A guide to coffee covers its history, including the evolution of coffehouses and other aspects of coffee culture, along with recipes for different kinds of coffee and desserts.

With a history as old as the Bible, the humble olive has matured into a sophisticated culinary treasure. Enter any fine restaurant and you will find the sumptuous flavor of olives in cocktails, appetizers, salads, and entrées. The Sophisticated Olive is an informative guide to this glorious fruit’s healthful benefits, uses, and tastes. It also presents over 100 kitchen-tested recipes, all made with either the delicious olive or its luscious oil.

For centuries, the preparation of miso has been considered an art form in Japan. Through a time-honored process, soybeans and grains are transformed into thiswondrous food, which is both a flavorful addition to a variety of dishes and a powerful medicinal. Scientific research has supported miso’s use as an effective therapeutic aid in the prevention and treatment of a range of disorders. Part One of this guide begins with miso basics—its types and uses. A chapter called “Miso Medicine” then details this superfood’s healing properties and role in maintaining good health. Easy directions for making miso at home are also found in Part One. Then Part Two presents over 140 healthy recipes in which miso is used in dips, spreads, soups, and much more. Whether you are in search of healthful foods or you simply want a delicious new take on old favorites, The Miso Book may be just what the doctor ordered.

Coffee House Confessions is a collection of poems written in and about coffee houses throughout the world. "I know no one else who manages to combine quantity of poems with quality the way Ellaraine Lockie does. She is a font of creative ideas and brings the ultimate in craft and experience to the realizing of those products of inspiration, observation, and research. I admire her work immensely." GERALD LOCKLIN, Professor Emiritus of English at California State University, Long Beach "This collection deserves a wide audience...once coffee houses were locales for galvanizing live poetry readings, now we can achieve almost the same nirvana by reading this witty book." Christine Pacosz, FutureCycle Press "...a very well done collection of poems... there's something for everyone in this collection. If you love contemporary poetry, you are sure to find some gems here that speak to you. If you don't know if you love contemporary poetry, this might be a good place to start finding out." Marcia Meara, Bookin' It "...a really great read." Jessie Carty, Review Wrap-Up, jessiecarty.com

Spilling the beans on a Coffee House Giant

Fischer challenges readers to take big steps in their faith and be like strong, caffeinated coffee rather than weak, powerless decaf. By taking these steps, the author promises, readers will begin to enjoy a deeper, more dynamic faith in Jesus.

A 2008 Indie Next Pick In Confessions of an Eco-Sinner, Fred Pearce surveys his home and then sets out to track down the people behind the production and distribution of everything in his daily life, from his socks to his computer to the food in his fridge. It’s a fascinating portrait, by turns sobering and hopeful, of the effects the world’s more than six billion inhabitants have on our planet—and of the working and living conditions of the people who produce most of these goods.