Chef Mario's favorite fall cookbooks in 2009

My tastes evolve...and I bet yours do too! Here's my list of favorite fall cookbooks for 2009. Much has to do with my culinary mood; and much has to do with the kind of growing season we experienced.

Three steps...toward making delicious fall recipes.

If you are looking for some good places to start when it comes to finding inspiration for fall cooking, start in your backyard. First, look locally. What is in season? What is fresh off the farm, the orchard, or the field? That anchors you as a good cook. And, it lessens your chances of preparing something that does not taste good. I learned a long time ago in the vineyards of St. Helena (Napa Valley) that nothing beats food from neighboring soil.

Second step: your mood. Look inward and trust your body, your spirit, your heart. What makes YOU feel good right now? If you take a moment to think about what type of food will make you feel good, and you search for the best possible source and recipe, then you are bound to have a good experience.

Third step: be passionate. If you can't muster the passion, then cook with a friend or loved one. If that does not work, then invite someone over to join you--preferably someone you enjoy. Maybe it's time to try your hand at romance. Or, like me, a confirmed bachelor, cook for strangers and watch their eyes pop wide and their mouths smile in delight when they eat your food.

...Source local foods + Test your mood + Be passionate!

 

Here are my sources of written inspiration for fall 2009. And please, if you don't borrow your books from a friend or your local library, then purchase it from your local bookseller.

il viaggio di vetri, a culinary journey, ten speed press, 2008, by Marc Vetri. I love to touch this book's cover, feel the impressioned title, read the stories inside that are full of the same passion I have, and imagine myself along side the chefs and other cooks in the photos. The seafood poached in olive oil with bitter radicchio and aspargus mayonnaise is my favorite recipe. I am also head over heals for the cauliflower flan with a giant hidden egg yolk tucked inside, topped with locally-smoked bacon. If you don't have the money right now to travel to Italy, then buy, rent, or borrow this book. It will surely transport you to a culinary journey that will delight your senses and help you become more passionate.

 

Big Sky Cooking, Artisan New York, 2006, by Marilyn Brokaw and Ellen Wright. My favorite place to visit (and one day live) is Big Sky Country, or Montana. When my son is grown, I will high-tail it to Montana--probably Bozeman--where the farms match the sky, the air is crisp, the water cold, and the wild life is abundant. Montana's food tradition is similar. The red meat comes in huge portions, the cooking is crisp, and the beer is cold. This cookbook takes me through a culture of cooking that is inspired by chuckwagon sensibilities, with hints of the great southwest spices and chilies from the states south. The chapter on chili, cornbread and all, ends with the most delicious chocolate buttermilk cupcakes you'd ever tasted. Crisp and cold--that's what early fall is all about. Loaded with down-to-earth charm, read this book and it will transport you to your own home on the range.

 

The Slow Mediterranean Kitchen, Recipes for the Passionate Cook, J. Wiley & Sons, 2003, by Paula Wolfert. There is no more serious a cookbook author than Paul Wolfert--known for her research, history, and deep scientific knowledge of cooking. This is not a photo book, even though there are a couple. This is a vacation through the warm Mediterranean lands and seas, with a collection of slow-cooked recipes for the adventurous (and I would say experienced) cook. The techniques are not that troublesome or difficult, but one must have patience, a strong level of skill in the kitchen, and a wide-ranging palate. The recipes are top-notch. My favorite is the slow roasted shortribs with olives and anchovies, which are in the oven as I type this. Paula's is an ancient world beckoning you to step into it.

 

Urban Italian, Bloomsbury USA, 2008, Andrew Carmellini. With a title like Urban Italian, I was hesitant. I did not want to purchase a book about weekend food from some fourth-generation Italian American living in New Jersey, not that I have any problems with New Jersey. I picked up the book, put it back down, and then, seeing that it had great photos--edgy photos, if you can call them that--and picked up the book again. Not too hard to execute the recipes, but there are some interesting and unique ways to prepare traditional and classic dishes. Carmellini is good on pasta, which is why I bought it. Pasta is good fall food. And his desserts are great. The hazelnut and white chocolate cookies go nicely with some Costa Rican coffee. Again, it is not an earth-shattering cookbook by any means, but it is pleasant, well written, and a bit edgy, as its title might suggest. Got me into the fall mood!

 

Apple Cookbook, Storey Publishing, 2001, Olwen Woodier. The author's last name is Woodier!?! That piqued my imagination (and, the fact that I bought it from a local apple orchard where I tend to pick my fall apples). Simple, straight forward, and easy recipes for everything from savory dishes to sweet ones. The curried apple meatloaf is one of my favorites, so the recipes can be a bit creative. And besides, what welcomes in fall more than our New England apple? This is should be a staple in your collection, as it is a good reference book as well.