I left my wedding dress hanging in a tree somewhere in North Dakota. I don't know why that particular tree appealed to me. Perhaps it was because it looked as if it had given up and died years ago and was still standing because it didn't know what else to do. . . In her deliciously funny, heartfelt, and moving debut, Cathy Lamb introduces some of the most wonderfully eccentric women since The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood and The Secret Life of Bees, as she explores the many ways we find the road home. From the moment Julia Bennett leaves her abusive Boston fiancé at the altar and her ugly wedding dress hanging from a tree in South Dakota, she knows she's driving away from the old Julia, but what she's driving toward is as messy and undefined as her own wounded soul. The old Julia dug her way out of a tortured, trailer park childhood with a monster of a mother. The new Julia will be found at her Aunt Lydia's rambling, hundred-year-old farmhouse outside Golden, Oregon. There, among uppity chickens and toilet bowl planters, Julia is welcomed by an eccentric, warm, and often wise clan of women, including a psychic, a minister's unhappy wife, an abused mother of four, and Aunt Lydia herself--a woman who is as fierce and independent as they come. Meeting once a week for drinks and the baring of souls, it becomes clear that every woman holds secrets that keep her from happiness. But what will it take for them to brave becoming their true selves? For Julia, it's chocolate. All her life, baking has been her therapy and her refuge, a way to heal wounds and make friends. Nobody anywhere makes chocolates as good as Julia's, and now, chocolate just might change her life--and bring her love when she least expects it. But it can't keep her safe. As Julia gradually opens her heart to new life, new friendships, and a new man, the past is catching up to her. And this time, she will not be able to run but will have to face it head on. Filled with warmth, love, and truth, Julia's Chocolates is an unforgettable novel of hope and healing that explores the hurts we keep deep in our hearts, the love that liberates us, the courage that defines us, and the chocolate that just might take us there. Advance praise for Cathy Lamb and Julia's Chocolates "Julia's Chocolates is wise, tender, and very funny. In Julia Bennett, Cathy Lamb has created a deeply wonderful character, brave and true. I loved this beguiling novel about love, friendship, and the enchantment of really good chocolate." --Luanne Rice, New York Times bestselling author

Cara Segal is a born worrier. She figures her worrying works like a whisper in God's ear - if Cara's concerned about car crashes, kidnappings, or murders, she lets God know, and he always spares her. But Cara never thought to worry about a fire. And one night while she's sleeping at a friend's house, her house catches fire, and her mother and younger sister are both killed. Throughout shiva, the initial Jewish mourning period, Cara can't help wondering about God's role in the tragedy. And what is her father's role in her life now? He walks around like a ghost and refuses to talk about the fire. Cara longs for her family and her home, where sweet smells filled the house as Cara's mom filled orders for her catering business, Julia's Kitchen. Then one day a call comes in for a cookie order, and Cara gets a wild idea. Maybe by bringing back Julia's Kitchen, she can find a way to reconnect with everything she's lost. Complete with a glossary of Hebrew and Yiddish terms and a recipe for chocolate chip cookies, this debut novel is a joyous tribute to the resiliency of the human spirit. Julia's Kitchen is a 2007 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

Animals learn their table manners in this funny book for toddlers.

Have you ever tried fad diets, joined a gym, or hosted a dinner party where all went wrong. "Chocolates and Chuckles" is rhyming poetry that helps you see the funny side of life. The sweet rhyming style will make you smile! It includes chuckles for children too.

BOOKS OF THE YEAR 2017 - GOURMET TRAVELLER AUSTRALIA 'My approach to food favours intuition over strict rules and is about using your hands, rushing a little less and savouring the details. It is food that slowly weaves its way into the fabric of your daily life - food for living and sharing.' Julia Busuttil Nishimura has gained a strong and loyal following for her generous, uncomplicated, seasonal food. Her interpretations of dishes from Italy and the Mediterranean feel both timelessly familiar and altogether fresh and new. This is modern Australian eating with respect for the past. Julia guides us through the uniquely satisfying experience of making pasta or pizza dough from scratch, with recipes such as ricotta tortelloni with butter, sage and hazelnuts or taleggio and potato pizza. She also shares plenty of flavourful salads and simple meals for days when time is scarce, such as roasted cauliflower and wheat salad or tray-roasted chicken with grapes, olives and walnuts. Baking and desserts, too, needn't be overly complicated. As Julia shows us, some of the best recipes are those that have been passed down the generations and streamlined to perfection along the way, such as the perfect lemon olive oil cake. But we also need the odd show-stopper like a chocolate layer cake with espresso frosting on standby for special occasions! This is simple food that is comforting and generous in spirit. Slow down, take your time and enjoy it. This is a specially formatted fixed layout ebook that retains the look and feel of the print book. PRAISE FOR OSTRO "This is classy, quirky - and perfect for anyone of us wanting to remember that life is, in the end, about friendships and family." Readings "Nishimura produces aspirational dishes - simple, diverse and encouraging us to finally give things like handmade pasta a go" Broadsheet

The acclaimed cookbook author reveals the secrets to great home cooking with this cookbook featuring kitchen tips and 400+ simple recipes and variations. Go-to recipe developer Julia Turshen is the co-author of best-selling cookbooks such as Gwyneth Paltrow’s It’s All Good, and Dana Cowin’s Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen, as well as the author of her own cookbooks Now & Again and Feed the Resistance. In Small Victories, she shares a treasure trove of kitchen tips and simple recipes you’ll return to again and again. Julia demystifies the process of home cooking through more than a hundred “small victories”—funny and inspiring lessons she has learned through a lifetime of cooking thousands of meals. This beautifully curated, deeply personal collection emphasizes bold-flavored, honest food for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. The volume is enhanced by more than 160 mouth-watering photographs from acclaimed photographers Gentl + Hyers to follow while cooking.

Try me . . . test me . . . taste me . . . Joanne Harris’s Chocolat trilogy has tantalized readers with its sensuous descriptions of chocolate since it was first published. Now, to celebrate the much-loved story of Vianne Rocher’s deliciously decadent chocolaterie, Joanne Harris and Fran Warde have created the ultimate book of chocolate lore and recipes from around the world, bringing a touch of magic to your kitchen.