Cooking up gift books of all flavors

Has there been a cookbook trend in 2006? Italian cooking remains popular, but we've also begun a global search for new flavors, and books on the cuisines of the Middle East, Southeast Asia and Africa are filling the need. There's more focus on younger cooks, especially the 20- to 30-year-old whose only previous connection to food has been takeout. While avid cookbook readers may have their own favorites of the year, here are some of ours.

Local

"The Dutch Oven Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pot in Your Kitchen" by Sharon Kramis and Julie Kramis Hearne (Sasquatch Books, $19.95). Kramis may fly below the cooking-star radar, but those familiar with the local food scene know that she's always been graced with the Midas touch, turning everyday ingredients into culinary gold. Daughter Julie is no less gifted, as this duo combines talents for their second book. The range of recipes is appealing and contemporary, from soups and side dishes to main dishes such as Roasted Chicken with Figs, Olives and Onions. There's even a chapter on desserts that includes a lovely Roasted Red Pears. Who knew one pot could be so versatile? With great food at a reasonable price, this cookbook is a steal.

"West Coast Cooking" by Greg Atkinson (Sasquatch Books, $35). Perhaps no other food writer has focused our attention on Northwest cooking as well as Atkinson. In his most recent book he travels outside his comfort zone, tasting and exploring the broader regional cooking of the coast that's rooted in Native American, Asian and Spanish cultures. There are almost 400 recipes included in the book, and the range is outstanding.

International

"Arabesque: A Taste of Morocco, Turkey & Lebanon" by Claudia Roden (Alfred A. Knopf, $35). Even those familiar with the fragrant couscous and tagines of Morocco, the kebabs and phyllo pastries of Turkey, or Lebanon's glorious meze dishes, will be delighted with the fascinating bits of history and culture that Roden adds to our knowledge. Some of the ingredients in the book may be unfamiliar, but the author is a good teacher and the finished recipes are delicious and beautiful. Highlighted by handsome photos, "Arabesque" will weave itself around your culinary imagination.

"Biba's Italy: Favorite Recipes from the Splendid Cities" by Biba Caggiano (Artisan, $29.95). What food lover can resist a tour through some of the richest culinary cities in the world, especially when our guide is the knowledgeable Caggiano. The book is divided into five chapters, each devoted to one of the five "splendid" cities — Rome, Florence, Bologna, Milan and Venice. The author's personal essays provide a colorful background to regional traditions, and short primers familiarize us with local ingredients. Authentic recipes such as Potato Gnocchi with Classic Bolognese Ragu and Spaghetti with Pancetta, Eggs and Parmigiano offer some of the best dishes of each region.

"Curry Cuisine: Fragrant Dishes from India, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia" (DK Publishing, $25). This wonderful book traces the journey of curries from India throughout Southeast Asia and beyond. Each chapter is authored by an authority of their country's cuisine, so we are treated to firsthand knowledge of the differences in curry traditions. The tight-focused photography adds its own mouthwatering appeal.

"The Soul of a New Cuisine: A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa" by Marcus Samuelsson (Wiley, $40). The author was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden by his adoptive parents. His award-winning New York restaurant, Aquavit, offers his personal update on Scandinavian dishes. But he returns to the land of his birth in this extraordinary look at the diversity of African foods. The book offers over 200 recipes, many using the unique spice blends and rubs that are key to African cooking. Ingredient sources, tips and outstanding photography complete the package, and with it, Samuelsson shatters the boundaries surrounding our unfamiliarity with the cuisine of this great continent.

"The Sushi Experience: Everything You Need to Know About Sushi — Understanding It, Making It, Enjoying It" by Hiroko Shimbo (Alfred A. Knopf, $40). If a good seat in your favorite sushi restaurant is hard to come by, here's a chance to create your own. The author is a trained sushi chef, and she guides the home cook every step of the way with step-by-step color photos and clearly written information and recipes. There's much to be learned here. Shimbo's essays on the state of sushi in Japan today and the cultures of tea and sake are fascinating and should be required reading for anyone planning to travel to Japan. The book also includes an extensive glossary and valuable source guide, including our local Uwajimaya.

Family cooking

"Barefoot Contessa At Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again" by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $35). This is the fifth book from the Food Network celebrity, and there's a good reason for her popularity. Garten develops her recipes with the home cook in mind, and the results are casually elegant dishes that are simplicity itself. Her informal style relies on fresh ingredients and familiar techniques. Try, for instance, her Scrambled Eggs & Salmon for Sunday breakfast, or Chicken with Goat Cheese and Basil for a quick-to-the-table weeknight dinner. The food is beautifully photographed and a special section offers several ideas for combining the recipes into compatible menus.

"The Six O'Clock Scramble: Quick, Healthy, and Delicious Dinner Recipes for Busy Families" by Aviva Goldfarb (St. Martin's Griffin, $17.95). In Goldfarb's hands, quick dishes don't need to come out of the box. She depends on fresh, unprocessed foods for dishes that are both kid-friendly and appealing to adults. This is a seasonal cookbook that focuses on entrees, but fills out the menu with suggestions for simple sides. Nutritional information for each recipe and tips for coping with picky eaters are just a few of book's many bonuses.

