Things Cooks Love Reviewed in Memphis’ Commercial Appeal

Whining & Dining: Kitchen must-haves for cooks

By Jennifer Biggs
Wednesday, April 23, 2008

A wonderful book came in last week: "Things Cooks Love" by Marie Simmons ($35, Andrews McMeel Publishing). It's part of a series owned by the kitchen store Sur La Table, which, of course, has good cause to publish books about gadgets, cookware and beloved ingredients.

More power to them! I'm crazy about this book, even though I take exception with some of the beloved items. While I agree that a clay cooker and a pressure cooker are treasures, I probably haven't used my fish poacher three or four times in the 15 years I've owned it.

I love my garlic press -- I just started using it about a year ago -- but I don't care for a garlic peeler. In fact, I have no need for one since I throw the unpeeled cloves in my press. I don't use a melon baller, but I couldn't get by without my mandoline. Bread machine? Not for me. A panini grill, ditto (come on, we've all seen enough "Good Eats" to know we don't need that). But don't touch my stand mixer or my citrus press.

The book also lists foods by country, such as essentials for the French pantry, the Iberian pantry (yum!), Moroccan, Indian and so forth.

Penguin Wisdom

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Forget The Bluebird of Happiness. It's the penguin that's the bird with the word.

At least that's the idea behind a new book, "Flipping Brilliant: A Penguin's Guide to a Happy Life" (Andrews McMeel, $9.99). The tips include:

• Adaptation is survival.

• Work with nature.

• Learn to be still.

• A day at the beach can cure a vast array of ailmentment

• The meek sleep alone.

And our personal fave: "Guano happens."

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By Seattle Times

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Sur la Table produces its first in a series of cookbooks

By CeCe Sullivan
Seattle Times Food staff

Sur la Table began its march into culinary history in 1972, when founder Shirley Collins opened her small store at the Pike Place Market. Every nook and cranny was filled with the cooking tools we never knew we needed until we put them to use in our own kitchens.

Although Collins sold the company in 1995 to a group of private investors, including the Behnke family and Freeman Spogli, her heritage of quality and customer service has continued to influence it.

Now, 36 years after the original shop opened its doors, Sur la Table, which includes 67 stores nationwide, has produced its first in a series of cookbooks, "Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients and Recipes" by Sur la Table with Marie Simmons ($35, Andrews McMeel Publishing). Two other books, "The Art & Soul of Baking" and "A Cook's Guide to Knives," will be published this fall.

"Things Cooks Love" begins with an extensive list of kitchen basics divided into four subcategories: cookware, knives, tools and small appliances. It's a go-to guide for everything from cast-iron skillets to balloon whisks.

One section highlights the pots, pans and cookers that can be placed in the oven and on the stove. So, for instance, a short essay on clay cookers provides tips for using the pots as well as their care and cleaning, and accompanying recipes inspire further experimentations.

Kathy Tierney, chief executive officer of Sur la Table, said the concept for the cookbook series began over three years ago. "When I first started here, I was struck by the passion and knowledge of cooking inside of the company." A series of cookbooks seemed like the logical next step in promoting the company's brand, which has always been to educate and inspire customers about the art of cooking. Indeed, it's the curiosity of the stores' patrons that drives the desire to seek out the best in cookware and kitchen tools.

The book's third section, "The Well-Stocked Global Kitchen," is a response to the desire of world travelers looking for more information on multicultural cuisines. So, whether your culinary spirit is captured by the couscoussières or glazed terra-cotta tagines of Morocco, or the classic, domed cataplanas of Iberia, readers will find a passion for discovery to equal their own.

The writing and recipe-testing for "Things Cooks Love" was a yearlong "labor of love," said Tierney. Marie Simmons, an award-winning cookbook writer and columnist living in California, was a natural fit to spearhead the project, having taught in Sur la Table's cooking-class program. The recipes are easy to follow, plus tips and serving suggestions offer further guidance. Gorgeous color photographs by Ben Fink add their own distinctive style to the book. Tierney said the goal is to publish two to three cookbooks a year. But she stresses that each will happen only if the company's mission of education and quality is fulfilled.

