BY THE BOOK

S'Mores, Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion

Lisa Adams, Gibbs Smith, $16.95

Just when you thought you'd seen every cookbook imaginable, along comes one about s'mores that shows you in living color how to combine cookies and candy, marshmallows, graham crackers and fruit in every possible permutation. But here's the rub - there are no recipes for homemade anything, even marshmallows. Instead, the recipes combine prepared foods - everything from Junior Mints to cranberries - with marshmallows. They may look delicious, but the last time we thought about updating a s'more with cranberry sauce (homemade or otherwise) was, well, never.

The luck of the Irish

Think St. Patrick's day food, and you probably don't think Jewish deli. But New York Deli News, 7105 E. Hampden Ave., prides itself on its corned beef and cabbage. Last year, the restaurant dished up more than 1,000 pounds of corned beef and 2,000 pounds of cabbage during the holiday week. The restaurant is getting a leprechaun's leap on St. Paddy's, serving corned beef and cabbage from Saturday through March 19.

Diamond jubilee

Elizabeth Taylor - that's Dame Elizabeth Taylor to you - celebrated her 75th birthday in Las Vegas last week, with a Mardi Gras themed dinner of jambalaya, prime rib, collard greens, sweet potatoes and cake. No word on who found the diamond in the cake and got to be king.

Homegrown:

Colorado ranks fourth in the country for sheep and lamb production, with a herd of 390,000 valued at $53 million. What we want to know: Who's the guy out there counting sheep?

An apple for Giada

Bon Appetit has the results of its 10th reader survey in its March issue. Survey says:

• Giada De Laurentiis is the cooking teacher readers most want to cook with for a week.

• Crème brûlée, is the favorite dessert. It narrowly beat out flourless chocolate cake.

• The microwave is the kitchen tool used the most; a mortar and pestle, the least.

Look, ma, no hands

This is so 21st century - trash cans with infrared sensors that detect motion within 10 inches and open the lid for you. The cans open and close in more than 10,000 cycles before the batteries need to be replaced. Nine Stars' Infrared Trash Cans come in cool colors and materials - what else would you expect your upscale trash to be wearing? - and lots of sizes. Prices start at $39.95; look for them at Costco or on the Web at ninestarsusa.com or a different brand at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Secret ingredients

The Food Network is going to give you a clue to how some of your favorite chefs became favorite chefs. During Chefography Week, starting March 18, viewers can tour the homes of Nigella Lawson, Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, Mario Batali, Sandra Lee and Tyler Florence. You'll meet their friends and family and find out what they do off-camera.