The luscious descriptions of food, cooking and restaurants filling these pages will appeal to anyone who loves to chow down.

Masala Farm: stories and recipes from an uncommon life in the country by Suvir Saran with Raquel Pelzel and Charlie Burd — An Indian chef and consummate city dweller buys a farm in the country.

Beaten, seared, and sauced: on becoming a chef at the Culinary Institute of America by Jonathan Dixon — Discover what it's really like to study at the Culinary Institute of America.

The feast nearby: how I lost my job, buried a marriage, and found my way by keeping chickens, foraging, preserving, bartering, and eating locally (all on $40 a week) by Robin Mather — A charming ode to eating well and locally, on $40 per week.

A tiger in the kitchen: a memoir of food and family by Cheryl Lu-lien Tan — A Chinese-Singaporean ex-pat infuses her New York lifestyle with the rich lessons of the Singaporean kitchen.

Blood, bones, & butter: the inadvertent education of a reluctant chef by Gabrielle Hamilton — An unconventional journey from the rural kitchen of the author's childhood, to the kitchen at her own restaurant.

American terroir: savoring the flavors of our woods, waters, and fields by Rowan Jacobsen — An exploration of many of the North American foods that depend on place for their unique flavor.

Edible: a celebration of local foods by Tracey Ryder — Profiles of local food artisans and the very best local foods from every region of the U.S.

Ginger and Ganesh: adventures in Indian cooking, culture, and love by Nani Power — A journey to learn traditional Indian cooking in the most ancient of ways begins with with a posting on Craigslist.