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By JEFF HOUCK

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 25, 2008

"Putting Up: A Year-Round Guide to Canning in the Southern Tradition," by Steve Dowdney, (Gibbs Smith, $19.99)

In Southern parlance, to "put up" is to preserve food through canning. (And to think, we thought we were "putting up" by tolerating co-workers and relatives to preserve harmony.) Dowdney re-examines the pastime by explaining the materials and methods used in canning, offers recipes for such seasonal fare as artichoke chow-chow and garlic pickles, and offers resources for keeping the family tradition alive.

"Alone in the Kitchen With an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone," edited by Jenni Ferrari-Adler (Riverhead Books, $14)

The way Italian cooking icon Marcella Hazan tells it, she's probably the first woman from either side of her family ever to have eaten alone. That it came while she was studying at university is notable; hers was the first generation to leave the family collective in great numbers and, thus, the traditional group dining back home. Hazan shares her experiences in this book, which collects similar tales of solitary cooking and eating from such authors and food lovers as writer and film director Nora Ephron, novelist Haruki Murakami and TV producer Ben Karlin. (For the record, Hazan will only eat alone at home.)

"An Edge in the Kitchen: The Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Knives," by Chad Ward (William Morrow, $34.95)

This year has already seen the publishing of several good knife books. Add Ward's to the list. (We've already shown Norman Weinstein's "Mastering Knife Skills" an inordinate amount of love.) Ward, a North Carolina-based writer and online instructor at eGullet.org, has crafted a book that is instructional and deep - there's more info on carbon than you'll ever need - as well as highly readable. Be sure to read the handy and hilarious Mick Jagger trick to chicken deboning on page 31.

"You Won't Believe It's Vegan! 200 Recipes for Simple and Delicious Animal-Free Cuisine," by Lacey Sher and Gail Doherty (Lifelong, $17.95)

Yes, I'll believe it's vegan - most likely after reading the recipe for BBQ Tofu Wrap on page 97. Having said that, the hook here is that the vegan dishes are easy-to-make for time-starved cooks, that there are suggestions and tips for converting favorite family recipes into vegan ones (pay attention meat-eaters), and that there is a chapter of kid-oriented vegan recipes. If nothing else, peruse the salad chapter. The Fennel-Apple Dressing and the Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce look delicious.

Jeff Houck

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