heyjude

We will make sure it"s a verrry big eGullet table. And just to stir you all up a little more, 4 words: Nigella Lawson, David Rosengarten. We are going to have a helluva good time in Seattle over the next several months. Keep the suggestions coming for authors and venues. And tell your friends.

I can't tell you yet, but you'll be among the first to know. Tonight's event was a perfect match. Good food, happy guests and an impressed author.

Full disclosure: I have been working for the last few months with Kim Ricketts Book Events on the Cooks and Books Visiting Chef Series. We have hosted Paula Wolfert, Judy Rodgers of Zuni Cafe and Patricia Wells among others. These have all sold out at the Union Bay Cafe. Diners spend the evening with the author who signs their book for them. Dinners include a 4-5 course meal matched with wines and a copy of the book for $75 to $100. Upcoming authors are an incredible roster of culinary lights from Thomas Keller to Ruth Reichl, Michael Lomomaco and Anthony Bourdain. We are expanding the program to other Seattle restaurants to best match chef to author. The local chef prepares a meal inspired by the book. We have a few seats left for tonights event at Culinary Communion in West Seattle. The author is Peter Berley whose new book is the appetizing Fresh Food Fast. His previous book won both the IACP and Beard awards. Reservations can be made at 206 284-8687 and they will give you directions. I picked Peter up at Seatac yesterday and he is terrific. Next up are Caprial and John Pence at Brasa on Monday, June 21st. Their Portland restaurant has been discussed on this board. Reservations can be made at 206 728-4220. I think their latest book is the best yet, but you can bring those you already own to be signed and we will have books that are still in print there for purchase. On the 28th of June, Carol Field, author of The Italian Baker, will be at Serafina on Eastlake. Chef John Neumark will be serving small plates from the new reprint of her book, Italy In Small Bites. Reservations are being taken at 206 323-0807. Lest this sound too much like a press release, let me say, I have been having a fabulous time doing hospitality for the visiting authors and they've all been thrilled with the dinners. I hope you'll all get in on this. We are reserving An eGullet table for the Bourdain event. Good food and wine, fun evening, signed book. What could suit us better. To get on the mailing list call Kim Ricketts at 206 523-3458 or email KimRickettsBooks@aol.com. There are a couple more summer events and then a bunch in fall and winter.

I took a ride to my favorite used book store and came home with 6, including a copy of The Pooh cookbook for Iris and a 1962 first edition of Pancakes Aplenty by Ruth Ellen Church.

I finally got to sit down with the new John Ash book and I think it's gorgeous if a bit weirdly organized. There is lots of useful information of the "I'll do it that way from now on" type and some very tempting recipes, i.e. Cold Zucchini Soup with Cinnamon, Cumin and Buttermilk. He answers questions that would come up in a class as he proceeds. It is not a replacement for your basic go-to book like Bittman or Joy, but It's a keeper. Also add just one more for me. I attended the Patricia Wells' Cooks and Books dinners here in Seattle. Fabulous food inspired by The Provence Cookbook.

After a brief time of restraint, 11 new ones for me, including Fresh Food Fast by Peter Berley whose previous book won both IACP and Beard awards, John Ash's Cooking One on One, 4 dessert and baking books and the reprint of Carol Field's great Italy in Small Bites. I also got Mom's Recipes Files because Bourdain and his mother are in it.

IN fact, this past Saturday was their last day and they are now closed. I'm doubly bummed because they had agreed to hold an author event next month. Back to the drawing board.

Adele, this is a wonderful blog that I'm sure will have a huge number of hits over its lifetime. Your photos are terrific. I just wanted to add to your must-have book list. The Simple Art of Perfect Baking by Flo Braker and anything by Maida Heatter will be inspiring while they answer many questions. The Braker book is out in a new edition and the older Heatters often show up at used bookstores. Both of these women are highly respected teachers for home bakers.

Richard (the Dad in mamster's post) and I had a pound of these for dinner, too. They were incredibly sweet, tender and flavorful. I did them very plain in olive oil/butter seasoned with roasted garlic and Old Bay seasoning. Next trip, mussels.

