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In Chef’s Secrets, more than 80 renowned chefs share the tricks, timesaving techniques, and kitchen wisdom they’ve learned through years of experience.
 
     •  Steven Raichlen on Building a Three-Zone Fire on a Charcoal Grill
     •  Charlie Palmer on Roasting a Perfect Turkey
     •  Bruce Aidells on the Secret to Flavorful Pork
     •  Gary Guitard on Tempering Chocolate
     •  Plus techniques from Sara Moulton, Marcus Samuelsson, Norman Van Aken, Roxanne Klein, James Peterson, Emily Luchetti, and dozens of other top-notch chefs!
 
Each technique is explained in the chef’s own words, along with a short, revealing interview and a detailed profile of the chef’s accomplishments. With tips stretching from the basics (how to peel ginger with a teaspoon) to the extreme (how to peel a tomato with a blow-torch), Chef’s Secrets is an essential reference for any food lover’s bookshelf!

Forget boring mojitos, put down that tired cosmopolitan, and stop sipping that ridiculous appletini! It’s time to embrace Old Man Drinks-the cocktails your grandfather would remember from his nights on the town, way back during the Eisenhower administration. Here you’ll find histories and recipes for Old-Fashioneds, Sidecars, Clover Clubs, Rusty Nails, Hot Toddys, Monte Carlos, and more than 60 other vintage cocktails. Accompanying the text are evocative black-and-white photographs of real old men enjoying their beverages of choice-and dispensing such timeless words of wisdom as “I’m gonna die some day, so I may as well drink” and “I’ve taken an involuntary vow of celibacy.” Pull up a stool, break out the pickled eggs, and get ready for a round of Old Man Drinks!

ROBERT SCHNAKENBERG is the author of The Encyclopedia Shatnerica (Quirk, 2008), Christopher Walken A to Z (Quirk, 2008), and other nonfi ction books. He lives in Brooklyn.

In 1998, a cozy Greenwich Village café named Peanut Butter & Co. was born—with a menu consisting entirely of peanut butter creations. The restaurant was an instant hit, with features on Good Morning America and Nightline, and profiles in Time, Newsweek, and the New York Times. People liked their peanut butter so much that it’s now available in gourmet shops and grocery stores around the United States.

Now proprietor and restaurateur Lee Zalben is spreading the joy of peanut butter with The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook. Here are more than 80 gooey recipes for everything from decadent desserts (Four-Layer Peanut Butter–Honey Cake) to delicious, nutritious snacks (Baked Apples with Peanut Butter) and sensational entrées (Peanut Butter Pad Thai). Of course, no peanut butter cookbook would be complete without sandwiches—here are recipes from the traditional (The Lunch Box Special) to the deliciously daring (Peanut Butter BLT).

With full-color photographs and tons of quirky statistics, The Peanut Butter & Co. Cookbook is sure to answer every peanut butter craving!

LEE ZALBEN, a.k.a. “The Peanut Butter Guy,” is the president and founder of Peanut Butter & Co. Having created an entire menu of peanut butter sandwiches and desserts, he is, without a doubt, peanut butter’s number one fan!

First published in 2003, The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion  offers mixed drinks for virtually every situation imaginable. Getting married? Got a new job? Been a long day? Need to lose weight? Whatever the occasion, we’ve got the libation—complete with recipes, secrets, and tips. This new edition is updated with a fresh design and a host of all-new occasions (at last, you’ll know what to drink if you’re watching Mad Men with your coworkers).

Loaded with recipes for Margaritas, White Russians, Gin Rickeys, Harvey Wallbangers, Cosmopolitans, and 145 other favorites, The Perfect Drink for Every Occasion is comprehensive enough to be the only bar book you’ll ever need.

When he’s not whipping up a pitcher of Margaritas, DUANE SWIERCZYNSKI writes crime novels and comic books. His next novel, Fun and Games, arrives from Little, Brown in 2011. He lives in Philadelphia.

Cool + Sweet + Refreshing = Pops!
 
This innovative book gives the ice pop a flavor makeover, providing more than 100 recipes and variations for irresistible concoctions you’ve never tasted before. You’ll also learn fancy
techniques for making whimsical pops that look as fun as they taste. Kids will enjoy the juicy pops and flip over the soda fountain and pudding pops. Grown-up kids will dig the energy-boosting coffee, tea, and healthy energy pops and delight in the sophisticated cocktail pops. And for the do-it-yourselfers, this book provides instructions for making your own pop molds from recycled housewares and even silicone. When it comes to pops, the possibilities are endless—and so much fun!

This gorgeous full-color cookbook features easy step-by-step recipes for a variety of decadent delicacies, including traditional Booze Cakes (Black Forest Cakes and English Trifle) as well as more contemporary cocktail cakes (Piña Colada Cake, White Russian Cupcakes, and Sex-on-a-Beach Cake). There’s even a chapter devoted to cake shots-delicious cupcake morsels infused with the flavors of mojitos, kamikazes, and more. These tasty treats are ideal for parties, potlucks, and pitch-ins-and this cookbook’s affordable price and adorable format make it the perfect gift for your favorite hostess!

KRYSTINA CASTELLA is the author of Pops! Icy Treats for Everyone (Quirk, 2008) and Crazy About Cupcakes (Sterling, 2006). TERRY LEE STONE is a graphic designer who teaches at the California Institute of the Arts. Both live in the Los Angeles area.