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    TV Chefs Blog is where we cover the celebrity chefs and cooking personalities: the news they make, the new products they sell, the restaurants they're opening. We also review the television cooking and food shows. We report on the more famous food authors and their new cookbooks too. If it has to do with eating it, making it and the star cooks who do it, it's here.


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    2008 IACP Cookbook Awards Winners

    Posted on April 19th, 2008

    Back in late March we announced the International Association of Culinary Professionals 2008 book awards finalists. Yesterday in New Orleans, the winners were announced.

    Among the familiar names, the double Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto won two awards for his book and Jamie Oliver won best in the general category, plus NY Times Food Columnist Mark Bittman takes home yet another one.

    The complete list of winners are:

    2008 IACP Cookbook Awards Winners

    Cookbook of the Year
    Fish Forever: The Definitive Guide to Understanding, Selecting, and Preparing Healthy, Delicious, and Environmentally Sustainable Seafood by Paul Johnson

    American Category
    The Pastry Queen Christmas: Big-Hearted Holiday Entertaining, Texas Style by Rebecca Rather, Alison Oresman

    Bread, Other Baking and Sweets Category
    Local Breads: Sourdough and Whole-Grain Recipes from Europe’s Best Artisan Bakers by Daniel Leader, Lauren Chattman

    Chefs and Restaurants Category
    Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto

    Compilations Category
    Chocolates and Confections: Formula, Theory, and Techniques for the Artisan Confectioner by The Culinary Institute of America and Peter P. Greweling, CMB

    First Book: The Julia Child Award
    Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto

    Food Photography and Styling Category
    Good Spirits: Recipes, Revelations, Refreshments, and Romance, Shaken and Served with a Twist - Photographer: Melissa Punch

    Food Reference/Technical Category
    Food: The History of Taste by Paul Freedman

    General Category
    Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You A Better Cook by Jamie Oliver

    Health and Special Diets Category
    How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman

    International Category
    Turquoise by Greg and Lucy Malouf

    Literary Food Writing Category
    Julia Child by Laura Shapiro

    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

    Wine, Beer or Spirits Category
    The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson, Jancis Robinson

    Jane Grigson Award (Tie)
    Beans: A History by Ken Albala; and
    To Cork or Not to Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science and the Battle for the Wine Bottle by George M. Taber

    Design Award
    Egg published by Flammarion

    2008 Beard Award Finalists Named

    Posted on March 28th, 2008

    Earlier this month we ran a partial list of the Semi-Finalists Announced for 2008 James Beard Awards. Well, a few days ago the giant list got paired down for the last time and the Finalists have now been announced.

    If you’re unfamiliar with the great length of awards from the Beard Foundation, you’ll get a better understanding of it when you actually glance at their page. For instance, categories are not just for Restaurants and Chefs, they also include: Book Awards, Journalism, Broadcast Media, Design and Graphics, Humanitarian Award, Lifetime Achievement Award and America’s Classics.

    So here are our highlights on some of the awards we think matter most, or at least that you would be interested in hearing about:

    Outstanding Restaurateur Award: Joe Bastianich/Mario Batali, Tom Douglas, Richard Melman, Wolfgang Puck, Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

    Outstanding Chef Award: Grant Achatz, Alinea, Chicago; José Andrés, minibar by josé andrés, Washington, DC; Dan Barber, Blue Hill, NYC; Suzanne Goin, Lucques, Los Angeles; Frank Stitt, Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL.

    Outstanding Restaurant Award: Boulevard, San Francisco; Campanile, Los Angeles; Gramercy Tavern, NYC; Jean Georges, NYC; The Slanted Door, San Francisco.

    Best New Restaurant: Anthos, NYC; Central Michel Richard, Washington, DC; Fearing’s at the Ritz Carlton, Dallas; Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles; Osteria, Philadelphia.

    Rising Star Chef of the Year Award: Nate Appleman, A 16, San Francisco; Sean Brock, McCrady’s, Charleston, SC; Gavin Kaysen, Café Boulud, NYC; Johnny Monis, Komi, Washington, DC; Matt Molina, Osteria Mozza, Los Angeles; Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon, Portland, OR.

    In other awards …. among Television Food Show, National or Local were selected: The Best Recipes in the World with Mark Bittman, Gourmet’s Diary of a Foodie and Top Chef Season 3.

    Websites of merit were: Chow.com, Epicurious.com and Starchefs.com

    The Book Awards as expected, some of them jived with the ones on the IACP list announced last week where as other books are only on the one list or the other. Feel free to compare for yourself.

    Among those Cookbooks which stood out as being on both lists (note this is not an all-encompassing group but a partial) were: Morimoto: The New Art of Japanese Cooking by Masaharu Morimoto; Peter Reinhart’s Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor by Peter Reinhart; Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich; Love Affair with Southern Cooking: recipes and recollections by Jean Anderson; Rosa’s New Mexican Table; Chez Jacques: Traditions and Rituals of a Cook by Jacques Pepin; Cooking by James Peterson; and, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman.

    And for all of the rest of the awards and finalists on the long list, visit the Beard Awards here. The Winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on June 8, 2008. Likewise, the Cookbook of the Year and Cookbook Hall of Fame will be announced at that time as well.

    Best Cookbooks of the Year: The 2008 IACP Cookbook Awards Finalists

    Posted on March 25th, 2008

    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

    Batali and Paltrow Filming Their Spanish Food Show for PBS

    Posted on March 12th, 2008

    Ok, to get you up to speed (not sure how much you may know of this), Gwyneth Paltrow is in Spain after her brief hospital stint in the US finally doing the food show with Mario Batali.

    What? You didn’t know she was sick? In mid-January she checked into New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital Monday for “a little gastrointestinal situation”. Yes, not exactly the best thing to have before going to Spain and eating up the countryside, supposedly.

    What? You didn’t know about the food show? Ok, have you really been hiding under a rock the past six months? This is the one where when Mario “left” Food Network — he’s still an American Iron Chef so he didn’t really “leave” and he then left is more like the Food Network “left him” by not opting for any Molto Mario contuinations …

    Anwways, this is the show Mario and Gwyneth are doing for PBS. It’s about Spain, not Italy. Which is why it’s called “Spain: On The Road Again”. Mario actually owns a restaurant in Spain (bet that one you didn’t know!) and the show is expected to air this October. Also “The Minimalist” himself, Mark Bittman, is part of the travelling crew as well. That should be a fun ride!

    And, if you want to see some pics, check them out over here, and finally, yeah, I know Pop Sugar instead of Yum Sugar as the venue. Whodda thought?

    Bitman Tackles Some Cooking Myths — Don’t Show Mom

    Posted on March 6th, 2008

    Should I even put this here? Dare I? I mean this has to do with actual cooking! I know, not watching people cook, not hearing about cooks … actual do-it-yourself cooking? Hey, it’s my blog and I’ll do what I want to, do what I want do, do what I …

    Seriously though, it’s a short article but packed with good info — sometimes the best things come in small packages afterall. Plus it’s by noted food author and columnist Mark Bitman and I like the topic: Six Kitchen Myths That Deserve Debunking.

    Oh and don’t show this to your mother or grandmother unless you want an arguement to spoil your next dinner.


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