"The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook — Revised Edition" (America's Test Kitchen, $34.95). What would a cookbook roundup be without an entry from the editors of Cook's Magazine and Cook's Country? Using a binder format similar to the original red-checked Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks, this book has more than 1,200 tested recipes, including a chapter of slow-cooker and pressure-cooker recipes. Test-kitchen tips, charts such as a helpful list of emergency substitutions and photos can only improve the reader's cooking skills and confidence. The impeccable equipment and ingredient ratings that the magazines are known for make this cookbook a real value for the money.

"Kids Cook 1-2-3: Recipes for Young Chefs Using Only 3 Ingredients" by Rozanne Gold (Bloomsbury, $17.95). The author has made a name for herself with a series of cookbooks using just three ingredients. Her latest edition is geared to the young cook, and she enlisted a staff of sous chefs ranging in age from 8 to 16. The chefs took their work seriously, taking pride in turning out tasty dishes they could call their own. Preparing a Mac-and-Cheese from scratch, for instance, may be just the thing to teach a child that homemade really does taste better than the boxed stuff. Gold teaches the basic techniques that a young cook needs to know to get started, and with her minimal ingredient approach, there's less clean-up. Now that's a plus for cooks of any age.

For younger, inexperienced cooks

"Starting Out: The Essential Guide to Cooking on Your Own" by Julie Van Rosendaal, illustrations by Tom Bagley (Whitecap, $19.95). If ever a name fit the product, "The Essential Guide" is it. From start to finish, this cookbook is packed with all the information that an inexperienced cook would need to manage in the kitchen. Using fresh ingredients and familiar dishes such as pad thai, frittatas and roasted vegetables, Rosendaal makes her recipes interesting without being difficult to manage. Each recipe has info on storing leftovers as well as options for changing the flavors. There are lists galore, from shopping tips to a glossary of cooking terms to menu ideas. There are even guides for stain removal and doing laundry, two things certainly not found in many cookbooks.

"How To Boil Water: Life Beyond Takeout" from Food Network Kitchens (Meredith Books, $24.95). "We take nothing for granted" is the mantra in the Food Network's test kitchens. It's a smart approach for any cookbook, but especially one that targets young adults. This is a fun book that still manages to treat the reader intelligently. The recipes begin with simple ideas for breakfast such as fruit smoothies and making the best boiled egg and continues throughout the day with homemade snacks, sandwiches for lunch and dinner entrees. There's an emphasis on cooking with the freshest vegetables, and some great vegetable charts giving cooking times for roasting, steaming and boiling. Close-up photos clearly capture the right consistency for a sauce or the correct color of browned butter.

Baking and desserts

"King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking" (The Countryman Press, $35). Following in the success of its award-winning "King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion," the latest cookbook from the nation's oldest flour company exceeds all expectations. While whole-grain baked goods have a rep for being dense and heavy, with this book we learn how to combine flours for lighter textures and flavors. Familiar yeast breads are given their due, but we also are treated to some surprising recipes such as Butter Brickle Biscotti. With 400 recipes, sidebars and illustrations, this is the definitive book on whole-grain baking to date.

"Baking: From My Home to Yours" by Dorie Greenspan (Houghton Mifflin, $40). This is a real baker's book written by a well-known authority on the craft. But even those whose previous experience with baking has been confined to freezer dough will be encouraged by Greenspan's passion for teaching and clearly written instructions. There are 300 recipes to choose from, ranging from breakfast muffins, sweet breads and pies to cobblers, cookies and celebration cakes. Experimental bakers will love the variations given with each recipe.

"The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolates" by Robert Steinberg and John Scharffenberger with Ann Krueger Spivack and Susie Heller (Hyperion, $35). It's hard to resist a book with chapter titles like "Intensely Chocolate" and "Essentially Chocolate." But this is more than just a cookbook of great recipes and seductive photos. It documents how the authors' simple experiments in a home kitchen began a chocolate revolution and led to the creation of Scharffen Berger, one of the most respected fine-chocolate makers in the world. While the cookbook does concentrate on desserts, an unusually delicious recipe for Roasted Squash with Nib Vinaigrette is not to be missed.

Special interests

"Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes and More from NPR's Kitchen Sisters" by Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva (Rodale, $15.95 paperback edition). Fans of the Kitchen Sisters know it's the stories that draw them to this popular radio show. Nelson and Silva have their mikes on the pulse of America, using tips left by listeners to track down amateur cooks with tales to tell. From cooks on the NASCAR circuit and truckstop hash slingers to pioneers such as Jessie Young, whose Kansas radio show in the 1930s connected isolated women with cooking tips and recipes, the stories are thoughtful, spirited and a joy to read. (The hardcover edition of the book was published in 2005.)

"The Organic Cook's Bible: How to Select and Cook the Best Ingredients on the Market" by Jeff Cox (Wiley, $40). The dictionary form makes this book easy to follow and includes some of the latest information on organic produce, grains, meats and dairy. Each entry is paired with a recipe, as well as nutritional guidance, shopping and storage recommendations, and uses. Seasonality is key to the organic cook, and Cox supplies the necessary advice to keep us aware of availability in the markets.

"The Improvisational Cook" by Sally Schneider (William Morrow, $34.95). Schneider is a gifted cook, rare in her ability to experiment with flavors and techniques in such a way as to lift the ordinary to the sublime. She begins with a basic recipe such as caramelized onions, elevates our understanding by discussing how the process works, and then shows us how to use the onions as a jumping-off point for other recipes. This book is for the cook who loves to experiment and is hungry for a fresh input of ideas. We couldn't have a better guide than Schneider.

CeCe Sullivan: csullivan@seattletimes.com