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By Toledo (OH) Blade

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons is reviewed by food editor Kathie Smith in the Toledo (OH) Blade

Article published April 22, 2008

Perfect pair: Wedding season and cookware

I'm keenly aware of cooking equipment for two reasons spring cleaning and the fact that my daughter was married seven weeks ago. Recent shopping for bridal shower and wedding gifts found me in the cookware aisles.

Spring cleaning reminds me of the cooking equipment that has been pushed to the back of my cupboards. There's the grill pan I haven't used in years. It splatters too much when I cook with it; the only exception is making panini sandwiches, which work nicely on the grids, provided you use a weight to press the sandwich down.

I hesitate to reveal that I rarely use the 4 or 6-quart pot with the pasta insert, which can double as a steamer insert. But thanks to author Marie Simmons, who teamed up with Sur La Table in Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. (Andrews McMeel, $35), I'm inspired to steam beets in my pasta pot/insert. Ms. Simmons writes that steaming preserves the firm texture and rich flavor of beets better than boiling does - I usually boil or roast beets. Cooked and sliced beets are a wonderful addition to salads. Other foods that can be steamed are artichokes, broccoli, corn on the cob, carrots, and cauliflower. Use a steamer for shellfish, reheating rice, tamales, and lobster.

Among the newest pieces of equipment is the stove-top smoker. It consists of a pan with a sturdy handle that stays cool, a tray with a rack that sits on top of a small inside pan that holds the wood chips (about 2 tablespoons), and either a sliding lid or a removable lid that can double as a roasting pan. It's a piece of equipment I do not own, because I have devised my own stove-top smoker using my Corning Ware Dutch oven, rack, and aluminum foil when I make Tea-Smoked Chicken.

I remember that last summer I needed a food mill, a useful gadget for purees. You won't get a foamy gazpacho (a common issue when using a food processor) if you use a food mill. And, a potato ricer makes great mashed potatoes. Each of these pieces of equipment are great gifts for wedding showers and weddings. Then there are the specialty kitchens which are popular with 20-and-30-somethings. Their culinary tastes provide ideas for gift giving. The Asian Pantry alls for a bamboo steamer, rice cooker, and sushi tools (very big among 30-somethings). To make sushi rolls, you need the rice paddle and the bamboo mat.

The Mexican Kitchen calls for a molcajete (mortar) and the tejolote (pestle). A stove-top pepper roaster, terra-cotta bakeware, and a tortilla press are great gifts for any couple who love Mexican food.

Francophiles will appreciate a chinois, a conical sieve that is used for pureeing soups, vegetables, or fruits. A crepe pan is a frying pan with low sides and an easy-to-grasp long, narrow handle. Fondue pots have become an international social ritual with the idea of sharing a communal dish. I love my gratin dish for baking classic gratin recipes topped with a creamy sauce, buttered crumbs, and/or cheese.

The Indian Kitchen calls for the cast-iron karahi, which can be used in the oven and for deep-frying dishes such as zucchini blossoms and corn fritters. The tawa is an iron griddle with slightly raised sides used to roast spices, cook flatbreads, and grill small batches of kebabs. The Italian Kitchen needs a mattone, a round, glazed terra-cotta dish with a heavy disk-like lid that weights down the chicken as it cooks. A pasta machine, pizza stone, pizzelle maker, and risotto pan make classic dishes.

The Spanish or Iberian Kitchen needs a paella pan, and the Moroccan Kitchen needs a tagine, the glazed terra-cotta cookware with the teepee-shaped conical lid. Kitchen toys make us happy. It's even better when we use them.

