Books for the Valentine in Your Life

New York is a city of superlatives. It has the largest population, greatest wealth, broadest diversity and most elegant museums in the nation. With that comes an amazing history.

This tour of the Big Apple goes beyond the traditional guidebook to offer visitors and residents alike a chance to walk back in time along the streets of Manhattan. George Washington took his first oath of office on the steps of Federal Hall. Visitors can still dine at the famed Fraunces Tavern and worship at historic St. Paul's Chapel. From the Brooklyn Bridge to stunning skyscrapers, the city celebrates its own history and that of the nation. Join author Alison Fortier as she traces the history and heritage of America's largest metropolis.

Detroit's auto heritage is known worldwide, but this fascinating city's history runs much deeper.

Step inside the tiny recording studio where Berry Gordy, a young entrepreneur who faced tremendous prejudice, created a music empire that broke down racial barriers. Tour Art Deco masterpieces so spectacular they're called "cathedrals" to commerce and finance. Walk in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Cobo Hall, where he first delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech. Join Karin Risko for an intimate tour of the city that put the world on wheels and discover an amazing history of innovation, philanthropy, social justice and culture.

Every New Orleanian knows Leah Chase's gumbo, but few realize that the Freedom Fighters gathered and strategized over bowls of that very dish.

Or that Parkway's roast beef po-boy originated in a streetcar conductors' strike. In a town where Antoine's Oysters Rockefeller is still served up by the founder's great-great-grandson, discover the chefs and restaurateurs who kept their gas flames burning through the Great Depression and Hurricane Katrina. Author Alexandra Kennon weaves the classic offerings of Creole grande dames together with contemporary neighborhood staples for a guide through the Crescent City's culinary soul. From Brennan's Bananas Foster to Galatoire's Soufflé Potatoes, this collection also features a recipe from each restaurant, allowing readers to replicate iconic New Orleans cuisine at home.

Join author Alison Fortier for a walk through our United States Capital and it's iconic locations.

This tour of the nation's capital goes beyond the traditional guidebook to offer a historical journey through the federal district. Visit the White House, the only executive home in the world regularly open to the public. Travel to President Lincoln's Cottage and see where he wrote the Emancipation Proclamation. Look around lesser-known sites, such as the grave of Pierre L'Enfant, the city's Botanical Gardens, the Old Post Office and a host of historical homes throughout the capital. From George Washington's Mount Vernon to the Kennedy Center, trek through each era of Washington, D.C., for a tour of America's most beloved sites. Join author and Washington insider Alison Fortier as she carefully curates an expedition to our shining city on a hill.

Local author Andy Peter Antippas presents a walking history of the Vieux Carre, one alley, corner and street at a time.

Walking through the French Quarter can overwhelm the senses--and the imagination. The experience is much more meaningful with knowledge of the area's colorful history. For instance, the infamous 1890 "separate but equal" legal doctrine justifying racial segregation was upheld by the Louisiana Supreme Court at the Cabildo on Jackson Square. In the mid-twentieth century, a young Lee Harvey Oswald called Exchange Alley home. One of New Orleans' favorite drinks--the sazerac--would not exist if Antoine Peychaud had not served his legendary bitters with cognac from his famous apothecary at 437 Royal.

While today, foodies flock to the flavors of Logan Circle and the H Street corridor, Washington's first true restaurants opened around 1830.

Waves of immigrants introduced a global mix of ingredients to the capital's eager palates by opening eateries like the venerable China Doll Gourmet and Cleveland Park's Roma Restaurant. By the twentieth century, the array of dishes to tempt hungry residents was astounding. Diners could have tea at Garfinckel's Greenbrier or lunch at local favorites such as Little Tavern Diner or Ben's Chili Bowl. For an elegant evening, fine restaurants like Rive Gauche and the Monocle satisfied the most sophisticated gastronome. With careful research and choice recipes, ""Streets of Washington"" blogger John DeFerrari chronicles the culinary and social history of the capital through its restaurants, tasting his way from the lavish Gilded Age dining halls of the Willard Hotel to the Hot Shoppe's triple-decker Mighty Mo.

From a one-story cabin in the piney woods of the Panhandle to a high-rise condo along the glistening waterways, Cracker cooking in Florida has evolved with our tastes and times.

When supplies were limited and the workday arduous, black coffee with leftover cornbread might serve as breakfast. Today's bounty and life's relative ease bring mornings with lattes and biscotti, biscuits and sausage gravy. What's on the plate has changed, but our heritage infuses who we are. As we follow the path laid out by gastronomic pioneers, this culinary quest, guided by sixth-generation Cracker Joy Sheffield Harris, will whet your appetite with recipes and sumptuous reflections. Pull up a chair and dig in.

New York runs on coffee. Read of coffee's past in the city and how it wove its way into the everyday.

The coffee industry was made for New York: complex, diverse, fascinating and with plenty of attitude. Since arriving in the 1600s, coffee held patriotic significance during wartime, fueled industrial revolution and transformed the city's foodways. The New York Coffee Exchange opened tumultuously in the 1880s. Alice Foote MacDougall founded a 1920s coffeehouse empire. In the same decade, Brooklyn teenager William Black started Chock Full o'Nuts with $250 and a dream. Third wavers Ninth Street Espresso and Joe made the latest latte craze mainstream. Through stories, interviews and photographs, coffee professional and Tristate native Erin Meister shares Gotham's caffeinated past and explores the coffee-related reasons why the city never sleeps.