In the Stacks: my favorite things

I am surrounded by stacks of books.  Well… stacks of books, semi sweet chocolate chips, and bobbypins.

I really wanted to share my books with you… mostly because reading aloud is lost on my cat.  New and old, these are the pages that currently surround me.

With the season getting more grey and brisk, I find myself sitting with these books even more.  Working out is sooooo summer.  It’s time for sweaters, slippers, and cozy book worming.

I was recently gifted Good Meat.  Gorgeous Gorgeous book!  I now know that I can make a French-style hamburger with salted herb butter.  I’m reading this book like a novel and dreaming about steaks and stews.

The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook inspired this perfect chocolate cake.  It’s a beautiful seasonal cookbook with umcomplicated recipes that inspire communal table dining.

Heidi wrote such a dreamy book.  Super Natural Every Day.  It’s full of health and quinoa.  In my dream life I eat as well as Heidi.  In my real life I just keep eating butter.

Do you have the Organic and Chic cookbook?  I’ve been talking about this book for a while now.  I love the cupcakes in this book.  The decorating is simply pretty and organic as heck.

There’s totally more…

I have a relationship with Dorie Greenspan’s Baking book.  My friend Michael bought me this book when I was such a poor student that the best I could do was daydream about this book while sitting with it at the bookstore.  I’ve made every single recipe.. at least twice.  Dorie’s a hero in my heart.

Food Styling is serious.  It’s no joke.  This book will tell you how to make pies and cookies and salads look right.  On the real.

Zingerman’s Guide to Good Eating makes me sound like I know a thing or two about food. From coffee to aged Parmesan cheese, to balsamics, and chocolate.  This book will teach you why good vinegar is expensive, and why why why to splurge on an aged cheddar.  It’s good brain food.  Smartypants!

Steinbeck… I love you.  You write for my heart.  How kind of you.

Dave Eggers.  You infuriate and inspire me.  It’s strange and invigorating.

My Mom got me this Kitten Taming book.  Um… I think this arrived too little too late.  The Act Like a Woman, Think Like a Man book was much more topical and poignant when it arrived in my life last year.

Jilly’s book, Party Like a Culinista is filled with post-it note bookmarks.

JayZ wrote an uh-mazingly major book.  Decoded was the most inspiring book I’ve read this year.  It’s gorgeous.  It’s beautifully written and visually… everything.  Find your way to this book.

Eugene O’Neill.  You take my heart and break it.

OhMyGod Wuthering Heights.  Heathcliff.  Oh you.

Book of Dreams… for when I super stress dream about work stuff and such.

Be a girl who reads and cooks.  Come on… totally dork out with me.