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By Publisher's Weekly

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Sur la Table with Marie Simmons, photos by Ben Fink. Andrews McMeel, $35 (336p) ISBN 978-0-7407-6976-4

This globe-trotting collection from the Seattle-based cookware chain Sur la Table uses cooking equipment as its inspiration. Authored by Simmons, who writes for Food & Wine and Cooking Light, this book recognizes that having “the most suitable tool” is critical to fun and successful food preparation. In the opening chapters, Simmons outlines the basic items a home cook should stock, like a peeler and whisk, before moving on to more sophisticated tools, e.g., a karahi (an Indian wok) and mattone (an Italian terra cotta press). From there, the book is organized by implement: a recipe for a chef’s torch, for example, is Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes with Bubbling Mozzarella; a pommes anna pan produces, well, Pommes Anna with Herbs and Mushrooms. The recipes appeal to a new cook with their precision, so homemade crepes or fresh sushi will seem accessible, especially with the most suitable tool at hand.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6552502.html?q=things+cooks+love

You Can Prevent Global Warming (and Save Money!)

Just in time for Earth Day!

Read the reviews on LibraryThing.com

If you follow just the no-cost and low-cost tips in You Can Prevent Global Warming (and Save Money!): 51 Easy Ways (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $12.99), you will save over $2,000 and prevent the emission of 25,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year! The book contains 51 topics, but there are actually hundreds of tips and suggestions within the book that will help you address this global problem.

Whether you are one of the nearly three-quarters of Americans who consider themselves environmentalists or you're interested in practical ways you can save money each year, these straightforward tips will make this one of the most important and useful books on your bookshelf.

Things Cooks Love Reviewed In San Francisco Chronicle

Cook's Books: Kitchen emporiums share tips, tools

Amanda Gold, Chronicle Staff Writer

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table have distinct personalities, though both offer myriad toys for the serious and beginner cook. Both have recently released comprehensive cookbooks - equally different - that explore not only the various tools and gadgets that grace the shelves of the stores, but also instructions on specific techniques.

It's fairly common to find hefty tomes that function like culinary school textbooks, with "how-to's" on everything from creating aspic to turning potatoes. The two new books, however, have been expertly streamlined to include only the most up-to-date tips, kitchen tricks and recipes.

'Things Cooks Love'

"Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients, Recipes," spearheaded by the kitchen specialty store Sur La Table, is a more abstract approach to navigating a stocked kitchen. While all the necessary information is there for novices and pros alike, this book is clearly targeted to a more seasoned chef.

The first in the "Things Cooks Love" series features bold-colored, glossy photos and scattered quotes culled from other books that add an elegant and personal touch.

Organized by gadget rather than technique or ingredient, each section begins with an encyclopedic explanation of that tool, followed by usage tips and care instructions.

Readers will appreciate the paragraphs labeled "alternatives," which give useful substitutions for those who love to cook but might not want to shell out the extra dough for something they'd use only on rare occasions.

Under mortar and pestle, for example, the following advice is given: "If you enjoy cooking, the mortar and pestle will be a pleasurable extension of your craft. But if you simply need to get the job done, plug in your food processor or blender." It's inherently understood that we can't all be gadget-holics.

"Things Cooks Love" is packed with more complex recipes than most basic cookbooks. Coconut and curry lamb stew with green beans and potatoes, for example, is listed as just one of the dishes that can be made with a Karahi - a wok-like pan with high sides used in Indian cooking.

"Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients, Recipes," by Marie Simmons and Sur La Table (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2008; 342 pages, $35).

Pearls Before Swine Creator Interview in Kansas City Star

‘Pearls Before Swine’ creator Stephan Pastis finds life is a croc

By WARD W. TRIPLETT III

The Kansas City Star, April 14, 2008

It has been almost six years since Stephan Pastis gave up practicing law to draw pigs and rats and dumb crocodiles in the comic strip “Pearls Before Swine.”

He still has no objections.

“Talk to any litigation lawyer, and 99 out of 100 all have some ‘out’ plan,” Pastis said. “When I said I was leaving, my colleagues at the firm looked at me like a cellmate must look at someone about to go over the wall. It was, ‘You go, brother.’ No one ever questioned me.

