in print
The Book of Daniel
Leslie Brenner took a crack at it in The Fourth Star; now it's Daniel Boulud's turn to tell his story, aided by New York contributor Peter Kaminsky. Chef Daniel Boulud: Cooking in New York City (Assouline; $34.95) chronicles a day in the life of Daniel and his restaurant empire, from the 6 a.m. milk-fed-chicken delivery to a sushi run about eighteen hours later. In between, there's Krispy Kreme doughnuts, a wine lunch with Robert Parker, a Japanese cook who eats live baby eels, a charity event, a catering gig, and eight fussy eaters who don't want anything on the menu. Along the way, Boulud reveals his suppliers, goes to the markets in Chinatown and the Bronx, and offers recipes from Cafe Boulud, DB Bistro Moderne, and Daniel. It's doubtful that he gets up at 5 a.m. to light the ovens himself, but it wouldn't surprise us.

shopping
Growth Industry
Say organic and some people envision hippie-run co-ops, pockmarked fruit, and bulk millet. Others see opportunity — especially since the USDA finally implemented a national certification program last month. Green Circle Organics, the Virginia-based ranch that sells organic Wagyu and Angus beef to restaurants like 71 Clinton Fresh Food and Town, aspires to "grow the category" with a new line of refrigerated, fully cooked beef entrées. The microwavable meals come in four antibiotic- and hormone-free varieties, each developed by Washington, D.C., chef Nora Pouillon, who broke organic ground three years ago by getting her whole restaurant certified. She's pictured on each package, benevolently chopping vegetables that don't actually come with the tasty Parmesan meatballs, the southwestern-style meat loaf, the Italian-style pot roast, or the superb bourbon beef roast. Even the laziest carnivore should be able to rustle up a salad.
Available at Gourmet Garage.

takeout
Bakery Goods
Fat Witch brownies are fabulous, Amy's breads and twists delicious, Sarabeth's sticky buns to die for — and you can find them all under one roof at Chelsea Market. But what's a glorified food court without a good éclair? That problem has thankfully been solved with the market's new branch of Goupil & DeCarlo, the East Village French pastry shop. And because even a Frenchman cannot live by tarts and croissants alone, the bakery supplements its baked goods with a well-edited selection of cheeses, hearty prepared entrées like chicken basquaise and stuffed zucchini, even the closest thing to a French cheese dog we've ever seen — a merguez sausage with melted Gruyère, sliced potatoes, and a swipe of mustard on a foot-long baguette.
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue, at 15th Street
212-807-1908