With love of great cuisine and the bounty of our nation evident throughout this book, Capitol Hill Cooks contains recipes from members of Congress, as well as every president from George Washington (Cranberry Pudding) to Abraham Lincoln (Mary Todd Lincoln's Vanilla Almond Cake) to Barack Obama (The Obama Family's Linguini). Taste Vice President Biden's Kahlua Chocolate Fudge Cake, Senator Charles Grassley's Bacon and Bean Chowder, or Senator Scott Brown's Italian Soup, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann's Minnesota Rhubarb Dessert or Congressman Ron Paul's Texas Sweeties?and hundreds more. Many contributors to this book even include notes about their ethnic backgrounds, favorite indigenous foods, and fond memories of meals shared with others. (Barack really likes this, the first lady says of her own apple crisp.)

This classic of postCivil War Southern cooking, designed to aid well-to-do women forced into their kitchens for the first time with the end of slavery, is a charming example of education in the domestic arts in the late 19th century. In her stern but helpful manner, ANNABELLA P. HILL (18101878) guides her fellow homemakersand those today seeking a soupon of old-style Southern elegancein lessons on how to: [ pickle shrimps [ prepare mutton to imitate venison [ bake a pig [ make liver pudding [ make barbecue sauce [ make succotash [ tenderize tough meat [ make Irish potato yeast [ preserve figs [ make molasses candy [ and much more. With further instruction on other housekeeping chores, such as soapmaking and the preparation of medicines, this is an enlightening peek into the mundane chores of a bygone age.

Welcome to Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen--not so much a place as a philosophy. Here food isn’t formal or fussy, just focused, with recipes that honor Italian tradition while celebrating the best ingredients the Pacific Northwest has to offer. We’re talking about a generous bowl of steaming handmade pasta--served with two forks for you and a friend. Or perhaps an impeccably fresh crudo, crunchy cucumber and tangy radish accenting impossibly sweet spot prawns. Next up are the jewel tones of a beet salad with lush, homemade ricotta, or maybe a tangle of white beans and clams spiked with Goat Horn pepper--finished off with a whole roasted fish that begs to be sucked off the bones. Oh, some cheese, a gooseberry compote complementing your Robiola, or the bittersweet surprise of Campari sorbet. This layered approach is a hallmark of Ethan’s restaurants, and in his New Italian Kitchen, he offers home cooks a tantalizing roadmap for re-creating this style of eating. Prepare a feast simply by combining the lighter dishes found in “Nibbles and Bits”—from Sardine Crudo with Celery Hearts, Pine Nuts, and Lemon to Crispy Young Favas with Green Garlic Mayonnaise—or adding recipes with complex flavors for a more sophisticated meal. Try the luscious Corn and Chanterelle Soup from “The Measure of a Cook;” or the Cavatelli with Cuttlefish, Spring Onion, and Lemon from “Wheat’s Highest Calling.” Up the ante with a stunning Duck Leg Farrotto with Pearl Onions and Bloomsdale Spinach from “Starches to Grow On,” or choose one of the “Beasties of the Land,” like Skillet-Roasted Rabbit with Pancetta-Basted Fingerlings. Each combination will nudge you and your guests in new, unexpected, and unforgettable directions. Every page of Ethan Stowell’s New Italian Kitchen captures the enthusiasm, humor, and imagination that make cooking one of life’s best and most satisfying adventures. It’s got to be good--but it’s also got to be fun.

Made in America: Our Best Chefs Reinvent Comfort Food, features updated classic recipes from the most innovative and remarkable chefs working today. Inspired by turn-of-the-20th century regional American cookbooks, Lucy Lean, former editor of edible LA, has delved through thousands of traditional recipes to define the 100 that best represent America's culinary legacy, and challenged today's leading chefs to deconstruct and rebuild them in entirely original ways. The result is the ultimate contemporary comfort food bible for the home cook and armchair food lover. Each recipe is enhanced with an introduction that includes the background and origin of the dish and a unique profile of the chef who has undertaken it, as well as sumptuous photographs of the dish, chef, and restaurant. Representing the entire United States, chefs have been selected for their accomplishments, talent, and focus on local and sustainable cooking. From Ludo Lefebvre's Duck Fat Fried Chicken to Alain Ducasse's French Onion Soup to Mario Batali's Pappardelle Bolognese to John Besh's Banana Rum Cake, Made in America showcases our favorite dishes as conceived by our finest chefs.