Eating seasonally doesn't stop when the cold weather arrives, although it can become more difficult.  Eat Feed Autumn Winter by Anne Bramley can make that goal a bit easier.  Anne, who also has a podcast called Eat Feed, presents a collection of 30 menus for fall and winter.  I know I'm a bit late on mentioning the autumn menus, but this book still deserves a look over.  The menus are centered around various events and activities appropriate for the winter.  These menus include not only the typical fall and winter holidays but some less commonly celebrated events/activities as well such as winter solstice, happy hour, the frozen north and many more.  Along with a full menu for each, Anne also tells us about the event with interesting quotes, historical details and other amusing tales. 

The menus, of course, can be made at any time but the...

Happy New Year! 

What's in store for cooking trends in 2009?  That's a good question and a good place to start is the January 2009 cooking magazines.  Here's our take on some of our favorites this month...

Gourmet - recipe list

Where to find the best cheesesteaks in Philly? That's a debate that could cause mere mortals to come to fists. But with Jane and Michael Stern, you always know you're in good hands. One look at the stuffed to the gills cheesesteak from Leo's on p. 24, and you'll be booking a flight to nab one. "A Family Affair'' includes Italian-American classics that will have you running to your stove to make them. Sunday Ragu will warm up winter's coldest day, and Sweet Ricotta Pastries will just put a smile on your face. The fascinating pictorial, "Cooking Class,'' depicts how mozzarella is made by hand.- written by...

The Flash Cocktail by Carlos Yturria, bacar.

Cocktails seem all the rage these days. Prepared by not ‘just’ bartenders but by mixologists, you’ll find fancy exotic and even artisanal cocktails.  Don’t get me wrong – it’s great and here in the San Francisco Bay area we’ve got an increasingly wonderful selection of mixologists to choose from.  But cocktails wouldn’t exist without the spirits that are transformed into those delectable concoctions and I consider myself a beginner when it comes to spirits.  I’ve got a lot to learn about what I like and don’t like.  That’s why I was very pleasantly surprised and excited when I stumbled upon the “Spirits Flights” offered by Carlos Yturria, mixologist extrodiare at bacar in San Francisco.

Building upon the success of wine flights and beer samplers, Carlos has developed a full menu of spirit flights which I translate into an absolutely wonderful learning experience.  While the idea...