The Basement of the Bargains

I love food. I love dessert. I would marry dessert if it were legal. I love cooking sweet things. I love sharing delectable treats with my friends and family. And so the other day when I was browsing in my Friendly Neighborhood Book Store, my eye was quickly caught by this most delightful tome:

As much as I adore baking traditional and expected pies and cakes, the thing that intrigued me about Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich was her fearless use of such unexpected ingredients as whole grains and slightly exotic cheeses in her desserts. She discusses at length the difference between vanillas produced in Mexico as opposed to Tahiti, as well as the subtle variations produced by using vanilla in extract, powder, or bean form. She also explains the differences between ten different types of sugar.

You won’t find some of her ingredients in the aisle of your local Safeway, but isn’t that what the internet is for? And even if you never make a single recipe from this book, it’s worth it for the food porn aspect. On the other hand, if you do make something, the point is the quality of ingredients and simplicity of presentation. As long as you use the best available ingredients and don’t make it fussy looking, you’re going to impress. Trust me, you’ll blow your guests away if you finish off a dinner party with one of Medrich’s recipes.

And now that I’ve waxed so very poetic about this book, why am I recommending it here? Why because it’s on sale at Sur La Table right now - and autographed, no less! Regularly priced at $35.00, it’s now available for just $17.49. But hurry! Stocks are limited and this is one deal you don’t want to miss!

To which my answer is definitely ‘buy!’ If there’s someone you know who loves Shakespeare or if you love the Bard yourself, Shakespeare: the Life, the Works, the Treasures is a treasure trove of fascinating background material on his world and his writings. Discussions of Shakespeare’s likely inspirations and how his plays have been interpreted down the ages offer endless insights to the theater lover as well as the historian.

In addition to all that, this book includes 30 pieces of facsimile memorabilia, including:

Shakespeare’s baptism record, marriage bond, and will; King James I’s patent allowing Shakespeare and his actors the right to perform their plays throughout the country; tickets from the opening of the Swan Theatre, and a great deal more.

The list price is $50.00, which isn’t at all a bad deal. But why pay that much when amazon.com has it available for $31.50? That’s a deal the Merchant of Venice would recommend!

Hollywood costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis is president of the Hollywood Costume Designers Guild. She also designed the costumes for Raiders of the Lost Ark, Animal House, The Blues Brothers, and Coming To America, which earned her an Acadamy Award nomination. Now she adds author to her list of accomplishments with Dressed: A Century of Hollywood Costume Design.

Using many previously unpublished photographs and sketches, this book gives an indside look at the art of costume design for film. This is the perfect gift for anyone interested in Hollywood, costume design, or the topsy-turvey world of film.

The better news? Amazon.com has it available for pre-order (release date: November 27) at just $47.25. That’s 37% off the cover price of $75.00. Best of all, if you pre-order now, you can get an extra 5% off the cover price.