“You know how you have to work 40 years of your life? Well, 50 the way things are going now,” he says. “I feel like I’ve stolen the last six years. The profession has its bad points, sure, but it’s like complaining about the lines at Disneyland. Why? Shut up. You’re still at Disneyland.”

Pastis’ personal Disneyland of characters is on display daily in more than 450 newspapers, including this one. Pastis has twice won cartoonist of the year from the National Cartoonists Society. His work between January 2005 and August 2006 is showcased in his third treasury, The Crass Menagerie ($16.99; Andrews McMeel), released earlier this month.

While collections of strips aren’t key to a cartoonist’s survival, they do serve as safekeeping for fans. Pastis said he sees the collections as a record of the strip that otherwise wouldn’t exist.

“Newspapers are read and thrown away; people forget about them,” he said. “(Collections are) another way for people to see the strip. I’ve had people write me who say they just happened to see (the book) at a Borders or Barnes & Noble, looked through it, liked it and bought it, and their newspaper didn’t even carry it. And it can be fortunate, incomewise, if you sell enough of them. I must be doing OK. At least they keep giving me new book contracts.”

NEW Lynne McAdoo, vice president of sales for books for Kansas City-based Andrews McMeel, said Crass is already in the top three among humor books.

“In a relatively short amount of time, he has jumped to the top of the charts in terms of cartoon sellers,” she said.

McAdoo believes that’s due to the wide appeal of the strip. It has the talking animals, which the kids relate to. But the characters often engage in cynical behavior adults identify with.

“Most importantly, the strip is funny,” she said, “Which definitely helps.”

Pastis has some extra fun with his treasuries by adding commentaries to many of them. Sometimes he’ll mock his own drawing ability (“I can’t draw anything round … not too good about squares either. It’s a pretty big world of limitations”), note how characters evolved (the early crocs used to drop all “R’s” from their speech) or point out how human characters are renditions of friends. Pastis can tell from his e-mail that the commentary is the most popular element of the books, and he got the idea from a simple work habit.

“When I draw, I turn on the commentary of a DVD I’ve seen,” he said. “I’ve gone through all of the commentaries from ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm,’ ‘The Office,’ ‘Extras,’ and I’m making my way through ‘Seinfeld’ now. That (running commentary) is what I had in mind (for the books).”

He’ll also deal with the occasional controversies. A popular strip involved tiny crocs that burst out of Easter eggs and surprised Zebra in bed. Zebra crushed them, but not before one told him to “love you enemy.” The original, which appears in the back of the book under “Not Ready for Prime Time Strips,” had the croc quo-ting from a tiny Bible.

Pastis said he gets maybe 35-40 e-mails per day about his strip, and he has learned that mentioning Jesus or religion will get people going. He received nearly 2,500 e-mails — and a letter from the Turkish ambassador — when he had a Turkish guest character a few years ago.

“On the big ones, I didn’t see it coming,” he said. “The perception of the younger cartoonists is we like to throw stones just to throw stones, but the truth is less cool. The strip is drawn six months in advance. They go out, and it just hits some nerve.

“I’ve learned to stay away (from certain subjects). Now I use kind of a sliding scale. If I think it’s funny enough … if the funny factor is really high, then I’ll go with it even if it might offend. If it’s not that funny, I won’t bother with it. But you never really know what will get someone upset.

“The funny thing is, the angrier you get about a comic … the sooner you’re going to lose that argument,” Pastis said. “At some point you have to realize it’s pen-and-ink doodles of animals that don’t really exist. Why are you getting this upset about that?”

Pastis has his own sounding board at home. His son Thomas, 10, and daughter Julia, 6, are also the first people to see a completed strip.

“One: I figure if a 10-year-old can understand it, then it must be OK,” Pastis said. “Two: I don’t want to be hypocritical. If I don’t want to show it to my own kids, I shouldn’t show it to anybody else’s. Now I don’t always explain it to them …”

Thomas has also developed an interest in comics in general, though Pastis sounded only half-proud of that.

