Hope you all had a delicious Thanksgiving Celebration! Now:  three smart cookbooks & their authors: Julia Turshen, Ulster County, NY, http://www.juliaturshen.com/, Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home Cooking; Katie Sullivan Morford, Bay Area, CA, http://www.momskitchenhandbook.com/; Rise & Shine: Better Breakfast for Busy Mornings; Erin Byers Murray, Nashville TN, http://www.erinbyersmurray.com/, A Colander, Cakestand & My Grandfather’s Iron Skillet.

Wishing all of you and your families a Grand Thanksgiving!!  First, some Local News: Chef Christian Frangiadis has a New Toy (& late night dining) at his restaurant, Spork, Pittsburgh PA, http://sporkpittsburgh.com/; Food Rescue comes to Pittsburgh--thanks to Leah Lizarondo, Founder, 412 Food Rescue, http://412foodrescue.org/; Lucy Jessop, London UK, https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-jessop-79760615, The Goodness of Avocado; Natasha Edwards, Sandown UK, http://www.thegarlicfarm.co.uk/, The Goodness of Garlic.

A Program dedicated to the Far East: Abraham Conlon, Chef-Partner, Fat Rice (Chicago Restaurant dedicated to the cuisine of Macau), http://www.eatfatrice.com/, The Adventures of Fat Rice; Fuchsia Dunlop, London, UK, http://www.fuchsiadunlop.com/, Land of Fish & Rice; Kei Lum Chan & Diora Fong Chan, Hong Kong, China: the Cookbook.

Brooklyn, NY, Star Chefs' International Chefs Congress, http://www.starchefs.com/cook/icc: Conference Keynotes, Chef Elena Arzak & Laboratory Chef Igor, Arzak, San Sebastian Spain, http://www.arzak.info/arz_web.php?idioma=En; Chris Cosentino, Chef-Partner, Cockscomb, San Francisco, http://cockscombsf.com/; A Peruvian Connection, Mitsumaru Tsumura, Chef-Owner, Maido, Lima Peru, http://www.maido.pe/en/; Eric Ramirez, Chef, Llama Inn, Brooklyn, http://www.llamainnnyc.com/; Kathleen Blake, Chef-Partner, The Rusty Spoon, Orlando, FL http://therustyspoon.com/; Damian Sansonetti, Chef-Partner,  Caiola's & Picolo, Portland, ME, http://piccolomaine.com/; Jamilka Borges, Executive Chef,  & John Wabeck, Wine Director, Spoon, Pittsburgh, http://www.spoonpgh.com/.

OTM wishes all of you and your families a Happy Halloween!!  This week we bring you “sure fire” recipes you can produce at home because the authors consciously developed them, so that you can be a Culinary Star.  Meike Peters, Berlin Germany, www.meikepeters.com, Eat in My Kitchen; Kaitlyn Goalen, Brooklyn & Raleigh NC, The Short Stack Cookbook; Betty Rosbottom, http://bettyrosbottom.com/, Soup Nights: Satisfying Soups & Sides for Delicious Meals All Year

How Sweet It Is.  Two Great Ladies of Dessert publish Guides to success, plus the Story of a Place dedicated to Chocolate: Dorie Greenspan, NYC & Paris, www.doriegreenspan.com; Dorie’s Cookies; Kate McDermott. Port Angeles WA, http://artofthepie.com/, The Art of the Pie; John Payson, Founder-Partner, The Chocolate Room, Brooklyn, http://thechocolateroombrooklyn.com/, There’s always room for Chocolate.

Heritage Grains, especially Rice, Sonoko Sakai, Los Angeles, www.commongrains.com, Rice Craft: Yummy! Healthy! Fun to Make! Then OTM goes SPICY: Susan Wheaton, SWG Consulting for Marin French Cheese & Laura Chenel Spicy Cheese, www.marinfrenchcheese.com/ & http://www.laurachenel.com/; Mando Ray & Jared Neece, The Tacos of Texas; Denver Nicks, Hot Sauce Nation: America’s Burning Obsession.

