Just reading the title of The Professional Chef, 8th Edition tells you exactly who the book is written for and what kind of recipes you're going to find inside. The book was complied by the Culinary Institute of America, based on the techniques that they are teaching now and the ones that were the foundation of modern cooking. It is part cookbook, part reference guide, as it was designed to be a "comprehensive 'bible for all chefs.'" Serious professional chefs will probably already have a copy, but it is a must have for anyone who intends to produce restaurant-quality food at home. And we're not taking the "quality" you'll find at a casual dining chain, either.

In addition to over 600 recipes, plus a number of variations on them, the book covers food safety, cooking tools, ingredients and nutrition. You'll find information on matching and balancing flavors, as well as in-depth instructions on the more than 125 different techniques that are used to create each of the dishes. The book also includes photographs of the components of dishes, the cooking processes and the finished plates, as well as step-by-step diagrams for many of the techniques that warrant it.

Being a professional ice cream taster, like John Harrison, who works for Dryer's (Edys), probably sounds like a dream job. And it is, but it is also a lifestyle, as Harrison told the Seattle Times in an interview.

Ice cream ran in Harrison's family, as his grandfather, father and uncle all worked in the industry, so he learned all about it at an early age. He even learned how to taste it properly and applies a method similar to the one wine and coffee tasters use, swirling the bite in his mouth and spitting it out. Each bite is scooped with a gold spoon and Harrison works from lighter flavors, like vanilla (his favorite), to the more dominating flavors, such as chocolate or mint.

During the week, he says that he refrains from eating foods with strong flavors that could adversely affect his tasting ability, including peppers, onions and garlic, but he will indulge on Friday nights. Harrison also drinks only tea, never coffee.

A job like Harrison's is not all fun and games, and a degree in food -science is a great first step towards getting the position. Of course, it's not all work, either. Harrison says he never gets tired of quality ice cream, and that is something that could reassure every ice cream lover.

Who said that it's possible to have too much of a good thing?

Michael Bauer, the San Francisco Chronicle's food and wine editor, as well as their restaurant critic, has just launched a blog, following in the footsteps of the New York Times' Frank Bruni and his blog. Bauer's blog is called Between Meals and has been up and running for about 1 week now. So far, he has included a list of the ten noisiest restaurants in the Bay Area (Town Hall and A16 are the worst offenders), following up on posts about the rising noise levels in eateries. The best part of the blog, though, is the FAQ, where Bauer answers reader-submitted questions about his life, the review process and about what makes him qualified to be a restaurant critic.

Will other critics soon jump on the blogging bandwagon?