Alison recommends

Alison says: If you want to own one cookbook on vegetarian cooking, Deborah Madison's Vegetable Literacy is it. Deborah worked with Alice Waters at Chez Panisse before opening her own restaurant, GREENS, in San Francisco over 25 years ago. She pioneered using local farms for her menu, and has made a study of vegetable and herb families and their relationship to flavor and putting together recipes. This beautiful and informative cookbook is great to read and exciting to use - love it!

Alison says: All of Manhattan considers Danny Meyer to be the greatest restaurateur in the city. If you visit New York, then Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Eleven Madison Park, Blue Smoke, the Shake Shack - all might have been recommended to you to experience great food. Now Danny Meyers and the chefs at these restaurants share their recipes for staff meals - the daily food and ideas the chefs prepare for all the employees before the restaurant opens each day. Whether inspired by their family traditions, what is fresh at market that day, or trying out a new menu item, the staff all share chef's food special each day. Now Family Table: Favorite Staff Meals from Our Restaurants to Your Home offers those insider recipes to home cooks to enjoy. These are surprisingly uncomplicated and healthy offerings for your family or next get-together - worth adding to your kitchen for fresh ideas to experience on a daily basis.