The Food52 Cookbook by Amanda Hesser

Little did I know when I picked this book up that I was going to be completely swept away. First Food52 is a website created by the authors to support home cooking. I could spend a day there just looking over their dinner and a movie section.
The cookbook represents a year's worth of recipes that the authors gathered from their website. These are not just any recipes but the winners of a variety of contests they hold.
The recipes are real world recipes - sophisticated and yet homey. I can imagine my family eating these foods at the dinner table. I pictured my son enjoying buttery cookies and exotic soups and loving them.
I can't even begin to pick out a favorite and I'm sure my days will be consumed with fitting these recipes into our menus.
I liked that the recipes stretched beyond my comfort level but not so much that I was intimidated. The cookbook its self is open and honest like sitting down with friends to talk food.
The recipes are adult but can easily be served to children (minus the numerous inventive cocktails). I like that there are whole foods in these recipes and they are not too complicated. This is definetely one that is going on my shelf at home.

YATopia Blog Contest

I follow a good deal of reading blogs and this week YATopia is having a contest to celebrate their followers http://yatopia.blogspot.com/2011/03/200-followers-giveaway.html
The winners can win books or a pair of earrings. Check out the site for the rules and what is up for winning. I am gunning for the Diana Wynne Jones books - Howl's Moving Castle is a family favorite and we were so sad to hear she had passed away this past weekend.