went radio silent. After two hours’ time spent developing an editorial strategy, when the moment arrived, I had no words to express my excitement, joy and gratitude to her. I think I muttered something about the elegance of her recipes and style and the color chartreuse (my favorite!) and blah blah blah. I probably said the exact same thing the 900 or so before me had uttered (minus the chartreuse bit).

I was so disappointed in myself, so much so that here I am taking a second chance, knowing that while she may miss out on this message, all of you will hear it. And, perhaps, in some bizarre way, saying it here may mean more than saying it to her. So here goes…


Dear Contessa,

May I call you Contessa? I feel like I’ve known you for years, so Contessa somehow sounds appropriate. (Or would you prefer being called Ina? I can do that too.) Either way, consider yourself addressed with the utmost respect and appreciation.

I only have a few moments with you, so I’ll try to be brief. Yes, I know you can’t talk nor pose for photos. (Your handlers are fairly stern, eh?) No worries, I do feel like we’re old enough friends that words and photos are so not necessary. We’ve built a bond that transcends those silly things, no? Yes, all 2000 of us in line feel the same way, but that somehow seems appropriate too, no?

I wanted to express my sincere gratitude for how easy you make everything look. I do adore more complex chefs and the results of their intricate recipes with deep lists of hard-to-find ingredients. But I appreciate your simplicity. You sure know how to make the Hamptons lifestyle seem coordinated, perfect, accessible and attainable. Thanks for that.

In reality, we know it’s nearly impossible to build that lifestyle and while we may strive an entire lifetime, very few of us will have that large estate near the beach, a brand new barn stocked with every possible party necessity and a well-to-do husband who loves everything we put before him. But a girl can dream, right?

And through your show and fabulous on-screen persona, we do dream. You’ve permitted us to think we can have all that and whip up a fancy three-course dinner in under an hour. And for that, I am eternally grateful. I’d dare say that everyone else in line is too.

I may never have the Hamptons estate but frankly, the Hamptons were never really my thing. I have what I need – a home I strive to keep semi-coordinated and clean, a big barn that may be falling apart but oozes the potential for big extravagant parties and a husband that’s well-enough-to-do for me who permits me to experiment ferociously, with your recipes and others, and has made me believe I’m the best cook/entertainer/host on the planet.

So I wanted to thank you for permitting me to believe I could be just like you, in my own little way. I sincerely appreciate how easy you’ve made everything seem, as you’ve resurrected the idea that simplicity is beautiful and that most of us will never, nor would ever want to be Thomas Keller or Wylie Dufresne. (No offense, sirs. Your restaurants and talent are amazing, but I’d prefer to pay a small fortune for one of your meals than do all the training necessary to make those recipes myself. Sipping delicious foams = good thing! Making delicious foam = kinda hard!)

Anyway, we all secretly want to ooze ease, simplicity and charm like you, Contessa. And I don’t really care what Mrs. Julia Child thinks, you do have charm and smothered us with it at the book signing. We were in love and I can only hope that you sensed that underlying amorousness bleeding from our sore, tired feet.

So I thank you. All 2,000 of us thank you. Hell, my husband especially thanks you. And while we may never meet nor exchange actual words, I think you sense our gratitude. And I hope you continue to write these fairly simple, accessible books, though I may skip the waiting in line next time and pick up the book on Amazon, where it’s 45% off. (What’s up with that?)

Anyway, all my love to you and Jeffrey. Oh, and I hope you opt to ‘eat boutique’ more often – there are plenty of young, up-and-coming, indie chefs who could stand to learn a thing or two from your keep-it-simple techniques.

Kisses,
Maggie B.

This recipe belongs to Nigella Lawson, but I like to now refer to it as My Own Personal Secret Dessert Weapon. It’s amazing to think that 20 minutes in the stove, with blissful scents wafting throughout the house, can produce such a warming, fulfilling taste experience reminiscent of old cottages, roaring fireplaces and snuggling up under warm, vintage quilts.

We ended last night’s meal of beef short ribs on tagliatelle with some of this yummy dessert and a little limoncello. We were stuffed, literally could barely move from room to room. The thick dessert is full of sugar, cream, milk and eggs, and touched with bourbon and vanilla bean seeds (my addition, Nigella doesn’t use it in hers). I always serve this dessert warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, preferably Brigham’s ice cream. It’s also very portable! On several occasions, I’ve cooled the caramel custard sauce and transported it separately from the croissants. Just pour over the stale croissants and bake for 20 minutes upon arrival at your destination.

One of my favorite variations on this recipe involved stale pandoro (panettone, without all the dried fruit). It was divine. That said, don’t go too far with variations. I’ve tried adding chocolate chips or nutella or bananas and, it’s just not the same. Keep it simple.

Caramel Croissant Pudding

Ingredients:

• 2 stale croissants
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 knife slide of vanilla bean seeds

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Tear the croissants into pieces and put in a small gratin dish. I often double this recipe for 4-6 people, using a larger baking dish.

Put the sugar and water into a saucepan, and swirl around to help dissolve the sugar before putting the saucepan on the hob over medium to high heat. Caramelize the sugar and water mixture by letting it bubble away until it all turns a deep amber color; this will take 3 to 5 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and add the cream – ignoring all spluttering – followed by the bourbon and milk. Whisk to mix, then still whisking add the beaten eggs, and the vanilla bean seeds. Pour this quickly over the croissants and leave to steep for 10 minutes.

Place in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. I cook it for slightly longer, about 30 minutes, when doubling the recipe.

Mark Bittman has just released his latest cookbook, a tribute to vegetarianism. Heidi Swanson over at 101 Cookbooks has done a nice write-up, profiling a recipe perfect for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Heidi writes, “Mark Bittman wrote a giant, 996-page vegetarian cookbook….yes, that Mark Bittman. I know, I was a bit perplexed as well. And here’s the thing, it’s very good. That Autumn Millet Bake recipe you see up above, it’s a Bittman creation. The first three times I saw How to Cook Everything Vegetarian in my local bookstore, I didn’t even bother picking it up. I thought, ‘oh he just dusted off all the meatless recipes from his past books, columns, and television shows and stuck them in one volume. Yawn.’ I finally sat down with a review copy that was sent to me and I have to tell you, this book is fantastic – absolutely packed with great recipes, charts, illustrations, endless variations and ideas.”

I adore Mark Bittman’s cookbooks and writings over at The New York Times. View Heidi’s entire post here.