It’s that time of year again - the compilation by Holly Hughes of the best food writing of the year.  This volume contains 50 essays  - some from the usual suspects (Ruth Reichl, Colman Andrews, Alice Waters) but some delightful lesser knowns like Monica Bhide.

Got a party coming up?  Or a wedding or even just a small dinner party?  These truffle cones from Firelilly Chocolates are the perfect little dessert.  Use them as a favor to pass out or as an after dinner treat.   Stick a tub of them out at your Christmas get together or place one at each table  setting on New Year’s Eve.   They come in a variety of packaging and each cone is individually wrapped.   You can buy bags of them, cute little canisters of two, or these one gallon Apothecary jars, which hold 75 truffle cones!   6 flavors.

Scripps, the parent company of the Food Network, has announced that it will launch a new Cooking Channel in 2010.  With primetime Food Network shows sliding into the “entertainment” category, they realize that their offerings are not for serious cooks anymore (remember the original MTV - it was actually about music videos?).  They will be renaming the Fine Living Network into the Cooking Channel and it will focus on actual cooking!   They are currently on the lookout for a programming director - may I suggest Ruth Reichl?

From the man behind America’s Test Kitchen, Chris Kimball’s top 5 kitchen tips. Definitely worth reading - every one is a keeper.

Beautiful, unusual ceramic designs from a Russian artist in Rhode Island.  These bowls are handmade and stamped with antique numbers - you can pick which number you like.   Dishwasher and food safe,  $40 set of two. From Gleena.

From the unbeatable team of Christopher Hersheimer and Melissa Hamilton comes their gorgeous self published cookbook, Canal House Cooking. Christopher, besides being one of the founding editors of Saveur magazine, is the outstanding food photographer behind many wonderful cookbooks, including Lydia’s Family Table and the beautiful A Platter of Figs.  Melissa has worked as an editor and test kitchen director at Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, and Cook’s Illustrated. They have teamed up in a studio in New Jersey which they have named Canal House and are cooking and photographing the foods they love the most.  This is the first volume in three yearly issues.  Single issue $19.95.  Subscription (all three issues) $49.95

The executive chef who was in charge of all the food during the filming of the movie “Julie and Julia” speaks with blogger Amanda Benson in this post on Food & Think. Colin Flynn dishes about behind the scene stories on the set,  the vast quantity of food required for a movie shoot and what is was like to burn the boeuf bourguignon on purpose.

The New York Times has named Sam Sifton, culture editor, to replace Frank Bruni, who is stepping down to write for the New York Times Magazine.  Since the announcement, Sifton’s photo has been all over the internet, leading people to wonder how he will have any anonymity at all.  When asked, Sifton responded, “I’ve got some spy-versus-spy tricks”.   Maybe he can ask Ruth Reichl for some advice on disguises.

Can’t get along without a good shot of espresso?  Now you can have espresso anywhere you go with the Handpresso Wild.  It requires no electricity and produces a perfect cup of espresso, crema and all.  It uses a high pressure extraction system and espresso pods. You can also buy a neat little carrying case. From Handpresso in France. $99  available through Importika.

For award winning food writer and cooking teacher Molly Stevens, real Italian porchetta was something she always dreamed of making at home.  When she discovered New York City’s Porchetta sandwich shop in the East Village, she knew it was the real deal.  Porchetta serves up delicious fennel scented, long roasted pork, just like in Italy.  Molly tracks down the cooking method that owner Sara Jenkins uses and makes her dream dish at home.