“He’s not reading mine … he’s reading ‘FoxTrot,’ which makes me glad because that’s a smart, funny strip,” Pastis says. “But he’s still reading ‘Garfield,’ too. That makes me sad.”

---

ROLL CALL
Rat: The cynic

Pig: Sweet and humble

Zebra: Smart and vigilant

Crocs: Hungry and dumb

---

The Pastis treatment

Fans of “Pearls Before Swine” are familiar with the strip’s parody of older strips. And while “Pearls” fans enjoy it, fans of the older strips don’t always enjoy being the subject of the parody.

Case in point: Rat’s concierge job had Ted Forth from “Sally Forth” asking Rat to set up an interesting evening away from his “emasculating” wife. “Pearls” creator Stephan Pastis said he received an intensely angry note from a woman who insisted he had sullied the Forth name and owed its cartoonist an apology.

Truth be told, Pastis contacted Francesco Marciuliano late last fall, told him he planned to make fun of his strip and asked him if he’d help by making some mention of “Pearls” in the “Forth” strip. Marciuliano, whom he had never met before that note, surprised him by timing a strip to the same day (March 27) that had Ted in a hotel, telling Sally he had just talked to the concierge.

“I forwarded the e-mail to (Marciuliano) saying, ‘Hey, this woman thinks I owe you a big apology and, well, you’re not going to get it.’ I CC’d her with it, and he explained to her that he was in on it.”

Fans of “The Family Circus,” “Zits” and “Baby Blues” have seen their characters get the Pastis treatment too and usually don’t respond well. But for the record, “Family Circus” fans, author Bil Keane has been asked to write the introduction to Pastis’ next book — despite Pastis’ plans to imperil little Billy twice in the next few months.

Join Things Cooks Love Author Marie Simmons for Book Signings & Cooking Classes

CELEBRATE THE LAUNCH OF SUR LA TABLE’S FIRST COOKBOOK “THINGS COOKS LOVE: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.”

Sur La Table Welcomes Cookbook Author Marie Simmons for National Book Signings and Cooking Classes

SEATTLE, WA (April 10, 2008) – Sur La Table, the premier retailer for creative cooking and artful entertaining, will welcome cookbook author Marie Simmons for book signings and cooking classes at select Sur La Table locations throughout the country. Here is a chance to meet the author of Things Cooks Love, which has received rave reviews from Bon Appetit, the Associated Press and Publisher’s Weekly. The Associated Press said about this book, “Now there's a cookbook to help you put all those must-have items to use. Marie Simmons' latest, "Things Cooks Love," was written with gear-loving foodies in mind.” During the book signing events Simmons will sign copies of Sur La Table’s new cookbook, Things Cooks Love. Customers should contact their local store to make arrangements for the book signing events and the cooking classes.

Sign up for one of our classes with author, Marie Simmons, for a first-hand experience in learning about five international cooking tools, as she makes five of the cookbook’s finest recipes. Along with being a food writer and award-winning cookbook author, Marie is also a popular cooking teacher, ensuring that this class will be educational, entertaining and delicious. This fun and informative cooking class menu features Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp – Clam Pork Sausage and Bacon Stew – Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Moroccan Spices – Chicken Shrimp and Chorizo Paella – Jicama and Carrot Slaw with Fresh Pineapple and Cilantro while exploring beautiful cookware featured in the cookbook Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. Class participants will span the globe with delicious recipes and simple techniques that make the most of the Portuguese cataplana, the French cocotte, the Spanish paella pan and more.

In New York and San Francisco cookbook signings and launch parties for the book will be held at the SoHo and Ferry Building Sur La Table stores. Recipes created by a stellar list of chefs utilizing Staub products and an exclusive wine tasting with wines from the C. Donatiello Winery will be featured. Featured chefs from New York include: Fabio Trabochhi, Fiamma; Andrew Carmellini, A Voce; Michael Psilakis, Anthos, Kefi and Mia Dona. In San Francisco the featured chefs are Roland Passot, La Folie and Left Bank; Gerald Hirigoyen, Piperade and Bocadillos; Traci Des Jardins, Jardinière, Acme Chophouse and Mijita.

