Judge Says Deceptively Delicious Doesn’t Violate Trademark
Last week, a federal judge threw out The Sneaky Chef author Missy Chase Lapine’s claim that Jessica Seinfeld copied her with Deceptively Delicious. The New York Times reported that the judge said the books weren’t similar “except for their goal of hiding healthy food inside the favorite meals of children.” The judge called The Sneaky Chef “a dry, rather text-heavy work,” and Deceptively Delicious “bright and cheerful, full of different colors and various patterns,” explaining that consumers were unlikely to confuse the two cookbooks.

Celebrating Grits
Birmingham, Ala., publisher Oxmoor House is laying on the Southern hospitality with a series of book parties for Glorious Grits: America’s Favorite Comfort Food, which it will publish October 13. Hosted by chefs featured in the book, the parties will feature foods from Glorious Grits. The first party is October 11 at the Break ‘n Bread culinary festival in Birmingham, hosted by Little Savannah chef Clif Holt and Maureen Holt; the next is October 15 at Ratcliffe on the Green in Charlotte, N.C., hosted by chef Mark Hibbs; and the third is October 20 at Birmingham’s Hot & Hot Fish Club, hosted by chef Chris Hastings and Idie Hastings. Author Susan McEwen McIntosh will sign and sell copies of the books at each event.

Clarkson Potter Buys M. F. K. Fisher’s Grand-Nephew’s Book
Luke Barr, grand-nephew of legendary food writer M. F. K. Fisher (pictured), has sold a book about Fisher, James Beard and Julia Child to Clarkson Potter, the New York Observer reports. The book will tell the story of the winter of 1970, when Fisher, Child and Beard were neighbors in Aix-en-Provence. Barr is an editor at Travel & Leisure and supposedly will have “extraordinary access” to various primary sources and “all sorts of delicious letters.” Tentatively titled Provence, 1970, the book is, for now, slated for publication in 2012, v-p, editorial director Doris Cooper told PW.

Wiley Canada Partners with Women’s MagazineChatelaine
In fall 2010, Canadian women’s magazine Chatelaine and Wiley Canada will release Fresh Food Fast with Chatelaine: 250 Essential Recipes. The book is part of a two-book deal, following the winter ’09 title Earn, Spend, Save: Chatelaine’s Guide to Money for Women. There are plans in the works for more titles in the areas of food, health and other women’s interest topics. Wiley Canada publisher Jennifer Smith said, “Chatelaine is a trusted source of information for Canadian women and has been for over 80 years. Working together to deliver Chatelaine’s content in new formats is certain to be a winning combination. Wiley’s knowledge and experience with branded book publishing combined with our market leading position in the culinary and personal finance categories provides us with an amazing opportunity to launch these books in the Canadian market.”

PW Reviews Latest Crop of Food Books for Kids
In the September 7 issue, PW reviewed a handful of books for kids about food and cooking coming out this fall. They range from My Lunch Box: 50 Recipes for Kids to Take to School, a sturdy box containing 50 recipe cards with colored tabs for easy perusing; to Paula Deen's Cookbook for the Lunch-Box Set; to Midnight Feast Magic: Sleepover Fun and Food by a 13-year-old British author. The books offer something for every kid—and every kid’s palate.

Zagat in Trouble?
The New York Post says Tim and Nina Zagat are “struggling to keep [their guidebook empire] afloat” after failing to sell it for a reported $200 million asking price. The paper reports that Zagat guides are losing ground to online restaurant review sites Chowhound and Yelp. “Sales are down dramatically,” says one source. The company has cut costs and laid off about 16 people in May. Perseus Distribution began handling fulfillment for Zagat guides earlier this year.



This story
originally appeared in Cooking the Books, PW's e-newsletter for cookbooks.