Mario on wheels

REVIEWS BY SYBIL PRATT

"Molto" Mario, award-winning chef, TV star, restaurateur and best-selling author—a conglomerate unto himself—now conquers a new venue. Well, it's still cooking, but it's cooking in new territory. Just in time for Father's Day, Mario has hit the high-octane NASCAR scene with the very first officially licensed NASCAR cookbook, Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style, guaranteed to keep your pre- and post-race prandial pleasures on the lead lap. NASCAR fans are fanatics in the best sense of the word. They think nothing of driving hours to the speedway, arriving well before the green flag waves, staying long after the checkered flag comes down and tailgating to beat the band. And Mario wants to be your culinary spotter, offering his expertise on special techniques and equipment and a winning roster of "sturdy" recipes that can stand up to the "thrill and thunder" of a NASCAR race. Start race day with an eye-opening Breakfast Tortilla Casserole, then check out Mario's array of appetizers, devised to keep your hungry crew from devouring the main event before it's off the grill. Now, start up that fire and treat the folks to Pocono Hangar Steak Fajitas, St. Louis-Style Pork Tenderloins, 5-Spice Chicken or Shrimp al Ajillo. Add in Mario's ideas for drinks (yes, there is life beyond beer), sides and desserts and you'll be on the inside track for good.


The seasonal spirit

And the beat goes on: the buy locally, stay seasonal beat, that is. Annie Wayte's Keep It Seasonal may be the most gorgeously illustrated ode to the fresh and flavorsome ingredients that change with passing months. It's also the only seasonal soup, salad and sandwich book I've come across (forgive me if I've overlooked a gem!). Wayte, the chef-owner of chic restaurants on both sides of the Atlantic, has observed a trend of moving away from multicourse power lunches toward the smaller and simpler—that goes for dinner, too—in our health-conscience, time-challenged world. Each season has its own section, and each section has truly fabulous recipes for soups, salads and sandwiches starring the ingredients that abound at that time. It's almost summer, so try the cool, refreshing chilled melon, ginger and mint soup. Follow that with Marinated Salmon and Fennel Salad with Mustard-Dill Dressing or a tuna burger with avocado relish and you'll have a wonderful convergence of the satisfying and the superbly simple. Keep Keep It Seasonal in mind when you're looking for a house gift.


Small plates, Italian style

Even if you don't know how to say hello and goodbye in Italian, I'll bet you know that antipasto is Italian for the fabulous stuff that's served as a first course in Italy and in Italian restaurants of every size, shape and origin around the world. And, because it's such an appealing way to start a meal, lots of us serve our own version at home—slices of salami, olives, a nice hunk of Italian cheese, all picked up at the store. If you want to elevate this "shop-and-serve" variety, or if you'd like to create fabulous hot and cold starters that tease the appetite or become a meal in themselves, just open up Joyce Goldstein's pleasingly designed Antipasti. These little wonders can be made with myriad ingredients: eggs become the basis for an asparagus frittata; parmesan cheese flavors crunchy crackers; a crisp polenta cake can be topped with greens or sautéed mushrooms, voluptuous gorgonzola custards with sliced pears; eggplants get stuffed or turned into caponata; shrimp combine with pea purée or tart grapefruit; chicken marinates in olive oil. Pick and choose from this marvelous medley or give in graciously and make them all.


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