Last week the International Association of Culinary Professionals announced their cookbook award finalists. So exactly what are the IACP Awards? To quote Al Dente Blog:

If the James Beard Awards are the “Oscars of the food world,” then that would probably make the IACP awards the gourmet Golden Globes.

Directly from the IACP here’s the list:

2008 IACP Cookbook Awards Finalists

Winners will be announced during the 2008 IACP Awards Ceremony, Friday, April 18 in New Orleans.

American Category – Cookbooks that focus on ethnic, cultural, historic, or regional cooking in the United States

• Crescent City Cooking: Unforgettable Recipes from Susan Spicer’s New Orleans by Susan Spicer, Paula Disbrowe
• Love Affair with Southern Cooking: recipes and recollections by Jean Anderson
• The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style by Rebecca Rather, Alison Oresman

Bread, Other Baking and Sweets – Cookbooks that focus on bread making, desserts, confections and sweet or savory pastries or doughs

• Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe’s Best Artisan Bakers by Daniel Leader, Lauren Chattman
• Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor by Peter Reinhart
• Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich

Chefs and Restaurants Category – California Table Grape Commission Award – Cookbooks by or about chefs, collections of recipe’s from chefs, or books that focus on the cuisine of specific restaurants

• Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
• Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto
• Pier by Greg Doyle, Grant King and Katrina Kanetani

Compilations Category – Cookbooks comprised of material previously published in another format, or compiled by a staff of writers or editors

• Baking Boot Camp: Five Days of Basic Training at the Culinary Institute of America by The Culinary Institute of America and Darra Goldstein
• Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Techniques for the Artisan Confectioner by The Culinary Institute of America and Peter P. Greweling, CMB
• Mark Bittman’s Quick & Easy Recipes from the New York Times by Mark Bittman

First Book: The Julia Child Award – Cookbooks by writers who have not previously authored, co-authored, or significantly contributed to a food or beverage related book

• Elizabeth Falkner’s Demolition Desserts: recipes from Citizen Cake by Elizabeth Falkner
• Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto
• Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris, Jim Eber

Food Photography and Styling Category – Awarded to a photographer and stylist for food photography and styling that clearly, accurately and artistically represents the book’s recipes or cooking techniques, enhances the text with stimulating visual images and reflects the overall tone of the book

• Asian Flavors of Jean-Georges – Photographer: Sang An
• Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist – Photographer: Melissa Punch
• Rosa’s New Mexican Table – Photographer: Christopher Hirscheimer

Food Reference/Technical Category – Reference books of culinary terms, histories, techniques or ingredients

• Discover Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide to Buying, Tasting, and Enjoying Fine Chocolates by Clay Gordon
• Food: The History of Taste by Paul Freedman
• Geography of Oysters: The Connoisseur’s Guide to Oyster Eating in North America by Rowan Jacobsen

General Category – Multiple-subject recipe books, including all-purpose cookbooks and personal recipe collections

• Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook by Jacques Pepin
• Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You A Better Cook by Jamie Oliver
• Cooking by James Peterson

Health and Special Diets Category – Cookbooks and diet books that focus on healthful eating, nutrition, dietary concerns and special or restrictive diets

• Allergy-Free Cookbook by Alice Sherwood
• Cleveland Clinic Healthy Heart Lifestyle Guide & Cookbook by Bonnie Sanders Polin, Ph. D., Frances Towner Giedt
• How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

International Category – The Le Cordon Bleu Award – Cookbooks that focus on foods of a particular geographical region or cultural identity outside the United States

• Sweet Myrtle and Bitter Honey by Efisio Farris, Jim Eber
• The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan
• Turquoise by Greg and Lucy Malouf

Literary Food Writing Category – The Cuisinart Award – Non-fiction or fiction food or beverage books that are distinguished by the quality of their prose. These books may or may not include recipes

• Beans: A History by Ken Albala
• Julia Child by Laura Shapiro
• The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy by Sasha Issenberg

Single Subject Category – Cookbooks that focus on specific foods, cooking methods, techniques or appliances

• Fish Forever: The Definitive Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy, Delicious, and Environmentally Sustainable Seafood by Paul Johnson
• The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide by Mary Lou Heiss, Robert J. Heiss
• Vegetables: Recipes and Techniques from the World’s Premier Culinary College by The Culinary Institute of America

Wine, Beer or Spirits Category – Books on the history, evaluation or production of alcoholic beverages; mixology; serving or pairing with food

• Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist by A.J. Rathbun
• Imbibe! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whiskey Smash, A Salute in Stories and Drinks to “Professor” Jerry Thomas, Pioneer of the American Bar by David Wondrich
• The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson

{25 Mar 2008}