A Cook's Guide to Chicago

· Hunting for truffle oil?
· Have a recipe you d love to try if only you knew where to buy masa harina or garam masala?
· Been meaning to get those knives sharpened?
· Want to visit the exotic markets of Korea or Vietnam without getting on an airplane?
· Interested in tasting the flavor of fresh turmeric, or daring a sniff of the infamous durian?

It s all right under your nose if you know where to look. A Cook s Guide to Chicago takes you on a tasty romp through gourmet shops, ethnic supermarkets, chef s equipment stores, and much more. Follow author Marilyn Pocius as she divulges the shortcuts to finding what you need and introduces you to new worlds of flavor that are waiting just outside your door.

Pocius shares the culinary expertise she acquired in chef school and through years of footwork around the city searching for the perfect ingredients and supplies. Each section includes store listings, cooking tips, and "Top 10 ingredients" lists to give readers a jump start on turning their kitchens into workshops of worldly cuisine. And don t fret, there are recipes, too.

Where to find everything you need, and lots of things you didn t know you did!

* Would edible silver paper, lily bulbs, or chrysanthemum leaves give your palate a boost?

* Have a recipe you'd love to try if only you knew where to buy masa harina or garam masala?

* Been meaning to get those knives sharpened or upgrade your kitchen gadgetry?

* Want to visit the markets of Korea or Vietnam without getting on an airplane?

* Interested in tasting fresh turmeric, or daring a sniff of the infamous durian?

It's all right under your nose if you know where to look! With the first edition of A Cook's Guide to Chicago, chef Marilyn Pocius took food lovers and serious home cooks on a tasty romp into Chicago's secret culinary corners and forever changed the way they shop, cook, and eat.

Get in on the knowing, as she continues her explorations of local foodways. Discover how specialty food and equipment shops like gourmet stores, health food emporiums, butchers, fishmongers, produce stands, spice shops, ethnic grocers, and restaurant supplies dealers can make your life delicious. Investigate the farmers markets, knife sharpeners, foodie clubs, and cooking classes that are right for you. And, with Marilyn's "Top 10" lists, extra recipes, and tips that familiarize you with the uncommon items found in ethnic supermarkets, you'll be making these ingredients your own and incorporating them into your menus in no time.

Finally, A Cook's Guide's index makes it easy to find what you need: egusi seeds, emapanda dough, frozen tropical fruit pulp, kishke, live crabs, mugwort flour, rose petal spread, smoked mozzarella, zizyphus, and over 2,000 other items you didn't know you couldn't live without!

Marilyn Pocius is a chef, teacher, cookbook editor, and ethnic market tour guide. She grew up on the Southwest Side eating kolackys and black bread. At an early age she discovered risotto, mole sauce, and tandoori chicken. Ever since, she's been exploring Chicago food--from the hot to the haute, from the exotic to the everyday. She lives in Oak Park with her daughter, a dog, a cat, and a fridge full of weird ingredients.