Sea of Stories

What’s the secret to making luscious lollipops and lemon drops? How do you make the perfect raspberry chocolate truffle? And what puts the crunch in buttercrunch toffee? Find out in Field Guide to Candy, a handy pocket reference to more than 100 candy recipes, complete with the fascinating historical...[more] (posted on 2008-10-29)

What’s the secret to making foolproof friands? And what puts the snap in the very best ginger snaps? Find out in Field Guide to Cookies, a handy pocket reference to more than 100 cookie recipes, complete with the fascinating historical background, season, and helpful baking notes for each delicious...[more] (posted on 2008-02-12)

The next time someone at a bar asks you for your star sign, go ahead and reveal it—along with your destiny number, birth number, and Chinese astrological sign. From the good luck of shamrocks, rabbits’ feet, and horseshoes to the bad luck of broken mirrors, black cats, and umbrellas opened indoors,...[more] (posted on 2007-07-17)

It’s been called “the new yoga.” Julia Roberts does it. Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Hilary Swank all do it. It’s knitting, a fiber art as old as time, and it’s sweeping the nation. But how can you know your knits from your purls? How can you put these simple methods together to create...[more] (posted on 2007-03-15)

Doctors now recommend eating fish or shellfish two to three days a week, to reap the plentiful health benefits. For many, however, this is a daunting suggestion—the variety and number of different kinds of fish and shellfish is overwhelming. Field Guide to Seafood has come to the rescue. Continuing...[more] (posted on 2006-04-21)

You woke up in a sweat, or crying, or with a heartbeat so quick you feel like you just ran a mile. Who was the faceless man chasing you over the rainbow? What did it mean when you turned around and kissed him? Why were you naked!? Whether you want to find out what a dream symbol or person means or to...[more] (posted on 2006-03-20)

It's the little things that make a meal taste so good--a sprig of rosemary simmering with the soup, chopped dill to infuse the yogurt, and cinnamon to give subtle heat to a bun. We're talking about herbs and spices, those essentials of cooking. But would you know your thyme from your sage? Cumin from...[more] (posted on 2005-05-12)

Quirk’s popular Field Guideseries has taught readers how to identify stains, gestures, fruits and vegetables, meats, and even power tools. Now it’s time to kick back and relax—with Field Guide to Cocktails. Here are recipes for more than 200 libations, from tried-and-true classics like the Tom...[more] (posted on 2005-03-12)

It’s inevitable—you find a fabulous recipe that you’re just dying to make, and it calls for “top round roast.” You head out to the grocery store, stand in the meat aisle, and stare blankly at the many different cuts of beef available, none of which are called “top round.” You can find “round...[more] (posted on 2004-04-23)

Finally, a field guide to all the tools available, with step-by-step instructions on how to use them. Full-color photos aid in identification, while detailed text explains the history and origin of the item, plus tips on what kind of job to use it on and just how to use it correctly. Includes all kinds...[more] (posted on 2004-04-23)

Grocery store aisles and farmers' market stalls are more colorful than ever, with heaping piles of familiar and strange produce. Sure, you'll recognize apples, pears, and celery, but would you know quince, amaranth, or kumquats if you saw them? Field Guide to Produce is a handy reference to nearly every...[more] (posted on 2003-07-22)

At last, a field guide to identifying and doing battle with more than 100 stains, from tomato juice and tar to avocado and urine! Field Guide to Stains is divided into handy sections for easy access to information about stain removal when time is of the essence: Fruits and Vegetables, Sauces and Condiments,...[more] (posted on 2003-06-17)

Did a girl across the bar just flip her hair while looking at you? Did a stranger just rub his chin in your direction? What messages are they trying to convey? Formatted like a classic field guide, but concerned with body language in all its forms, Field Guide to Gestures has a full-color insert with...[more] (posted on 2003-06-13)