Julie Powell’s Butcher to Pen Meat Guide
Rica Allannic at Clarkson Potter has just bought an as yet untitled book by Joshua Applestone and Jessica Applestone, owners of Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats in upstate New York. The authors, who trained Julie Powell in the art of butchery—which she describes in her new book, Cleaving—will present a guide to sourcing, purchasing, butchering, and cooking grass-fed and organic meat—including poultry, beef, lamb, and pork.
Food as Art
David Cashion at Abrams Image won Carl Warner’s Food Landscapes, in a two-book, World English deal sold by Brendan Deneen of Fairbank Literary. The image-heavy books will contain approximately 25 original food landscape images by the London photographer, such as the one of a Chinese junk made entirely out of Asian food including lotus leaves, wonton wrappers and bok choy.
Breaking Bread with Clara Cannucciari
St Martin’s Press celebrated the release of Clara’s Kitchen: Wisdom, Memories, and Recipes from the Great Depression over lunch at Carmine’s in Manhattan’s Theater District on December 7. Cannucciari garned a wide fan base with her YouTube videos on Depression-era cooking, which led to her book deal. Pictured here are executive editor Michael Flamini, Carmine’s executive chef Christian Ruiz, and Cannucciari.
Food52 Launches Store
Last week, cooking Web site Food52 launched the Food52 shop, where editors Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs have gathered some of their favorite books, artisanal food, cookware and tabletop items, with links for buying. Their bookshelf is heavily weighted toward foreign imports: The Baker by Leanne Kitchen (Murdoch Books), Moro East by Samuel Clark and Samantha Clark (Ebury Press), and Tender v.1: A Cook and his Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater (Fourth Estate). All titles are available through Omnivore Books on Food.
NYU Gets Gourmet’s Collection of 3,500 Cookbooks
Condé Nast is selling Gourmet’s collection of 3,500 cookbooks to NYU’s Fales Library, which is one of the most extensive collections of culinary works in the country. The New York Times reports that according to library director Marvin J. Taylor, cookbook author Rozanne Gold gave NYU. $14,000 to buy the books from Condé Nast. The collection goes back to the early 20th century, though most of the books were published after Condé Nast bought the magazine in 1983. “It really represents what the editors saw as the best of the best,” Taylor told the Times.
Besh Does New Orleans
Louisiana chef John Besh recently visited the St. Charles Avenue Borders store in New Orleans to sign copies of his cookbook, My New Orleans (Andrews McMeel). About 125 people turned out for the event. Borders will donate a portion of the event proceeds to Besh’s favorite New Orleans non-profit, Café Reconcile.
Flipping Tables and... Veggie Burgers?
Real Housewives of New Jersey star and accomplished table-flipper Teresa Giudice has sold a cookbook, Skinny Italian: Eat It and Enjoy It—Live La Bella Vita and Look Great Too!, to Brenda Copeland at Hyperion. Susan Ginsberg at Writers House brokered the deal, for world rights, and Hyperion is planning a May 2010 pub. In the cookbook, Giudice offers recipes for healthy Italian meals. The book will also feature behind-the-scenes details about the show, as well as pictures of Giudice and her family.
This story originally appeared in Cooking the Books, PW's e-newsletter for cookbooks.
