Viking Buys Joe Bastianich's Memoir
Restaurateur and winemaker Joseph Bastianich has sold a memoir charting his culinary adventures to Alessandra Lusardi at Viking, in a deal brokered by Bastianich’s agent, Jane Dystel of Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. The as-yet-untitled book will follow Bastianich's journey from working in his parents’ restaurant in Queens to becoming a restaurant owner, winemaker, and “joyful bon vivant.” Bastianich promises to share the values instilled by his parents “and the lessons learned from the hard knocks, slings and arrows of one of the toughest businesses there is.” Viking will publish the book in fall 2012.

A Party for 'The New Brooklyn Cookbook'

On October 4, the powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, Brooklyn, hosted a launch party for The New Brooklyn Cookbook (Morrow) by Melissa Vaughan, Brendan Vaughan, and Michael Harlan Turkell. A Q&A session with the authors was followed by a book signing and food and cocktail tasting. Pictured, left to right, are powerHouse Arena director Susanne König, authors Melissa Vaughan and Brendan Vaughan, and publicist Christine Maddalena.

New 'HTCE' App
The How to Cook Everything app, which came out in April, has been so popular that now there’s a free version, How to Cook Everything Essentials. It has 102 of Mark Bittman’s “key recipes,” as well as how-to illustrations and some of the features of the original complete app.

They Draw and Cook, and Get Book Deal
Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell’s illustrated recipe blog They Draw and Cook has landed a book deal with Weldon Owen. The book is scheduled for publication in spring/summer 2011. Padavick said the book will include 100 illustrations, and with 300+ on the site now, he anticipates some tough decisions ahead.

A Lauren Family Affair for Dylan's Candy Book

Candy fanatics turned out last week for the party to celebrate Dylan's Candy Bar: "Unwrap Your Sweet Life, just out from Clarkson Potter. The fete took place at Dylan’s Candy Bar in New York City and guests sipped candy cocktails such as the Black Widow, made with acai, black anise-flavored liqueur, and espresso, and garnished with gummy spiders. Lauren is pictured here with her mother, Ricky Lauren, and her father, Ralph Lauren, behind her.