Food Network Star Martie Duncan and Birmingham area chefs will host “Birmingham’s Best Bites’’ cookbook signing this Saturday

Primeaux Cheese & Vino's P Jack's Fresh Egg Sandwich
Arden Ward Upton and Mo Davis of Arden Photography

Food Network Star Martie Duncan and several popular Birmingham area chefs will be at the Birmingham Public Library on Saturday, Dec. 13 to sign copies of the new cookbook, Birmingham’s Best Bites: Favorite Recipes from Restaurants, Bars, & Food Trucks Around the Magic City from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The book, which features more than 80 recipes from more than 60 area restaurants, is $25.

Proceeds will benefit the library.

"This is a book that’s giving in so many ways. Not only is it creating funds for the library, but it’s bringing attention to our local restaurants," says Duncan.

"People who’ve never been to Birmingham, are buying the book. Now they want to come here."

The book's first edition was released in early October 2014 during a finale party for the library's Eat Drink Read Write Festival. Demand was so great, especially for the holidays, that a second printing was needed. Alagasco made the second printing possible. The cookbook is now available at the following

Some of people's favorite recipes are in the book like Hot and Hot's Tomato Salad, Ashley Mac’s Mac and Cheese, Dreamcakes Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Bourbon Caramel Glaze and many others. Chefs such as The Fish Market's George Sarris, Little Savannah’s Maureen Holt, The Gardens Café by Kathy G, Primeaux Cheese & Vino's Ric Trent and Chris Vizinna will sign books on Saturday. Refreshments will be served.

Little Savannah's Shrimp and Blue Grits with Bacon Vinaigrette
Arden Ward Upton and Mo Davis of Arden Photography

Duncan says that the book’s color photography, done by Arden Ward Upton and Mo Davis of Arden Photography, is so beautiful, that people will either want to make the recipe or make a reservation. "George Sarris says he’s selling his Cioppino, which is in the book, more than he ever has," Duncan says. Tamara Zeigler bought the book and made the Dreamcakes Brown Sugar Pound Cake for Thanksgiving. She says it was gone in three days. "It was delicious," she says. Says Vizinna: "People who've purchased the book and read it, have commented on the fantastic compilation of recipes from the local restaurants and chefs in the Birmingham area. Everyone's excited that the Birmingham library benefits from sales of the book."

Birmingham Public Relations Director Chanda Temple is a contributor to the book, which will be sold on Dec. 13 and will be available at the library's bookstore on the second floor.