Food for Thought

Join us for a fascinating exploration of the culinary world! The Connecticut Humanities Council will present “Food for Thought” at the New Canaan Library. Through the discussion of four books the series looks at the culinary world from four very different perspectives, offering insight into a profession that serves us all well. The program will be held on Wednesday evenings from 7:30-9:00 PM in the Lamb Room, beginning on February 16th with a discussion of Garlic & Sapphires, by Ruth Reichl.

 My Life in France, the biography of Julia Child, shows how Julia changed forever our perception of the intimidating world of French cooking. Julie and Julia, by Julie Powell combines culinary delight and a unique coming of age story.Think owning a restaurant is glamorous? Not at all, says Courtney Febbroriello, author of Wife of a Chef, and Ruth Reichl, author of  Garlic & Sapphires gives us the inside story on the the world of a food critic, and the intense competition in the industry.

Dates for the discussions are as follows: February 16^th, Garlic & Sapphires; March 2^nd, Julie & Julia; March 16^th, My Life in France; March 30^th, Wife of a Chef. Multiple copies of the books are available at the library. To register for any or all of the sessions visit newcanaanlibrary.org.

...in Pam Anderson's kitchen

Threemanycooks

Pam Anderson's cooking blog.

From Amazon:

Pam Anderson is the monthly food columnist for USA Weekend, contributing editor to Fine Cooking and Runner's World magazine, as well as the 2008 "Celebrations" food columnist for Better Homes and Gardens.


She is the author of five books -New York Times bestseller and IACP award nominee, The Perfect Recipe for Losing Weight and Eating Great, as well as Julia Child award winning, The Perfect Recipe, and James Beard Award nominees, How To Cook Without a Book and Perfect Recipes for Having People Over, as well as CookSmart.

Pam is former Executive Editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine. Her food articles have appeared in Food and Wine, Fine Cooking, Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, Saveur, Ladies Home Journal, and The Washington Post. She has been featured in US News and World Report. She teaches cooking classes across the country and appears frequently on TV and radio.

Winter Farmer's Markets

Look here for information on the 3 markets in our area.

Authors on Stage

Thursday, October 14 At 7:30 pm In the Lamb Room Colman Andrews Ferran

Check out CT BITES

http://www.ctbites.com/

Your guide to great food in Fairfield County

SONO Baking Company Cookbook Author

John Barricelli, author of the SONO Baking Company Cookbook with be at the library

Monday, June 28
At 7:30 pm
In the Lamb Room

Please register for this Author's on Stage program here, or call 203-594-5040.

52 Loaves

Authors on Stage, William Alexander, Thursday, May 6, 2010 at 12 noon in The Lamb Room at New Canaan Library
click here to register

William Alexander is determined to bake the perfect loaf of bread. He tasted it long ago, in a restaurant, and has been trying to reproduce it ever since. Without success. But now he’s going to try again—every week for one year—until he gets it right. He will bake his peasant loaf from scratch. And because Alexander is nothing if not thorough, he really means from scratch: growing, harvesting, winnowing, threshing, and milling his own wheat. --from Amazon.com

Ellie Krieger--Authors on Stage January 27, 2010

As weekly host of the Food Network’s “Healthy Appetite,” Ellie Krieger is known for creating light and healthy dishes that taste great and are easy enough for the busiest people to prepare. Now, Ellie has put together a collection of meal solutions for those of us who love food and want to eat well but struggle to make it happen amid life’s hectic pace. In So Easy (John Wiley & Sons, November 2, 2009; $29.95) Ellie provides 150 delicious, easy-to-prepare recipes that tackle every possible mealtime situation. Illustrated with 50 full-color photos, there are recipes for grab-and-go breakfasts, lunches that have actually been road-tested in a cooler pack, decedent desserts, and a month’s worth of rush-hour dinners—fabulous meals you can whip up in less than thirty minutes.

Cookie Exchange

NEW CANAAN LIBRARY COOKIE EXCHANGE 2009

A collection of recipes submitted by the staff of New Canaan Library.
Available at the Circulation Desk with a $5.00 Donation to the library

Authors on stage

Friday, September 25
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room

Seafood alla Siciliana: Recipes and stories from a living tradition

by Toni Lydecker.

For the first time, the history and techniques behind Sicilian seafood are captured in one book. Beautiful photography and in-depth information on the seafood used in Sicilian cooking and local alternatives make the recipes accessible to everyone. Over 100 recipes, gathered from home cooks and talented chefs, will show you how to put any dish on the table.

To register for this program click here or call 203-594-5040

Sheila Lukins at New Canaan Library

THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED.

CHECK BACK SOON FOR THE NEW DATE.

Wednesday, May 20
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room
Sheila Lukins
Ten: All The Foods We Love--
and Ten Recipes for Each

Program details

Books by Sheila Lukins

In celebration of National Library Week

Help support your library! Shop at New Canaan Wine Merchants on Wednesday, April 22, from 3:00 to 8:00 pm, and a percentage of the purchase will be donated to the library. Click here for the New Canaan Wine Merchants website.

Italian Night at The New Canaan Library

Friday, October 10
At 7:00 pm
In the Lamb Room

Hear three authors talk about all things Italian, and sample some Italian food and wine.

Call 203-594-5003 or click here to register online.

Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken
"When James Beard Award-winning author Laura Schenone undertakes a quest to retrieve her great grandmother's recipe for ravioli, she finds herself on an unforgettable journey..."--Book jacket


Passion on the vine
For lovers of wine, this is a full-bodied read about one man's passion and the many delectable moments along his journeys--From Publisher's Weekly



Italianissimo: The Quintessential Guide to What Italians Do Best
What is it about Italy that inspires passion, fascination, and utter devotion? This quirky guide to the Italian way of life, with its fifty witty mini-essays on iconic Italian subjects, will answer that question as well as entertain and delight both real and armchair travelers--From Amazon

Iced tea

The library recently acquired the book Screen doors and sweet tea by Martha Hall Foose.

From Publisher's Weekly "The warm, languid air of the South filters through this engaging book, in which Foose shares the traditional recipes that she ate while growing up on the Mississippi Delta and has returned to after training as a pastry chef in France and traveling the world."

And although my Mom wasn't from the South (unless you want to count her parents being from Southern Italy) this book made me think of her and her famous Iced Tea.

Mary’s Iced Tea

5 tea bags
2-3 sprigs of mint
4-5 cloves
6 c water

Sugar & Lemon to serve

Pour boiling water over first 3 ingredients. Brew about 5-6 minutes. Remove teabags. You can sweeten the whole batch while still warm, then refrigerate and serve over ice with a squeeze of lemon.

Mom used Lipton tea bags, but I prefer Red Rose of Luzianne. If you like the flavor of the mint & cloves, don't remove them before refrigerating the tea. The clove flavor gets pretty strong after a few days, but iced tea in my house is usually long gone before then.

Like alot of the food Mom just made throughout my childhood, I have no idea of the origin of this recipe, but everyone who ever visited our house during the summer drank it and loved it.

And to eat while drinking Mary's Iced Tea is another childhood favorite

Hot Cherry Peppers!

Hot Cherry Peppers

1 large jar of hot cherry peppers
1 large jar of sweet cherry peppers
1 can button mushrooms
2 stalks of celery, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
olive oil
oregano

Drain the liquid from the peppers. Remove stems and seeds and cut peppers into quarters. Place in a glass bowl and add drained mushrooms, celery, garlic, a splash or two of olive oil and a teaspoon or more of oregano. Mix and refrigerate until ready to serve. You can eat this immediately, but if you let it marinate for a while, the celery and mushrooms become more flavorful.

WARNING--this can be very spicy!

My friend Pam and I would head over to my house after school and eat Hot Cherry peppers on saltine crackers and drink Iced Tea. Sounds like a strange after school snack for two teenage girls, but we loved it.

Clotilde Dusoulier to speak @ NCL Wed., April 30, 2008

Clotilde Dusoulier is the 28-year-old Parisienne behind the food blog Chocolate & Zucchini. A self-taught cook who discovered her passion for food while living in California, she quit her job as a software engineer and now works as a full-time writer. She lives in Montmartre.

"In Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris", Clotilde reveals her all-time favorite food experiences in her native city. She takes us on a mouthwatering tour of the restaurants, wine bars, and outdoor markets she loves the most, as well as cheese, pastry, ice cream, candy, chocolate, and cookware shops.

~~~~~~~quoted from her website

The second stop on Clotilde's book tour is New Canaan Library on Wednesday, April 30, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. To register for this event online, please click here.

Farmer's Markets

In Connecticut, there are approximately 102 farmers' markets scattered throughout the state. The demand for farmers' markets is increasing, and each year there are a number of requests to establish new ones. The markets provide a benefit for farmers and consumers alike. They provide an opportunity for farmers to sell their crops, and they provide a convenient one stop shopping facility for consumers to purchase fresh, high-quality produce and other farm specialty items.--from The Connecticut Department of Agriculture web-site.

There is not yet a list of Farmer's markets for summer 2008. The usual time and location for New Canaan is Saturday from 10-2 in The Center School parking lot (right across the street from the library!)

While waiting for the start of the season, here are two books you might find interesting:

The farmers' market guide to fruit

The farmers' market guide to vegetables

Connecticut grown website:

Connecticut Grown

More new cookbooks

Bon appétit, y'all

The healthy lunchbox

The ultimate Chinese & Asian cookbook

Semi-homemade grilling 2

Our newest cookbooks

Sprout garden

How to grow sprouts at home and a collection of recipes using sprouts.

Made in Italy : food & stories

Contemporary Italian food bible


Passover by design

Brand new recipes, color photos, quick and easy entertaining ideas.


Sam Choy's island flavors

More than 200 recipes for Hawaiin style dishes.


My last supper


50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals

Deep Dish

Deep Dish by Mary Kay Andrews

The Cooking Channel is looking for its next big star, and Gina is certain that she fits the bill. Trouble is, the execs also have their eyes on Mr. "Kill It and Grill It" Tate Moody, the star of a hunting, fishing, and cooking show named Vittles. Tate is the ultimate man's man, with a dog named Moonpie and a penchant for flannel shirts. He's also a tasty side of beef with a swooning female fan base. All Gina has on her side are a free-spirited, college-dropout sister and a mother who calls every single day. Little does Gina know, though, that she and Tate are soon to embark on the cook-off of their lives, spiced up by a little ingredient called love.--From publisher description.

New Cookbooks

Barbecue nation : 350 hot-off-the-grill, tried-and-true recipes from America's backyard / Fred Thompson.

Miss Vickie's big book of pressure cooker recipes / Vicki Smith.

Artichoke to za'atar : modern Middle Eastern food / Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf.

Quick fix meals with Robin Miller. Vol. 1. [videorecording] / Television Food Network.

Simply delicioso : a collection of everyday recipes with a Latin twist / Ingrid Hoffmann with Raquel Pelzel.