Hey, you! You, with the turkey leg in one hand and the burger in the other, yeah. C'mere, Bunky, I've got something to show you ...

Did you know that right here on our little Web site we've got a world-famous chef? That's right! Paulette Mitchell, whose recipes grace these pages every weekday, has won a bucketload of awards for her cookbooks. Recently, she added another star to her crown at the Gourmand World Cookbook Fair Awards competition, held in Kuala Lumpur.

Her book, "The Spirited Vegetarian," was voted "Best Book in the World on Cooking with Wine." It beat out books from 65 countries written in 40 different languages. This is the equivalent of an Oscar for a movie, essentially ... right up there with a James Beard Award.

If your idea of cooking with wine is downing a liter of Franzia while your TV dinner heats, this book shows you step by step what wines to use, how to buy and store them and even how to handle the unused portion of an opened bottle so you don't end up spending $9 for a half-cup of liquid. She also includes a comprehensive, easy-to-understand explanation of the cooking techniques she uses in the book right up front, so you aren't suddenly told to "reduce" a sauce and left wondering if you should rig up a siphon or set it in a windowsill and wait for evaporation.

You'll want to take the book to the wine shop with you, as Paulette explains in simple terms each and every type of wine or other spirit used in the book and offers lower-priced alternatives to some of the more expensive vintages. While, as she says, "Cooking never improves a bad wine," you'll see there also is no need to bankrupt yourself chasing exotic bottles.

And the recipes? If you're a dedicated carnivore like me, you'll be flat-out stunned at the variety of flavors offered and the richness of the sauces. This is no bland, tofu-infested vegetarian hay-chewing, but rather a celebration of the greener side of cooking, put together by a chef with an encyclopedic knowledge of all food and a true passion for creating exciting dishes. From soups to desserts, there is something here for every palate, from the simplicity of Zucchini Pancakes to the tantalizing richness of Lasagna Rolls With Roasted Red Bell Pepper Sauce.

Those of you who read Paulette's recipes here in the food section have seen her informative tips which accompany each recipe. Those continue in the book, and are even indexed for easy reference.

In short, whether you're a dedicated vegetarian, someone looking for an occasional meatless meal or side dish or someone in need of some basic education on cooking with wine and spirits, this book needs to be on your shelf. Better yet, it needs to be in your cookbook holder ... frequently!

And now, my personal favorite recipe from "The Spirited Vegetarian," a brownie recipe that will have your favorite chocoholic shaving their head and joining your kitchen cult:

Triple Chocolate-Cassis Brownies

Makes one 13-inch x 9-inch pan (30 brownies)

Love at first bite. Serve these dense fudgelike brownies in small pieces. You can create variations on the theme by substituting other fruit-flavored liqueurs, such as raspberry. I find that ruby port also adds a nice touch. For a dessert pairing, pour small glasses of raspberry-flavored liqueur, such as Framboise.

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (see Tip)
6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup butter
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup Crème de Cassis liqueur 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine the chocolates with the butter and cocoa powder in the top pan of a double boiler over barely simmering water. Stir as the chocolates melt until smooth. Remove the top portion of the double boiler; let stand until the mixture is lukewarm, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add the sugars; beat with an electric mixer at high speed until thick and light-colored, about 5 minutes. Beat in the Crème de Cassis and vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture and beat until well blended. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour and salt; beat just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 2 inches from the center comes out slightly moist.

Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack. When completely cool, cut the brownies into 30 squares. (Use a sharp knife and dip it in cool water for clean cuts.) Refrigerate the brownies with wax paper between layers in a covered pan.

Tasty Thai

There's a reason why almost every town, no matter how small, has a Thai restaurant of some sort: Thai cuisine is some of the most varied and delightful on the planet. There are flavors of every hue, and ingredients exotic to American palates deadened by an onslaught of Big Macs and pizza cheese.

Naturally, interest in cooking Thai at home has boomed in recent years, following the trend. Even the smallest grocery store now carries previously exotic items like curry paste, fish sauce and coconut milk.

The cookbook market is generally quick to respond to hot trends, and Thai has been no exception. The biggest problem has been that most of the people writing Thai cookbooks grew up eating foods blissfully untouched by curry. The recipes are, by and large, "Americanized" versions of traditional Thai dishes. They're tasty, but for those looking to drink from the headwaters of Thai cuisine, they're like offering a can of clam chowder to someone looking for bouillabaisse.

Fortunately, Naam Pruitt has brought us "Lemongrass and Limes," a cookbook that is so authentic the pages are curry-scented. I'm kidding about the curry scent, of course, but this book gives you, with clearly laid-out and solid recipes and lush photography, a tour through Thai cuisine that's unmatched on the market. There's even an ingredient glossary for those of you who might not know offhand what galangal or sriracha sauce are.

Ten years ago, I would have had to give this cookbook a downcheck for the unstinting authenticity of the ingredients. While more and more exotic ingredients are becoming available in even smaller markets, vital ingredients like Kaffir lime leaves and lemongrass can still be tough to find. However, thanks to the Internet, there are good sources for everything just a Google away. You'll pay more than you might in a market in Bangkok, but if you truly want to create outstanding Thai flavors and knock the socks off your dinner guests, it's well worth it.

The recipes might at first seem intimidating, with lists of ingredients you may never have heard of, but the cooking processes themselves are surprisingly simple. For the average home cook, the chances of success on a first effort are extremely high.

Treat yourself, your family and your favorite Thai food fans to some seriously good stuff out of your own kitchen. And you'll save the tip!

Cast-Iron Cinch

And finally, a quick word about a cookbook that's not new to the market, but new to my bookshelf. "A Skillet Full," from Lodge Manufacturing, is a fantastic book for those of you who are looking for something new to do with that wonderfully seasoned cast iron skillet you've got hanging around.

It's worth the purchase price for the Overnight French Toast recipe alone. I've made that three times now, and it's officially been termed "breakfast crack" by my family. It's addictive.

Got a question? Comment? Topic you'd like to see covered? Drop me a line, anytime!