The 2011 finalists for the James Beard Foundation awards were announced this week. The chefs get much of the attention, but for those of us who love cookbooks, those awards are at least as significant. The winners of the cookbook awards will be presented on May 6 in New York City. For more on the awards, see www.JBFAwards.com. Compare the Beard selection with the finalists of the International Association of Culinary Professions (IACP), mentioned in an earlier post.
American Cooking
"The Food, Folklore, and Art of Lowcountry Cooking" by Joseph E. Dabney (Cumberland House)
"The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual" by Frank Castronovo, Frank Falcinelli, and Peter Meehan (Artisan)
"Pig: King of the Southern Table" by James Villas (John Wiley & Sons)
Baking and Dessert
"Good to the Grain: Baking with Whole-Grain Flours" by Kim Boyce (Stewart, Tabori & Chang)
" My Sweet Mexico: Recipes for Authentic Pastries, Breads, Candies, Beverages, and Frozen Treats" by Fany Gerson
(Ten Speed Press)
"Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours" by Sarabeth Levine (Rizzoli New York)