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By JEFF HOUCK | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 11, 2009

"The New American Olive Oil," by Fran Gage (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $29.95)

Yes, American olive oil. You can lower your nose now. Americans haven't been making artisanal oils for as long as the Italians or Spanish, but makers stateside have won awards for a decade. This book introduces readers to those American pioneers in the craft and shares recipes to be used with their oils. Calimari stew with red wine, anyone? (Picture me waving arm wildly.)

"Vegan Soul Kitchen," by Bryant Terry (Da Capo, $18.95)

As odd as it might sound when considering today's pork and beef staples, traditional African-American cuisine was built on the agrarian foundation of vegetables and legumes. The culinary lineage of black-eyed pea fritters, for example, can be traced back to similar dishes made in western Africa. This book is part cultural exploration and part rediscovery of natural food, with little of the politics normally associated with the vegan lifestyle.

"Ready, Steady, Spaghetti," by Lucy Broadhurst (Andrews McMeel Publishing, $19.99)

The subtitle explains the premise best: "Cooking for kids and with kids." No, this isn't just about pasta. There's a wide range of dishes kids will love and love making. Kids dig making their own food in a way they enjoy best, so a tuna enchilada or a jam upside-down cake is a great way to make them feel good about the food they eat. Mini burgers are prime rib for preschoolers.

Jeff Houck

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