Exactly. Silly. And it tastes like a grape the way a purple lollipop tastes like a grape.

Candy Hits by ZaSu Pitts copyright 1963 by Meredith Press. Less than $110.

Our Whole Foods was giving out free tastes. Very Grappely.

Only one for me this week, but it's a nice one: The Berry Bible by Janie Hibler. Her previous books have been gems.

I was sure I had posted an ugly review of Seastar last year, but it didn't come up on search. Anyway, I had nothing good to say about a lunch which included some of the worst restaurant food ever. The waiter tried, but he recommended food that he obviously hadn't sampled like "signature" desserts that were less welcome than a forged check. After reading some decent reviews, I thought I'd give Seastar a second chance just to be kind. I think you've saved me a trip, reesek. I do think we should let them know how we feel and not just stay away mad.

In Pasadena, you will find one of the country's best used and rare cookbook stores. Look up Janet Jarvits and her site will tell you all you need to know and give you a map to get there. Very different, but a great complement to the Cook's Library. Let us know what you buy.

A friend and I took a lovely road trip to the bookstores in Bellingham yesterday. I found 8 treasures including 2 old Jacques Pepin's and a rare copy of The Dilettante Book of Chocolates and Confections. And we had a delicious lunch at The Chuckanut Oyster Bar.

I did.

Or maybe 10 of us could share a pack of 1000. And divide them up at a festive parchment sharing party.

Four more cookbooks for me including Baking illustrated and a Canadian magazine book. I think I'm getting the hang of being both a grandmother and cookbook obsessed. I just get an equal number of books for Iris. Edit to add: Shannon we love you, already. Stick around.

Only 5 more for me from the Friends of the Library sale. This is the first time in many years that I didn't make it to the members presale and they were already pretty picked over by 11:00 AM. There were actually many like new books, but I already bought them, like, new.

We attended a graduation party at Ponti Seafood Grill last year that exactly matched your needs. Of course, I don't know what the hosts paid, but it was a lovely event. The location is right by the Fremont Bridge with a view of the Ship Canal. There is plenty of free parking.

17 more for me this week, including a gift, several used and Patricia Wells' latest The Provence Cookbook. Also, a nice copy in hardcover of The Victory Garden Cookbook, Jeremiah Tower's New American Classics, an uncorrected proof of Fig Heaven by Marie Simmons(due out next month) and F&W's Best of the Best, 6th edition. In this, 25 cookbook authors are asked what books/authors are on their nightstand and many mention two of my very favorites, Paula Wolfert and Maida Heatter. My book group read The Devil in the White City which I highly recommend. It's about the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition which gave us Juicy Fruit gum, Aunt Jemima's pancake mix, Cracker Jack and Shredded Wheat.

First shown on November 17, 1973, season 4 of the Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Dinner Party.

Maggie, did you include my 5 from the cookbook thread in Cooking? Well, now add two more. A B&B cookbook and Baking Illustrated. One hit and one miss. The Cook's Illustrated baking book looks great and should be of interest to the Self-Improvement through Pastry participants.

It is generally accepted that this is a San Francisco dish, but many restaurant's claim they originated it, especially if they have Joe's in their name. It seems to go back as far as the 1850's, but has been served all over the Bay Area for both brunch and dinner for most of the last century. It appears with many variations in a lot of cookbooks. Most add mushrooms and Italian sausage is often subbed for the ground beef. I had it that way in 1962 in Oakland where it was called Ravazza's Special for the eponymous restaurant. I made it from memory the first time I ever cooked for a boyfriend. A Real American Breakfast by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison has it on page 9 and it appears in San Francisco a la Carte by the Junior League of San Francisco(1979). I'm sure Sunset Magazine has published what they call the original and variations over the years. The worst I've seen had one egg and a can of spinach for 1 pound of ground beef. I made a batch for dinner last week and reheated the leftovers for breakfast the next morning. And I still order it in restaurants.