With the economy the way it is, I didn't get to travel this summer as much as I wanted. Luckily I found a few new cookbooks that made me feel as though I had been to some exotic countries and even taken a haphazard trip across the country.

Food-tripping through Vietnam

Kim Fay is a noted expert on travel literature and Vietnam. Returning to Los Angeles after living and teaching in Vietnam for four years, Fay, a self-proclaimed foodie, was hungry for the Vietnamese dishes she had grown to love. Local cooking classes and Vietnamese cookbooks only made her miss the food and culture of her Vietnam more. Fay decided she would have to return to her adopted home to learn all she could about Vietnamese food, cooking and family traditions. The result is the deeply personal travelogue and cookbook "Communion: A Culinary Journey through Vietnam," from Things Asian Press. Armed with a well-thought-out itinerary and a list of chefs, local foodies, cooking teachers and even a planned dinner with the granddaughter of the chef of Vietnam's last emperor to help guide her on her quest, she began her journey. Fay enlisted the help of her sister, Julie Fay Ashborn, a photographer, to document the trip. She found a past student and close friend Nguyen thi Lan Huong to translate for them. Starting north in Hanoi, she began in the markets learning about herbs and the significance each has to a specific dish. Then traveling and eating her way south through many cities including Hue, Hoi An, Dalet and ending in Saigon, where she had begun her love affair with Vietnam, Fay writes a poignant, funny and engrossing tale of food, culture and tradition in a country obviously so dear to her heart.

Stir-frying for everyone

Grace Young, a three-time International Assn. of Culinary Professionals award winner and author of the bestselling books "The Breath of a Wok" and "The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen," will put any fears you may have about stir-frying aside with her book "Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge," published by Simon & Schuster.

Young, in her authoritative but friendly voice sends readers on a culinary journey around the world telling the stories of Chinese immigrants in new surroundings who learned to adapt  their style of cooking to suit the needs and taste of their new cultures. With more than 100 flavorful recipes and Steven Mark Needham's beautiful color photographs throughout, Young begins by explaining the differences in the many types of woks available, teaching us how to choose the best equipment that will produce the best result.

The chapter teaching readers how to season and clean a wok are invaluable and not to be passed over. Peppered throughout, Young interviews home cooks and professionals that share their personal stories of the importance of not just the technique of stir-fry but the rich culture and traditions learned and passed down from generation to generation. Young has given us the definitive book on stir-fry, and her joy of teaching us everything she knows about the subject jumps off the page. This is a beautifully written and user-friendly book for the beginner as well as the experienced cook.

This is one not to be missed.

Special desserts from the White House pastry chef

Does the thought of orange supreme muffins get you going in the morning? What about a stone fruit galette for an afternoon tea or a spectacular 16-layer red eye devil's food cake to celebrate a birthday? One of my favorite baking books this summer is "The Perfect Finish: Special Desserts for Every Occasion" from White House executive pastry chef Bill Yosses and James Beard award-winning author Melissa Clark. This sleek, sexy hard-back volume published by W.W. Norton has beautiful full color photographs by Marcus Nilsson and features nearly 80 of Yosses' most creative recipes.

Organized by occasions that bring family and friends together, Yosses realizes that contemporary dessert taste has changed and our growing interest in health and diet has influenced him greatly. In some recipes, less butter is used and sugar is reduced or even substituted with honey and other sweeteners. For dessert eaters who like their butter and sugar, don't worry; there are plenty of recipes that will satisfy your sweet cravings. Instead of the classic restaurant dessert warm molten chocolate cake try the vanilla version using creamy white chocolate and lots of fresh vanilla beans.

From delicious recipes for a simple brunch to restaurant desserts you will actually be able to make at home, this is a collection of new and fun recipes that a baker with any level of skill can handle. Don't miss the terrific chapter, "I'll bring Dessert," which includes tips on how to pack and transport your creations to ensure they will arrive at their destination in one piece and looking spectacular.

A cake -- or dessert -- for every state

Warren Brown, owner of Cake Love, a Washington D.C. chain of bakeries, celebrates baking with recipes representing all 50 states in his second book "United Cakes of America: Recipes Celebrating Every State," published by Stewart Tabori & Chang. In his introduction, Brown is concerned that baking from scratch in America is becoming a dying art in need of preservation. As he also wonders what it is that connects a particular cake with a particular state, you can almost see the light bulb in his head go on. Though the title might suggest a cake from every state, we quickly find out this is not necessarily so.

Organized regionally, Brown represents each state by updating classic recipes such as South Carolina's Lady Baltimore cake or creating new recipes like Avocado cupcakes representing California. Here's what confuses me: If Brown was trying to represent each state, though not necessarily with a cake, then why remake the famous Kentucky Derby Pie into a cake and change a maple cake from Vermont into Maple Crème Brulee? Throughout the book each state is also tagged with a random piece of trivia. Did you know Maine produces about 30 million pounds of blueberries a year? Why then was Maine represented by Whoopie Pies and not a blueberry recipe? Brown, who starred in the 2006 Food Network show "Sugar Rush," has written a very nice collection of recipes but it is just that.  Forget the gimmicky theme; why not concentrate on developing good solid recipes that teach readers the joy that can come from baking a cake from scratch?

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Love this

I never would have known to look for some of these books--- especially "Communion" -- fantastic reviews. Can't wait for the fall releases!

a guest , September 07, 2010