Pierogi Lovers Unite
New Yorkers gathered to celebrate the publication of The Veselka Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from the Landmark Restaurant in New York's East Village by Tom Birchard and Natalie Danford on October 28. The cookbook includes more than 150 recipes, covering Ukrainian classics (potato pierogi, five kinds of borscht, grilled kielbasa, poppy seed cake), sandwiches, breakfast fare (including Veselka’s renowned pancakes) and the many elements of a traditional Ukrainian Christmas Eve feast. Thomas Dunne released the book on October 27.
Talking Food and Books
The Cultural Services of the French Embassy in the U.S., along with the Goethe-Institut New York, the Instituto Italiano di Cultura and the Instituto Cervantes New York, will celebrate all things literary and gastronomical today and Wednesday at the Festival of New Literature from Europe. The event includes free discussions, readings and tastings and will feature discussions with Agnès Desarthe (France), Jesús Ruiz Mantilla (Spain), Christoph Peters (Germany) and Clara Sereni (Italy). American writers Mary Ann Caws (Provençal Cooking) and Mark Kurlansky (Cod) will moderate. Tonight’s discussion will be at 7:00 pm at the Instituto Cervantes; Wednesday’s will be at 7:00 pm at Posman Books at Chelsea Market.
Yu’s Healthy Thai
Su-Mei Yu, author of Elements of Life: A Contemporary Guide to Thai Recipes and Traditions for Healthier Living (Wiley) was on Good Morning America October 22 and got a plug from her sister-in-law, Diane Sawyer, who praised Elements of Life’s healthy, contemporary Thai recipes for helping people get over colds and upset stomachs—such as stir-fried shrimp with asparagus; cool rice vermicelli with grilled vegetables; noodles with Chinese broccoli and pork or chicken; and mango sorbet with young coconut ribbons.
More from Pioneer Woman
Pioneer Woman Cooks author and blogger Ree Drummond has sold her romantic memoir, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, as well as a new cookbook, to Cassie Jones at Morrow. She has also signed a deal with Harper Children’s for two untitled picture books about her basset hound, Charlie. Drummond toldPW about her memoir during an interview in September.
Getting Down in Big Sur
California sunshine and spectacular scenery provided the backdrop for a party on October 24 celebrating Romney Steele’s My Nepenthe: Bohemian Tales of Food, Family, and Big Sur (Andrews McMeel). The event took place at the titular 60-year-old landmark restaurant in Big Sur, Calif., which was founded by the author’s grandparents. The book includes 85 recipes along with anecdotes, history and memories. Entertainment included belly-dancing performances (pictured here is the author’s cousin, Holly Christina). Photo credit: Sumner Healey.
Eleven Madison Book
Michael Sand at Little, Brown has bought Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook by executive chef Daniel Humm and general manager Will Guidara. The cookbook will feature 100 recipes arranged by season and behind-the-scenes vignettes from the restaurant, which former New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni called “among the most alluring and impressive restaurants in New York” in a four-star review.
This story originally appeared in Cooking the Books, PW's e-newsletter for cookbooks.
