MORE FOR THE COOK & FOR THE HOSTESS

The pairing of Southern (American) food and Italian food might seem unusual, but they are the loves of award-winning chef Frank Stitt (and are my favorite cuisines, too!). He actually finds many commonalities between them, including the tradition of turning humble ingredients into poetry on a plate. And, as the chef points out in his lively introduction to his new book, Bottega Favorita, this is elemental cooking based on the purity and simplicity of the freshest and finest ingredients. You can't go wrong with that philosophy. I loved Stitt's first book, Frank Stitt's Southern Table, and can't wait to get my hands on this collection of Italian recipes with a southern twist. -S.B.

Serious foodies, rejoice! This book is an exclusive look behind the scenes of elBulli-deemed the best restaurant in the world, created by Ferran Adri

Folks who like reading about food-almost as much as eating it-will enjoy this new collection of the best "Eat, Memory" columns from The New York Times Magazine, edited by Amanda Hesser. A showcase of the food-inspired recollections of some of America's leading writers-playwrights, screenwriters, novelists, poets, and journalists-it conjures up foreign places and familiar people through tastes and smells.

Can't imagine a party without a drink in hand? Here's the definitive guide to making the best beverages from the famous Rainbow Room bartender who The New York Times credits as being "single-handedly responsible for what's been called the cocktail renaissance." Anthony Bourdain is equally impressed: "Dale DeGroff is the Oracle, the Yoda, the Walking Buddha of mixology. Simply put: If you're having an argument about how to make a particular cocktail? Whoever quotes DeGroff wins."