Best cookbooks of 2002 awarded in Montreal

Each year, two major awards ceremonies in the culinary industry take place, each similar to the film industry's Academy Awards. They are the James Beard Foundation Awards, announced in May, and The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Awards, which were presented earlier this month in Montreal at the annual conference of the IACP, an organization of 4,000 food professionals from around the world.

More than 300 books were entered in the IACP competition by publishers in the US, Canada, England, and Australia. They were judged by 33 respected food and beverage writers, and awards were presented to top books in 11 categories.

The most prestigious award, the IACP Cookbook of the Year Award, went to Elizabeth Schneider for "Vegetables From Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference" (William Morrow).

Ms. Schneider has been demystifying fruits and vegetables for three decades. In addition to offering fresh and contemporary recipes, "Vegetables From Amaranth to Zucchini" is a guide to more than 350 vegetables, both exotic and common.

Schneider also received the Jane Grigson Award in recognition of her book's distinguished scholarship and depth of research.

The Design Award, recognizing creativity and innovation in design, was given to Ten Speed Press for "Thai Food," which was designed by Melissa Fraser and photographed by Earl Carter.

American Category: cookbooks that focus on ethnic, cultural or regional cooking in the US: American Classics, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated (Boston Common Press).

Bread, Other Baking, and Sweets Category: cookbooks that focus on desserts, confections, and sweet or savory pastries or doughs Baking by Flavor, by Lisa Yockelson (Wiley).

Chef & Restaurants Category/The Fresh California Grapes Award: cookbooks by or about chefs, collections, of recipes from chefs, or books that focus on the cuisine of a specific restaurant: Zuni Café Cookbook, by Judy Rodgers (W.W. Norton & Co.).

Food Reference/Technical Category: reference books of culinary terms, histories, techniques, or ingredients: Vegetables From Amaranth to Zucchini: The Essential Reference, by Elizabeth Schneider (William Morrow).

General Category: multiple-subject books, all-purpose cookbooks, and personal recipe collections: Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking, by Michael Chiarello and Janet Fletcher (Chronicle Books).

International Category/Le Cordon Bleu Award: cookbooks that focus on geographical regions or cultural identities outside the US 1,000 Indian Recipes, by Neelam Batra (Wiley).

Literary Food Category: fiction or nonfiction books distinguished by the quality of their prose: Near a Thousand Tables: The History of Food, by Felipe Fernández-Armesto (The Free Press).

Single Subject Category: cookbooks that focus on specific ingredients, cooking methods, techniques, or appliances: Italian Classics, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated.