New James Beard 'Best of the Best' Cookbook

The James Beard Award semifinalists have been announced, the host for the JBF awards has been picked — and now there's a cookbook to keep the party going.

In honor of the foundation's 25th anniversary, The James Beard Foundation's Best of the Best cookbook features the first 21 (out of 25) Outstanding Chef Award recipients' recipes and stories. Contributors include Wolfgang Puck (who won in 1991 and 1998, and also won the Lifetime Achievement award this year), Thomas Keller (1997), Mario Batali (2005), and other "food Oscar" honorees. Martha Stewart opens the book with a foreward on James Beard's effect on American cuisine.

The 240-page cookbook is on sale now; just in time for you to perfect a few recipes while watching the awards on May 7. Check out Tom Colicchio's sea urchin and crab fondue, or Rick Bayless' green herb ceviche with cucumber, to start.

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