OTM says Ciao to Roma--until the next time: Checchino dal 1887, traditional “Fifth Quarter” & other traditional Roman specialties, Francesco Mariani, Partner, www.checchino-dal-1887.com; “Steeler Nation” is alive & well in Rome at La Botticella Birreria-Vineria, Facebook - La Botticello Rome, Giovanni Poggi, Proprietor. And for the High Holidays, Jeffrey Yoskowitz & Liz Alpern, Brooklyn NY, www.gefilteria.com, The Gefilte Manifesto: New Recipes for Old World Jewish Foods.

Three Chefs we admire: Peter Gordon, Chef-Owner, Providores, London, & The Sugar Club, Auckland NZ, http://www.peter-gordon.net/about, Salads for All Seasons; Brian Keyser & Leigh Friend, Casallula Restaurant, NYC, & just-opened Casallula Pittsburgh, City of Asylum, Alphabet City http://www.casellula.com/, Composing the Cheese Plate. Also a discussion of our planned trip to Rome. Then, for the next 3 Weeks we'll be airing conversations with some of Rome's Most Innovative & Interesting Restaurants - so be sure to Tune In.  

MEAT and POTATOES.  An extremely Non-Vegan Program!!!  Ray Venezia, 2- year Master Butcher & Frequent Guest of Rachael Ray, The Everyday Meat Guide: A Neighborhood Butcher's Advice Book; Meredith Leigh, http://www.mereleighfood.com,.The Ethical Meat Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Butchery, Charcuterie, and Cooking for the Conscious Omnivore; Teresa Blackburn & Zack Brown, www.foodonfifth.com, The Peace, Love & Potato Salad Cookbook.

A Sweet Program with a Sweet+Savory ending.  Hillary Davis, www.hillary-davis.com, French Desserts; Kathryn Gordon & Ann McBride, NYC, Les Petits Sweets: 2 Bite Desserts from the French Patisserie; Julie Albert & Lisa Gnat, Toronto Canada, www.bitememore.com,  Lick Your Plate.

Pulses, San Jose CA, www.rwgarcia.com; Sameer Shah, VP Marketing, Smart Flour Foods, Flour & Prepared Foods (e.g. Pizzas) made from gluten free Ancient Grains, www.smartflourfoods.com; Sharon Gregory, Founder, The Happy Vegan, maker of Natcho-Nocheez Dairy-free “Cheese” Spreads, Pittsburgh PA,  www.thehappyvegan.com; Nancy Kalish, Founder, Pure Genius Provisions, bean-based Brownies & Blondies, Brooklyn NY, www.puregeniusprovisions.com.

to Find Today’s Artisanal Spirits.  Alice Feiring, Wine Correspondent, New York Times, http://www.alicefeiring.com/, For the Love of Wine; Jeremy White, Sommelier, Triple Creek Ranch, Darby MT, http://www.triplecreekranch.com;  Advanced Sommelier-Court of Sommeliers; Eric Grossman, Boston MA, Craft Spirits

“California Dreamin” - Specialty Food Programs & Products from Creative California: Jim Etters, Head of Agriculture Programs, Seka Hills, the Yocha-Dehe-Wintum Nation, Capay Valley CA, , www.yochadehe.nsn.gov; Jesse Layman, Vinegar Chef, Sparrow Lane, Ceres CA, www.sparrowlane.com/; Kaitlin Barton, Califia Farms Beverages including Nitro Cold-Brewed Flavored Coffees, Bakersfield CA, www.califiafarms.ccom.

