Andrews McMeel Cookbooks Nominated for IACP Awards

Two Andrews McMeel Publishing 2008 cookbooks have been named finalists in the 2009 International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook Awards:

The Art and Soul of Baking
By Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet
Baking Category

Things Cooks Love: Ingredients. Implements. Recipes.
By Sur La Table with Marie Simmons
General Category

The winners in each of the thirteen categories, as well as the Cookbook of the Year,
will be announced April 4 at IACP’s annual international conference in Denver.

Things Cooks Love Featured in Chicago Tribune

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons and an interview with Marie are featured in Chicago Tribune:

By Emily Nunn | Tribune reporter
June 4, 2008

Thirty years ago, Marie Simmons never could have written anything like her new book, "Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes"(Andrews McNeel, $35). Of course, nobody else could have either.

Back when Simmons was starting her career in the food business—she's now a popular teacher, award-winning cookbook author (she has written more than 20), syndicated newspaper columnist and monthly columnist for Bon Appetit magazine—American cooks just weren't all that curious about how to use such multi-culti equipment as a cataplana or a chitarra.

Those are just two of the 100-odd "things" that Simmons' large and lushly attractive book—the first in a series coming from cookware retailer Sur La Table—teaches readers to use in making her companion recipes, all of which reflect an expanding interest in global cuisine.

"The concept was very astute of Sur La Table," said Simmons recently, over pizza at Osteria Via Stato, while in town to promote the book. "It's based on the fact their customers kept coming up and asking how to use things available in the stores. They just said, 'Hey, we've got to get this in a book.'"

Which could lead you to believe that Simmons has simply written a gorgeous kitchenware catalog for Sur La Table—if it weren't for the fact that no brands are mentioned in the book's three major sections ("Essential Cookware and Tools," "Cooking with Kitchen Essentials," and "Globe Trotting Kitchen Essentials"); none of the equipment, which ranges from the humble whisk to the lovely Indian karahi (a cast-iron skillet with high, rounded sides and large loop handles) is sold exclusively at the store; the recipes do, as she intended, "sound luscious"; and Simmons always recommends an alternative to a piece of equipment. A really good pommes Anna pan is "a $475 pan, but I say you can use an iron skillet," she said with a laugh.

Even as a veteran, Simmons said, writing the book—which is intended both for beginners and advanced cooks—opened her up to new cooking experiences.

"It was inspiring. . . I learned so much," she said. "I'd never used the chitarra," she added, referring to the Italian stringed tool (the name translates as "guitar") for cutting pasta. She now uses it "all the time" to make the book's rosemary whole-wheat breadsticks.

"I'd never used a cataplana, that's the Portuguese domed pan—the stew is fabulous," she said. But using a large granite mortar and pestle instead of a blender to make pesto, she said, was the most fun. "There was a huge difference with the flavor," she said, citing the "unscientific" theory that steel blender blades dull the flavor "You start with garlic, salt, pine nuts, then add the basil, little by little, and you smash smash smash, then slowly drizzle the oil in. ... It smells so different.

"I think it's more tactile and because it's more tactile, it tastes better," she added.

Which goes to her idea that good cookware should make you "more intimately involved with the food."

And it may explain why what a person chooses to cook with can be as personal as what he or she buys to wear.

"It's sort of like shopping for shoes," Simmons said. "You have your practical flats you wear all of the time, and then there's the little pair of strapless backless heels you just have to have. You won't wear them as much, but you're going to love them.

"That's the way I feel about the cataplana or the tagine," she said. (A tagine is a shallow, glazed terra-cotta, stainless-clad, or cast-iron vessel with a high conical lid.) "You won't necessarily use them every day. You're going to use it, though, and you're going to love it; and when you're not using it, it's going to be sitting there for you to admire. That's the kind of love affair that cooks have with their cookware."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/chi-marie-simmons-cookbook-4jun04,0,997214.story

Things Cooks Love Reviewed on Apartment Therapy-The Kitchn Blog

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons is reviewed by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan on the Apartment Therapy-The Kitchn blog.

Just as we were in the midst of the Kitchn's inaugural Kitchn Cure (eight fun-filled weeks of kitchen cleaning, organizing, stocking, cooking, ending with a big bang of a party in May), a book called Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $35) landed on my desk.

I kept calling it Things Cooks Need, because that's where my mind was, guiding Cure-takers toward cleaning out their cupboards to leave only what they really need to cook well.

I barely had time to glance at it before I left on a business trip. And, I'll be honest, I was skeptical. The book comes from Sur La Table (and is written by a lovely food writer named Marie Simmons) and is based around the gear you have in your kitchen. Hmmmm, Sur La Table puts out a book whose recipes are based on cooking implements. I smelled a marketing ploy.

And then I went to New Orleans for the International Association of Culinary Professionals conference and found myself on the very first night sitting next to Marie Simmons, the author of the book. She is absolutely delightful, extremely knowledgeable, and a great dinner companion. We both had that Speckled Trout Amandine.

I asked her point blank about my suspicions and she told me about how the book came to be, making me feel much better about the book.

It was of paramount importance to her that each recipe's implement suggestions included alternatives. Take, for example, the recipes for using a tagine. Simmons suggests a Dutch oven or a braiser. I might have gone even further to suggest any oven-safe pan covered tightly with foil. It was also critical, Marie told me, that the book not tout brand names. And it doesn't. Sure, most of what you find in the pages is available at Sur La Table.

