At first glance the slick new book Things Cooks Love, the first in a projected series from cookware retailer Sur La Table, looks like it might a mere promotional gimmick for expensive kitchen gadgets. But in fact it's a thorough encyclopedia of kitchen tools, with information on uses, care, recipes, and alternatives for everything from chinois to potato ricers. There's even a list of competitive sources for the stuff in the back (no mention of Williams-Sonoma though).

Author Marie Simmons will be doing a book signing tonight at the Naperville Sur La Table at 5 PM, followed by a $55 cooking class at 6:30 PM called Tools of the Global Kitchen. If you leave the city now you just might beat the traffic and make it.

Sur La Table, 55 S. Main St. 1D, Naperville, 630-428-1110