The French Culinary Institute’s newly released “The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Bread Baking” cookbook follows the outline of the esteemed institute’s international “total-immersion” intensive 12-week bread-making course. With detailed instructions and 300 color photographs, bakers of all levels will enjoy delving into any one of the book’s 352 pages covering classic French, Italian, German and Middle European breads. Recipes for all the classics are here − from baguettes and brioche, to ciabatta, foccacia and pizza.

If there ever was a color that radiates autumn, it’s orange. Amid landscapes awash in fields of pumpkins and trees bursting with the gift of brilliantly colored leaves, the great outdoors says fall. And, whether you love the color orange, or hate it, there’s no denying that no matter where you look this time of the year, you’re going to spot something orange, particularly at the market. The brightest of the bright can be found in winter squash, carrots, sweet potatoes and, of course, oranges.

As I got deeper into Zilly Rosen's "Zombie Cupcakes: From the Grave to the Table with 16 Cupcake Corpses," I found myself thinking about Bobby "Boris" Pickett's  smash hit, "The Monster Mash." Although I was just a kid in October of 1962 when the song became number one on the Billboard charts, I remember that  year's Halloween not only for the song, but also for the radio and television reports my parents and teachers were talking about - the Cuban missile crisis. Through it all, though, there was candy, even cupcakes, the homemade kind, offered in vanilla or chocolate.

With inspiration from Ruby Tuesday’s menus, the soon-to-be released “Simply Fresh: Casual Dining at Home” cookbook uncomplicates the mystique of creating a satisfying restaurant experience at home.