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Bring uptown entertaining ideas and recipes into your kitchen with this collection from New York hostesses and acclaimed food writer Florence Fabricant. From event planning to signature cocktails like San Diego Frozen Margaritas and dishes such as Cider-Roasted Loin of Pork, Santa Barbara Seafood Stew, and Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, you will please any crowd. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of PARK AVENUE POTLUCK benefit cancer research and education and patient care at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. You can eat well and do good!

Ever wonder what is the world’s best selling food? Or when the can opener was invented? Did you know that white bread was once considered too nutritious? Well, culinary trivia aside (though included in the book), A MOVEABLE FEAST explores the origins of food stuffs and species, from Homo sapiens to the garbanzo bean and domestic pigs. Kipple includes telling information even when it is academically inconclusive, noting where archeological evidence is questionable and facts contested, with special attention to the impact of the “Columbian Exchange” of species between the Western and Eastern hemispheres after European arrival in the New World.

Roast chicken is but one of many common dishes done uncommonly well by author and chef Simon Hopkinson. Listed alphabetically by ingredient, each chapter (such as Cod, Endive, Smoked Haddock and Steak) begins with an ode to the ingredient, followed by an eclectic selection of recipes, rife with Hopkinson’s real opinions: “A good potato salad comes high on my list of favorite things to eat. Equally, a bad potato salad is one of the worst.” Chefs and food lovers will love the simplicity and honesty of this award-winning cookbook.

The perfect way to satisfy your craving for sailing, cooking and eating on the Med without actually doing it, David Shalleck tells a story to remember. From the moment he steps onto the yacht “Serenity,” he takes the reader along with rich detail and unswerving diplomacy, navigating tensions of crew and owners, and stepping up to the challenge of fresh, regional, unrepeated meals in every port of call for an entire summer. Sea legs are the least of what Shalleck must learn in order to succeed in the eyes of La Signora, from galley cooking his way thorough a party for hundreds of guests to surprise midnight meals. True culinary adventure, à la Bourdain, without the profanity and drugs.

‘Tis the season to cozy up to warm stews, hot soups, and spiced drinks, especially after a day on the slopes, or a morning spent shoveling the driveway. Even a hot work-day lunch brings cheer as you look out on a cold winter scene. Anderson and Pinneo, both avid skiers, have a hearty appreciation for cold- weather favorites and for the value of time-saving recipes. Whether on a winter vacation with friends and family or returning home after a long, chilly day, the recipes and tips in THE SKI HOUSE COOKBOOK will satisfy appetites quickly, using many ingredients that are easy to find. The down-to-earth and delicious dishes include soups, sandwiches, slow-cooker one-pot meals, simple sides, warn drinks, and desserts.

Not only can Padma Lakshmi expertly hostess Bravo’s hit culinary show “Top Chef”, she also cooks delectable global cuisine herself—from Tea Sandwiches and Carrot and Cilantro Salad, to Green Dragon Curry with Shrimp and Kashmiri Lamb Meatballs simmered in Creamy Spinach Sauce. Each recipe is headed by a delightful anecdote from Lakshmi’s life as a model, actress, television hostess, and food lover, and gorgeous full-color photographs of the beautiful dishes and author. Tips like “How to Peel a Pomegranate” and “A Short Course on Cardamom” are sprinkled throughout.

In PURE DESSERTS, veteran pastry chef Medrich gets right down to business with the culinary foundation of quality ingredients and quality recipes. Whoever says that elegance equals extravagance will be pleasantly surprised by the simplicity and sensuousness of recipes such as Heavenly Honey Ice Cream, Nutella Bread Pudding, and Sesame Seed Cake. Helpful baking tips, ingredient descriptions, lovely photographs, and warm anecdotes grace the pages.