Allo friends! Thanksgiving is over so we are now officially in the holiday shopping / making / gifting frenzy period.
People seemed to like the green gift guide for foodies that I did way back in 2007 (my, how time flies!) so I thought I'd give it another go. But this time I'm going to publish a series of three smaller gift guides, each one with a particular focus. This first one is for foodie bookworms. Feel free to share your suggestions via comments!
Great Gifts for People Who Like Books & Food

Put 'Em Up: a Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook
This is a divine new canning and preserving cookbook. I LOVE it! It's great for everybody -- from newbies to experienced canners. But be prepared to be a little overwhelmed because you'll probably want to make everything in the book. I had one of those experiences where I started putting little colored post-it flags on the pages I liked best and then gave up when I realized I was basically flagging every page in the book since that kind of defeats the purpose.
Canal House Cooking Series
There are also lots of straight-up pleasure reads out there to indulge in. Here are a few I've enjoyed lately (though some of these are far from new...)
Farm City
by Novella Carpenter -- this is simply an awesome read - funny, fascinating, and written from the heart. Novella's story about her experience starting a "squat farm" on the vacant lot next to her apartment in the 'hood in West Oakland. My review is here if you want more info.
On Rue Tatin
Long Ago In France
by M.F.K. Fisher - this is a classic - a memoir of M.F.K. Fisher's introduction to France and French cooking when she lived there with her first husband in the early 1900s. I think this is a great place to begin with her writing -- and it will certainly whet your appetite for more of her books.
Tender at the Bone
Or maybe you know a food-lover who prefers to read books about the intellectual or historical aspects of food. In that case, here are a few books, I would recommend.
I also feel honor-bound to include Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma
If the foodie in your life is not bookish, you may also want to check out the other installments of my 2010 gift guide. Browse through my suggestions for gadgets, gear and other assorted gee-gaws for food-lovers.