Neiman Marcus Cookbook

Written to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Neiman Marcus's first restaurant, the posh Zodiac Room in Dallas, this sumptuous cookbook presents recipes drawn from all of the chain's 42 locations. The book, which is spiced with anecdotes about the creation of famous Neiman Marcus dishes--such as the Duke of Windsor Sandwich and the Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie--contains sections for standard plates such as soups, main courses, sides and desserts. But it also contains chapters on specialties such as starter and entree salads, sandwiches, small plates and cocktails, which highlight the department store's position as one of the classic spots for ladies' luncheons, fashion shows and afternoon teas. The soup chapter offers a variety of nicely textured recipes, including Poblano Chile and Corn Chowder and Moroccan Vegetable Soup. The main course section emphasizes fish and seafood (though one its most appealing entries is a straightforward recipe for caper-rich Farfalle Provencal). Recipes for delicious condiments like Black Olive Tapenade and sublime desserts like Individual Toasted Coconut-Lemon Cakes round out the volume. Though well worth the time needed to prepare them, the majority of the store's recipes are complicated, and busy home cooks may choose to tackle such fancy fare only for special occasions and holidays. No matter: with its asymmetrically composed and stylized photographs, this carefully arranged luxury tome will be equally admired on the countertop or the coffee table.