Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1998 | 9:55 a.m.
Cookbooks have become a popular choice as gifts not only for cooks, but for anyone interested in food.
Every great chef has a cookbook. Some are outrageously expensive for what they are; others offer quality information for moderate prices. At this time of year, bookstores have large collections of cookbooks. One could spend hours trying to make the right choices.
Take the time to go through the pages. When it comes to choosing a cookbook, it's certainly true that you can't tell a book by its cover. An appealing cover is not a guarantee that the contents will be just as appealing -- or useful.
That said, here are some of the many cookbooks from the current crop that are worth checking out:
* "Cooking for Madam: Recipes and Reminisces from the Home of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis" by Marta Sgubin and Nancy Nicholas (Scribner, $30).
For more than 25 years, Sgubin was an integral part of the Kennedy- Onassis household. She came into the house as governess/companion to Caroline and John Kennedy Jr., in 1969. Later, her role evolved into being Mrs. Onassis's cook and dear friend. This fascinating book includes more than 100 recipes and many never-before published snapshots of the family and friends. "Cooking for Madam" is an intimate glimpse into the home life of this remarkable woman. Recipes reflect the favorite Kennedy family foods served at meals, from cozy family suppers and celebrations to stylish seated dinners.
* (????) "Jacques Pepin's Kitchen: Encore With Claudine (KQED Books and Tapes, $27.95).
Now that the charming Claudine has mastered the basics of cooking in the first PBS series with her father, renowned chef and teacher Jacques Pepin, he takes her to the next level. This delightful cookbook is a companion to the second of their popular public television shows. The collection of recipes are so appealing they'll send you right into the kitchen. With Jacques Pepin by your side, cooking is more than fun; the results are delicious and healthful.
* "Emeril's TV Dinners" by Emeril Lagasse with Marcella Bienvenu and Felicia Willett (Morrow, $25).
Is there any home cook who doesn't know about New Orleans restaurateur Lagasse's meteoric rise on the Food Network? The irrepressible, high energy chef never met a pork part he didn't like, but he recognizes that some of us like lighter foods, so there's a good mix in his latest cookbook. The recipes are a combination of the ones prepared on his two shows, "Emeril Live" and "Essence of Emeril." Instructions for making the dishes are clear and easy to follow. A mail-order source list for some of the more exotic food stuffs is a helpful addition.
* "Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef," by Jean-Georges Vongrichten and Mark Bittman (Broadway Books, $49.95).
This is a coffee table cookbook more for looking than for cooking by Vongrichten, a renowned chef and restaurateur. Some of the recipes are taken from the kitchens of the chef's New York restaurants. Deceptively simple, only seasoned cooks will find it easy going, but it's worth the effort.The full-color photographs are exquisite. This is the kind of food home cooks would love to be able to duplicate, so give it a try.
* "Newman's Own Cookbook" by Paul Newman and A.E. Hotchner (Simon & Schuster, $25).
Newman and his longtime friend Hotchner are shameless purveyers of their own products, so it's not surprising that many of the recipes in "Newman's Own Cookbook" include Newman's Own products. And why not? Through sales of the salad dressings and other products, more than $100 million in after-tax profits has been given to a wide range of educational and charitable causes. Among the many recipes are some from Newman's family and such friends as Robert Redford, as well as winners of the Newman's Own/Good Housekeeping contest. Proceeds from the cookbook will go to The Hole in the Wall Gang Fund, which supports the Hole in the Wall Camps for children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
* "Great Food: Over 175 Recipes from Six of the World's Greatest Chefs" (West 175 Publishing, $26.95).
This companion book to the PBS series "Great Food" is as good as the series which inspired the recipes. The chefs and their segments: Antonio Carluccio's "Italian Feast"; Ken Hom's "Hot Wok"; Madhur Jaffrey's "Flavors of India"; Nick Nairn's "Wild Harvest of Scotland"; Gary Rhodes' "Around Britain" and Delia Smith's "Comfort Food Collection." All are terrific. Watch the show with the recipe in hand and duplicate it while the memory is still fresh.
* "The Pie and Pastry Bible" by Rose Levy Beranbaum (Scribner, $35).
In this hefty volume, Beranbaum leaves no crust unrolled. It's another fabulous book by the author of "The Cake Bible," winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Cookbook of the Year Award. There are more than 300 recipes, many drawings of techniques and equipment and mouth-watering color pictures of glorious pies, tarts and pastries. A must for any serious or beginning pie baker.
* "The Complete Meat Cookbook" by Bruce Aidells and Denis Kelly (Houghton Mifflin, $35).
If you're a confirmed carnivore, then you share the authors' affection for meat. "Frankly," they proclaim, "we love meat!" Learn from these masters how to make a perfectly done roast and slow-cooked ribs, and how to grill a steak to bring out the beefy flavor. Aidell and Kelly have penned other meat -- loving cookbooks -- "Real Beer and Good Eats" and "Hot Links and Country Flavors" have been best-sellers. For any meat lover, their newest cookbook is prime.
* "The Yellow Farmhouse Cookbook" by Christopher Kimball (Little Brown, $27.95).
Kimball is the founder, editor and publisher of one of the best food magazines, Cook's Illustrated. He has the knack for taking any food subject and presenting it so that any cook, regardless of skill level, can duplicate his efforts. That same skill is found in this wonderful collection of comforting American foods. This joyful collection showcases the foods that comfort and satisfy. The anecdotes that are included in each chapter are Kimball at his very best.
* "The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean: 215 Healthy, Vibrant and Inspired Recipes," by Paula Wolfert (Harper Collins, $30).
Adventurer Wolfert takes her cooking enthusiasts on a delicious journey through the cuisines of the Eastern Mediterranean. From flat land to mountainous regions, we explore with her these exciting cuisines. Many of the recipes are easy to make. Most of the ingredients are available in Las Vegas in speciality markets or by mail through the sources Wolfert supplies. This is the best kind of travel guide for cooks who never leave their kitchens.
* Prevention's "The Healthy Cook: The Ultimate Illustrated Kitchen Guide to Great Low-Fat Food" (Rodale Press, $27.95).
Here are quick, easy answers to a healthier way of life, hundreds of recipes and hundreds of time-saving tips, just in time for those New Year's resolutions. This time, keep those resolutions and still enjoy flavorful meals. Ever wonder how all those skinny celebrity chefs stay that way? Two dozen of the country's best chefs, including Jean-Louis Palladin, Charlie Trotter, Jacques Pepin, Jim Dodge, Michel Richard and Emily Luchetti share their favorite low-fat recipes. A solid resource with valuable nutritional information.
* "Jewish Cooking in America" by Joan Nathan (Knopf, $35).
Another companion cookbook to a new PBS cooking series. Nathan's Jewish cookbooks have given new meaning to this ethnic cuisine. In this newly expanded version of of her landmark cookbook, she includes 35 recipes never before in print. Nathan is a social historian as well as a Jewish cooking authority. A number of kosher recipes are included, along with more contemporary interpretations by leading Jewish chefs. It's a fine Hanukkah gift. Nathan's television series has not yet been shown here, but could be part of the upcoming season.
* "Ultimate Bread" by Eric Treuille & Ursula Ferrigno (DK Publishing, $24.95).
Another smashing cookbook from the "Ultimate" series that's both practical and beautiful. These over-sized volumes are rich with excellent recipes and photographs. The Ferrignos are expert teachers. Their goal is to inspire the reader to immediately start baking. The classic bread and coffee cake recipes are easy to duplicate. Just follow the invaluable photos.
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