Two Great Ice-creams with Attitude and an Antioxidant-loaded  Beverage that may be a Super Coffee Alternative: Jake Goodby & Sean Vahey, Founders & Owners, Humphry Slocombe, San Francisco, http://www.humphryslocombe.com; .Ron Koss, Co-Founder, Brio Oxidant-enriched Icecream, http://www.briolovesyouback.com; Carrie Christensen, VP Sales & John Kilmer, Head of Communications, Crio Bru, www.criobru.com

Ruminations on Foods, plus the story of an American Fast Food Icon: Sophie Egan, San Francisco CA,  Devoured: From Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies – How What We Eat Defines Who we are; Patric Kun, Restaurant Critic, Los Angeles Magazine, Finding the Flavors We Lost: From Bread to Bourbon, How Artisans Reclaimed American Food; Lloyd Handwerker, Famous Nathan: A Family Saga--The American Dream & the Search for the Perfect Hot Dog.

An interesting line-up of New Cook Books – Something for Everyone!  Nick Sandler, The Magic of Broth: 60 Great Recipes for Healing Broths & Stocks & How to Make Them; Brendan Collins, Chef-Owner, Birch, Los Angeles, http://birchlosangeles.com/, Cooking, Blokes & Artichokes: A Modern Man’s Kitchen Handbook;  Rosie Reynolds, London UK, The Kitchen Shelf: Take  Few Pantry Essentials, add 2 Fresh Ingredients & Make Everyday Eating Extraordinary; Jessica Emich, Co-Owner, Shine Restaurant, Boulder CO, www.shineboulder.com, Eat, Drink, Shine: Inspiration from our Kitchen, Gluten-Free & Paleo-Inspired Recipes.

Block 292, www.block292.com, Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh PA.. reflects a national trend of combining a sustainable restaurant with a sustainable retail butcher shop: Owner Brooks Broadhurst, Executive Chef Eliza Jamison, star organic lamb producers Sukey & John Jamison, www.jamisonfarm.com, Latrobe PA, sustainable sourcing of meat & other product. Next: A University Campus & Curriculum dedicated to Sustainable Agriculture: Peter Walker, Dean, Falk School of Sustainability, Chatham University – Eden Hall Campus; Cristopher Galarza, Campus Chef; Sukey & John Jamison, Adjunct Faculty, Meat Studies, Chatham University – Eden Hall Campus, Gibsonia PA, www.chatham.edu/edenhall.

The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, for the 1st time in NYC - a few Star Chefs we met:  Massimo Bottura, Osteria Francescana, www.osteriafrancescana.it, Modena Italy, won Top Spot for the 1st time; Virgilio Martinez, Central, http://centralrestaurante.com.pe/en/, Lima Peru & Lima, London UK, steady at #4; Mauro Colagreco, Mirazur, http://www.mirazur.fr/, Menton France, top French entry at #6; Elena Arzak, a permanent placeholder this year at #21, Arzak, https://www.arzak.info/index.php, San Sebastian Spain; Mitsuharu Tsumura, Maido, www.maido.pe, Lima Peru, highest climber reaching #13; Jonnie Boer, Librije, nr. Amsterdam, www.librije.com, entering 50 Best at #38, Abram Bissell, new Exec Chef at The Modern, http://www.themodernnyc.com/, NYC.  Across the East River to Brooklyn with Barbara Scott Goodman, Brooklyn Bar Bites: Great Dishes & Cocktails from NY’s Food Mecca; and finally a Cookbook by Francine Bryson, www.francinebryson.com, Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen.

Thinking Summer?  Fruits & Ice Creams?  Listen to: Annie Rigg. London UK, www.annierigg.com, Summer Berries & Autumn Fruits: 120 Sensational Sweet & Savory Recipes; Nancy Hytone-Leb, Partner & Chief Strategy Officer, Choctal Single Origin Ice Cream, Pasadena CA, www.choctal.com; Christine Chitnis, Providence RI, www.christine.chitnis.com, Icy Creamy Healthy Sweet: Healthier Tastier Frozen Desserts Using Whole Foods & Natural Sweeteners; Dina Cheney, www.thenewmilks.com, The New Milks: 100+ Dairy-free Recipes for Making & Cooking with Soy Nut Seed Grain & Coconut Milks.