The following details are for book signing events and cooking classes for each location:

NEW YORK
• New York, NY • SoHo • 75 Spring Street (corner of Spring and Crosby) • Phone 212.966.3375
Launch Party and Book Signing: Tuesday, April 22, 6:30 – 8:00 PM

ILLINOIS
• Naperville, IL • Main Street Promenade • 55 South Main Street • Phone 630.428.1110
Book Signing: Wednesday, April 23, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Wednesday, April 23, 6:30 PM

CALIFORNIA
• San Francisco, CA • Ferry Building Marketplace • One Ferry Building • Phone 415.262.9970
Launch Party and Book Signing: Friday, April 25, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
• San Francisco, CA • 77 Maiden Lane • Phone 415.732.7900
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Tuesday, May 6, 6:30 PM
• Santa Rosa, CA • Montgomery Village • 2323 Magowan Drive • Phone 707.566.9820
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Wednesday, May 7, 6:30 PM
• Los Gatos, CA • Old Town Center • 23 University Avenue • Phone 408.395.6946
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Thursday, May 8, 6:30 PM
• Los Angeles, CA • Farmer’s Market • 6333 West Third Street • Phone 323.954.9190
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Tuesday, May 13, 6:30 PM
• Newport Beach, CA • Corona del Mar Plaza • 832 Avocado Avenue • Phone 949.640.0200
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Wednesday, May 14, 6:30 PM
• Carlsbad, CA • Forum at Carlsbad • 1915 Calle Barcelona • Phone 760.635.1316
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Thursday, May 15, 6:30 PM

WASHINGTON
• Kirkland, WA • 90 Central Way • Phone 425.827.1331
Book Signing: Monday, April 28, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Monday, April 28, 6:30 PM

OREGON
• Portland, OR • Brewery Blocks • 1102 NW Couch Street • Phone 503.295.9679
Book Signing: Wednesday, April 30, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Wednesday, April 30, 6:30 PM

TEXAS
• Dallas, TX • 4527 Travis Street • Phone 214.219.4401
Book Signing: Friday, May 2, 5:00 – 6:00 PM
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Friday, May 2, 6:30 PM
• Houston, TX • River Oaks Shopping Center • 1996 West Gray • Phone 713.533.0400
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Saturday, May 3, 10:30 AM

VIRGINIA
• Arlington, VA • Pentagon Row • 1101 South Joyce Street • Phone 703.414.3580
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Wednesday, June 11, 6:30 PM
• Richmond, VA • Stoy Point Fashion Park • 9200 Stony Point Parkway • Phone 804.272.7094
Tools of the Global Kitchen Cooking Class: Thursday, June 12, 6:30 PM
-more-

ABOUT THE COOKBOOK

The consensus among cooks is that the dividing line between having fun in the kitchen and not having fun in the kitchen is whether you have the most suitable tool for the job. Having the right equipment makes cooking easier, and the results often taste better. Unlike any other book on the market, THINGS COOKS LOVE: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. , the first in a series of titles by trusted culinary authority Sur La Table, champions the kitchenware that cooks of all levels are passionate about. Whether it’s the gorgeous new copper pot you have received as a gift, a rice cooker you have always wanted to try, or your grandmother’s well-aged cast-iron skillet, this book celebrates the deep connection between cooks and the cookware they love.

Recognizing that a beloved cooking collection is the foundation for good food, THINGS COOKS LOVE is more than a reference tool or collection of recipes, it is a cook’s book. It is for everyone who has not only a passion and enthusiasm for all things culinary, but also a sense of adventure. And just as your kitchen equipment can last a lifetime, this book will serve cooks well time-and-again as they continue to expand their recipe repertoire and cookware collection.

