Alice Medrich must be one of the most talented pastry chefs to have ever published a cookbook. "Pastry chef" seems like a better description than "baker" because, though she bakes, she specializes in chocolate. Bittersweet: Recipes and Tales from a Life in Chocolate is an exceptional work from her and won the IACP awards for Best Single Subject Cookbook and Cookbook of the Year in 2004, after the book was released. The book covers different types of chocolate, detailing levels of sweetness and types of cocoas, and provides a wealth of information on how to work with it, including troubleshooting common problems. Not only does it cover the topics, but Medrich explains the difficult nature of chocolate in an extremely eloquent way, something which not all writers who have tackled the topic can claim. While her prose is detailed, it pales in comparison to the level of specificity that Medrich applies in her recipes. While it may seem intimidating at first glance, the recipes are still very readable and can walk the cook through from start to finish of some of the most mouthwatering chocolate creations you can imagine. The book is also full of stunning illustrations, should you need any encouragement to attempt the recipes.

Speaking of recipes and photos, some food bloggers have worked through recipes in the book and published their results. Check out Coconut Saras, Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Molten Chocolate Cherry Cakes with Roasted Cherry Compote for a quick taste of what's in the text.

Blogger and food writer Ed Levine was at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards dinner last night and, very luckily for all of us who couldn't attend, photoblogged the whole thing! The event is often called the culinary equivalent of the Oscars and when the nominees are announced, there is a sense of aniticipation for the ceremony. Unfortunately, just like the Oscars, not everyone can win, no matter how much it seems that each person deserves to. Thanks to Ed, we got a sneak peek at the winners last night, even though the offical press release has yet to be seen just came out. I'll mention right now that this list is not complete, but a full list is now available at the James Beard Foundation website, or by following the links after the jump.

• Lifetime Achievement - Judith Jones 
• Best Cookbook - Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suaanne Goins
• Best Food Website - Leitesculinaria.com
• Best Television Food Show - How to Cook Everything (on PBS)
• Best Webcast - Spatulata.com (Isabella, 10, and Olivia Gerasole, 8, prepare a dinner's worth of recipes every two weeks. They are the youngest recipients in the history of the awards)
• Best New Restaurant - Modern in NY
• Best Restaurant - The French Laundry
• Best Restaurant Service - Gary Danko
• Best Chef - Alfred Portale of Gotham Bar & Grill
• Best Restaurateur - Daniel Boulud
• Best Food Section, large circulation - SF Chronicle
• Best Food Section, small circulation - Denver Post

[via la.foodblogging]