Waters' cookbook, The Art of Simple Food, is a fantastic introduction to the slow food movement.

The movement was founded in the late 1980s by a group of people who wanted to bring back local food traditions that had taken a backseat to technology as our lifestyles picked up speed and changed course. Slow Food International, the non-profit, member-supported group that popularized the idea, does not pretend to have discovered a revolutionary idea. Instead, it reiterates principles that people in places like Italy and France have lived by for thousands of years: celebrating biodiversity in our food supply, utilizing local ingredients and taking the time to enjoy and appreciate our food and where it comes from.

But back to the cookbook. Waters' recipes echo the food she serves at her own restaurant, Che Panisse - she pays close attention to details, and the dishes are full-bodied and well-rounded. The book features a much-needed "techniques" section, and accompanying each recipe is a nice description of the dish, and several variations on ingredients and preparation. Even if you're not yet a slow food convert, recipes Waters' Spicy Cauliflower Soup and Chocolate Crackle Cookies will win you over.

• New ideas for Thanksgiving, including Turkey Sausage, Leek Stuffing, Roasted Japanese Yams, and Liquid Pumpkin Pie.
• And if you're cooking turkey this year, here's how not to screw it up.
• Meatless meals that are go for you and the planet.
• The wonderful world of Brussels Sprouts.
• Mmmm...cranberry chutney.
• A look at Alice Waters' new book.
• How to make a better pecan pie.
• More recipes this week: Minestrone, Mashed Potatoes, and Ginger-Cranberry Sauce.

Speaking of apples (I know, you're getting tired of me writing about apples. This is the last one for a while. I promise.) did you guys see the gorgeous apple tart that Deb at Smitten Kitchen just posted? I don't think I've ever, in all my life, made a dessert that looked quite so gorgeous.

The recipe is one that originally comes from Chez Panisse, according to Alice Waters it was created by Jacques Pépin so you know even before you bake it that it's going to be wonderful. And Deb's pictures certain prove that out. This would make a great Thanksgiving dessert if you don't want to bake a traditional pie.

This week's New York Times Dining and Wine section has a terrific video up of Alice Waters (the woman who changed the way Americans eat) shopping at a New York Greenmarket. She is so effusive and enthusiastic about the food and the experience. She talks about how she approaches the market, what she looks for and how she lets the food guide her purchases and menu. Her passion for fresh food is so engaging that I've now watched the video three times, simply because I want to continue to bask in the light of her joy. It doesn't hurt that they also include some footage of the meal she whips up from her purchases (as well as a few grunts of satisfaction from those who were lucky enough to eat with her).

Since we heard about some chefs who are not exactly following the all-natural philosophy of the "Alice Waters school of cooking" yesterday, it seems only fair to take a look at one of her cookbooks today. The Chez Panisse Café Cookbook has a lot of material on her beliefs, her philosophies about food, ingredients and cooking, and even a few recipes to complement the text. Essentially, the core of Waters' beliefs is that food should be produced as sustainably as possible and served when it as fresh as it can be. Her recipes focus on highlighting the flavor of the ingredients in as close to a natural state as possible.

Chez Panisse Café is not exactly the same restaurant as Chez Panisse. It is actually a somewhat more casual restaurant above the Chez Panisse dining room where dishes are ordered a la carte, rather than as part of a prix fixe. Not that the less formal presentation detracts from the food or flavors. Instead it gives the chefs a bit wider range of dishes to work with, both casual and fancy. The recipes in this cookbook are some of both: Beef Carpaccio with Capers, Parmesan and Anchovies, Roast Pork Loin with Rosemary and Fennel, Meyer Lemon Eclairs and Pizzetta with Farm Egg and Prosciutto.

The competitors on Top Chef seem to endlessly complain when they have to work with an ingredient that they didn't make from scratch, repeating ad nauseum that they feel such things - namely, processed foods - are far beneath them. But using commercial ingredients isn't beneath all chefs, not even ones like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and David Bouley. Vongerichten serves his Two-Flavored Stir-Fried Shrimp in a sauce of Hellmann's Mayo and condensed milk. Bouley uses Heinz Ketchup in several sauces, including the one served with his Braised Hawaiian Yellowtail appetizer. Other secret ingredients in chefs' pantries include Gravy Master, Kraft Singles, canned creamed corn and Dr. Pepper.

How are high-end, starred chefs getting away with using ingredients that you could find at a convenience store? The answer is that they don't advertise it the same way that they highlight grass-fed beef and organic tomatoes on their menus.

Chef Alice Waters, founder of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA, is practically the godmother of the "local" movement. Last year, the chef partnered with the Heath Ceramics, a pottery company owned by Catherine Bailey and Robin Petravic, and clothing designer Christina Kim to design and create tableware that reflects their love of locally-made products. Chef Waters uses the the eight-piece setting at her restaurant, and the line is now available to the public from Heath Ceramics. The classically-styled dinnerware is distinctive and because they are all hand-crafted, have subtle differences in form and color.

The four-piece setting is $146.