ABOUT MARIE SIMMONS

Marie Simmons is an award-winning cookbook author, popular cooking teacher and established food writer. Her work has appeared in dozens of magazines, including Food & Wine, Cooking Light and EatingWell; she’s written a monthly column in Bon Appétit for fifteen years, as well as articles for the Los Angeles Times Syndicate and the Contra Costa Times. The author of eighteen cookbooks, including two James Beard award winners and a Julia Child award winner, Marie has taught classes at cooking schools nationwide and lives in the Bay Area.

ABOUT SUR LA TABLE

Sur La Table provides inspiration, tools and techniques for those who wish to enhance their lives through creative cooking and artful entertaining. Sur La Table’s comprehensive selection of products includes tools from around the world to prepare any cuisine as well as beautiful dishes, linens and glasses to create a striking presentation. Sur La Table also broadens knowledge of food and culture through its cooking class program. Sur La Table shops the world for new products providing the unexpected and a sense of discovery, whether you step into one of its stores nationwide, open the pages of its catalog, or visit surlatable.com.

# # #

**Editor’s Note: Complimentary cooking classes are available to media upon request. All class information should be verified with Razonia McClellan razonia@razoniapr.com prior to publication. Sur La Table does not guarantee correct class information without prior verification **

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By Gourmet News

Sur la Table taps cookbook author to pen kitchenware- centric cookbook
(April 11, 2008)

SEATTLE--Noted cookbook author Marie Simmons and Sur La Table, based here, have teamed up to create the kitchenware-centric cookbook, Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients, Recipes. Published by Andrew McMeel Publishing, it will be released April 22.

The 325-page book is divided into three sections--Essential Cookware and Tools, Cooking with Kitchen Essentials and Globe Trotting Cooking Essentials. The book starts off with a list of must-have items--all the cookware, gadgets, knives and appliances needed for a well-stocked basic kitchen. Then additional specialty items needed for a "well stocked global kitchen" such as a cataplana for Portugese cooking, karahi used in Indian cooking and bamboo steamer used in Asian preparations, are listed.

"Cooking is fun and can be a pure pleasure if you have the right tools," Simmons said. And this book also tells cooks what to do with them. While managing the Berkeley, Calif., store and culinary program, Sur La Table's Doralece Dullaghan saw the same look again and again on first-time customers' faces. Dullaghan, who is now director of strategic partnerships, described the overwhelmed look as the "Oh-my-god expression. What is all this stuff?" What do I do with this?"

It's the first of three cookbooks for the kitchenware retailer. The Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet with Sur La Table, and the third, A Cook's Guide to Knives by Sarah Jay with Sur La Table, will be released this fall.

http://www.gourmetnews.com/index.php?p=article&id=gn2008043DBYcT

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By AP Food Editor

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.
by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons

The following review by Associated Press Food Editor J.M. Hirsch moved on the wire on Friday, April 4:

Most foodies have done it at one point or another. You see and simply must buy some new or unusual widget or gizmo for the kitchen. It doesn't matter that you don't like rice; that paella pan is coming home. Now there's a cookbook to help you put all those must-have items to use. Marie Simmons' latest, "Things Cooks Love," was written with gear-loving foodies in mind. Organized by cuisine, the book introduces tools and appliances from the common to the esoteric, then offers tips for using and caring for the items, as well as recipes for putting them to work. With the chef's torch, for example, Simmons take the reader beyond the obvious creme brulee. She suggests using it to brown goat cheese for salads or mozzarella over roasted asparagus and tomatoes. The chapters also detail the basic ingredients of each cuisine, a huge help if you're wondering what you'll need to stock up on now that you own a karahi (a wok-like pan from India). However, flipping through this book, which was written in conjunction with kitchen tool company Sur la Table, is a bit dangerous.
You could, for example, realize how vacuous life has been without, say, a couscoussiere.

Chris Regan, Author of Mass Historia On Not Just Another Cable News Show

Chris Regan, author of Mass Historia: 365 Days of Historical Facts and (Mostly) Fictions will be a featured regular in the new CNN Headline News program, Not Just Another Cable News Show.

The show premieres April 5th at 7pm, 9pm and midnight EST and repeats on April 6 at the same time.