Mushrooms Demystified
Written by David Arora
Published by Ten Speed Press

The latest edition of the most comprehensive field guide into the world of wild mushrooms, this reference guide was a must in fact and spell checking for our own research. This overview includes scientific names, classifications, terminology, as well as practical identifying tools, nutritional and medicinal information, and much, much more. Respected by mushroom enthusiasts everywhere, this is a must for your own library.

Terra
Cooking from the Heart of Napa Valley
Written by Hiro Sone and Lissa Doumani
Published by Ten Speed Press

Chef Extraordinaire Hiro Sone brings you into his world of seasonal cuisine prepared with a lifetime of classical preparation techniques, set against the backdrop of his eclectic restaurant in the heart of Napa Valley. Working hand in hand with wife Lissa Doumani, they are every bit the perfect working team, bringing their concept of life and beauty alive in the ever changing menu prepared for their diners. Visit their passion for what the earth provides us throughout their book, Terra, but turn to page 20 for a personal, off the menu presentation Hiro prepared for the cameras of Food and Beverage International.

Seductions of Rice
Written by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid
Published by Artisan

Jeffrey and Naomi traverse many cultures to bring you their first hand experiences of the rice eating regions of the world. Their very personal photography brings to life the people of these regions, in addition to the hundreds of recipes they gathered as a result of these travels. It is a global study of regional cuisine. Learn the different grains of rice, and how to prepare them, and you will come to an even better understanding of the importance of rice grower’s seed labs, such as Lundberg Family Farms, who understand the importance of preserving these seeds. If you marvel at the enormity of the regional cuisine movement and it's global implications, you will love this book.

Jacques Pepin
The Apprentice: My Life in the Kitchen
Written by Jacques Pepin
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company

All too often we hear of the success, but not the struggle. Jacques chronicles his own rise through the old world European ranks of restaurant kitchens, as a young teenage boy who lives his life in the midst of his yet undiscovered talents. It's a fast reading novel, interspersed with some of his favorite recipes. However it is first and foremost an inspiration to anyone who aspires to be great, but has not yet realized what their own path needs to take in order to attain it.