Getting past the fraction of the book that is actually dedicated to kitchen implements, you'll find original recipes, tips on things like making bread crumbs, how to cut a mango (or read it here) and how to trim an artichoke, and a rundown on various ethnic pantries (the Mexican Pantry includes a list of all those confusing dried chile varieties).

This would be a great book to give a newlywed, or someone just starting their first kitchen who may be faced with gifts they don't necessarily know how to use. So, if you do find yourself owning a tagine, you at least can read about how to use and care for it before deciding to return it.

I might add that if you do decide to return that tagine and it came from a store that carries Things Cooks Love (like Sur La Table), get the book instead. Or come back on Thursday when we'll be giving away five copies.

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/book-reviews/book-review-things-cooks-love-047379

Things Cooks Love Profiled On The Global Gourmet

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 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.

Things Cooks Love opens with "Essential Cookware and Tools," which includes The Basic Kitchen, detailed descriptions of everything from baking dishes and braisers to tongs and toasters, and The Well-Stocked Global Kitchen, the ultimate wish list to take your kitchen to a new level of sophistication. It is both an easy reference for setting up a new kitchen and a convenient checklist for when it's time to add new items. Things Cooks Love gives all the information you need to confidently select the best and most durable implements.

Once you've explored the basics, it's time to put them to use in "Cooking with Kitchen Essentials," which offers tips for use and care, and recipes for everything from whisks to stove-top smokers. The recipes put your new or refreshed knowledge to work with dishes such as Sea Bass Poached in Orange, Basil and Wine with Citrus and Herb Sauce; Corn on the Cob with Flavored Butters; or Smoked Shrimp Wrapped with Prosciutto. And because this is a book for both the beginning cook and the gourmet, it also offers alternatives for kitchens that are not stocked with the exact cookware or tools.

For further inspiration, the final section of Things Cooks Love, "Globe-Trotting Kitchen Essentials," explores the cookware, ingredients, and recipes of Asia, Mexico, France, India, Italy, Iberia, and Morocco. It spans the globe, visiting the world's favorite pantries and kitchens to experience the luscious tastes and simple techniques for using tools from the versatile Mexican stove-top pepper roaster and the elegant, clam-shaped Portuguese cataplana to the practical and handsome French cocotte and the iconic Spanish paella pan. A quick read on Morocco will embolden the home cook to try a Lamb Tagine with Artichoke Hearts, Dried Apricots, and Preserved Lemon or Classic Chicken Bisteeya.

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, more than a cookbook; 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.

www.globalgourmet.com/food/cookbook/

Things Cooks Love Reviewed By Shelf Awareness

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.
by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons
is reviewed by Shelf Awareness

...Another "equipment" book comes from Marie Simmons and the folks at Sur la Table: Things Cooks Love: Implements, Ingredients, and Recipes (Andrews McMeel, $35, 9780740769764/0740769766, May 2008). They say that cooking is easier and more fun with the right tools, and they help you figure out what you need for your style, from basic essentials to global essentials (a Portuguese cataplana, a Moroccan couscoussière, a tortilla press.) Not everything is that exotic; the chapter on cast-iron skillets is excellent, explaining not only how to season them, but what they are good at, and what they are not. But the cookbook is not just a tool book, it has more than 300 pages of scrumptious recipes, like Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce, Sautéed Fish Fillets with Herb Butter and Mango, Fresh-Fruit Quesadillas. The only thing missing is dessert, but that leaves more room for Cornish Hens with Basil and Mint, and Pommes Anna.

Things Cooks Love Reviewed by Cooking With Amy Blog

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons
is currently featured on the home page of the Cooking With Amy blog. Amy Sherman is a food writer and recipe developer in San Francisco.

Last month I was raving about the new Williams-Sonoma Tools & Techniques book. It's the book I wish I had when I was first learning to cook. On the other end of the spectrum, if you are much more confident in your culinary abilities, Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes from Sur La Table is the book for you.

I already know that I want a paella pan and a couscoussiere, and this is the book that fuels my desires with descriptions, amazing recipes and gorgeous photography. You too may want do a little shopping or at least dust off your pizza stone after perusing it. Having 2 -3 recipes to go with each item is what really helps you justify your purchase of a food mill or clay cooker or tagine or whatever it is that strikes your fancy. Wondering what else you can do with the chefs torch you bought but never used? Forget creme brulee, the book has recipes for Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes with Bubbling Mozzarella and Toasted Goat Cheese, Roasted Beet and Pear Salad.

In the beginning there is a section on equipping your kitchen, and then the recipes are divided into "kitchens" as in Asian, Mexican, French, Indian, Italian, Iberian and Moroccan. Each "kitchen" has a discussion of essential pantry ingredients, tools and tantalizing recipes written by Marie Simmons, a two-time winner of the James Beard Award. The book is 300 pages long, has 100 recipes along with 125 detailed descriptions of kitchen implements from the common to the obscure. It's not a comprehensive book, but a great resource for using the "things you love" in the kitchen and a wonderful introduction to the cuisine of many lands. For $23 on Amazon this is a terrific book to add to your collection. Get a sneak peek at sections of the book here.

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.

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

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).

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.

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. Reviewed in April Bon Appétit

Things Cooks Love: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes. by Sur La Table and Marie Simmons is reviewed in the April issue of Bon Appétit :

With plenty of user-friendly recipes and cookware tips, Sur La Table’s book by Marie Simmons incorporates delicious basics for all levels. Simmons, a James Beard Award-winning author and longtime Bon Appetit contributor, gives approachable advice home cooks can count on.