BACK IN MARCH, you may have seen my post about the IACP cookbook awards. Well, verdicts came in last night as awards were distributed in Portland, Oregon, at the IACP conference ceremony, which was presided over by co-hosts Ruth Reichl and Kim Severson. I had nearly forgotten about the ceremony date, but was reminded by one of the nominees, David Leite. I’m happy to be able to congratulate him today as the winner of the 2010 First Book: Julia Child Award for The New Portuguese Table. It’s a distinction hard-won and richly deserved.
David, Dame Julia is smiling on you today. Enjoy the honor.
For my part, I confess that I’ve become biased in my desire to see him lauded. You know from the badge in my blog’s sidebar that I have been testing recipes for David’s eponymous online publication, Leite’s Culinaria (I’ve done so since October 2009). You perhaps do not know, but I may as well disclose now, that earlier this month I was named Managing Editor of the same. So, it kind of feels like the celebration is “in the family” at this point, though I had absolutely nothing to do with the cookbook, other than buying it when it came out last year and cooking from it regularly. I promise you, bias aside, the book is stunning, the recipes really work for home cooks, and if you purchase a copy, you won’t regret it—nor will anyone who sits at your table.
Still, no matter how confident I’ve been of the book’s merits, I was on pins and needles last night, cursing the time difference between Portland and New York, monitoring Twitter at just past midnight, when I’d planned to be asleep hours previous. It was worth staying up, though, and exciting to learn of the honorees for various categories. David takes his place in the winner’s circle this year along with Ruth Reichl, Thomas Keller, Rose Levy Beranbaum, and others. Good company, I’d say. You can see a full list of cookbook award recipients here.
Not appearing on the cookbook list, but equally significant: I also want to give a shout-out to Hank Shaw, who received the first-ever blog award given by IACP for Hunter Angler Gardner Cook. Check out his blog here.
In closing, to David, I say one more resounding congratulations (or whatever you say in Portuguese), plus: “Wok on top!” If you want to know what that means, visit this page to see video footage of David cooking a recipe from his book on the TODAY Show.
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Thanks for the shout-out! It was pretty cool winning at IACP — I was kind of in shock when I went up to the podium; hope I did not make a fool of myself. Also very happy that David’s book won, too — I wanted that book so much I pre-ordered it: There are too few good books (in English) in Portuguese food…
h.
Hank: Make a fool of yourself? No way. That podium moment must be very surreal, though it’s so well deserved, you ought not to have been in shock. I hope the recognition brings many great new opportunities your way. Congrats again. ~ Allison