Books to Drool Over, September edition

Books to Drool Over is a semi-monthly feature in which I discuss cookbooks that have crossed my path over the past month or so. This month I'm excited about two cookbooks.

I found The Whole Foods Market Cookbook at the Multnomah County Library's used bookstore, The Title Wave. A bargain at $3, it left room in the $25 gift certificate I won from Reading Local: Portland for a library t-shirt, a book bag, and a Portland Thomas Guide. (Thanks, Gabe!)

This cookbook, subtitled A Guide to Natural Foods with 350 Recipes, was put out in 2002 by Whole Foods, a natural grocery store chain with aspirations of taking over the world. Seeing as Whole Foods has fabulous deli dishes, I thought the book was worth a try.

Will I Use It? Here's a good indication: I've already fixed Baked Felafel Balls, the first recipe in the book. These Middle Eastern yummies are usually deep fried, or I've bought the dry mix and pan fried them, but I've never made them from scratch before. This was super easy to whip up in the food processor, starting with a can of garbanzo beans and some soaked bulgur. The end result was tastier and a nicer texture than any of the versions I've had. Definitely a keeper.

There are so many recipes in here that I want to try, including Orange-Glazed Sweet Potato Oven Fries, Wheatberry Waldorf Salad, and Sonoma Chicken Salad. And the Maple Butterscotch Macadamia Blondies.

From the library this week, I brought home Rustic Fruit Desserts, by Portland chef Cory Schreiber and baker Julie Richardson. It's chock-full of fruit crisps and bread puddings and cobblers and the like, organized by season, with beautiful tempting pictures. And if you've ever wondered about the difference between a grunt, a slump, and a pandowdy, this is your source.

Will I use it? The fall rains have arrived so I'm guessing I'll test out at least one of these before it has to go back to the library. Maybe the Apple Cranberry Oat Crumble or the Maple Apple Dumpling?