Read Street: Check It Out: Food edition - Baltimore book clubs and festivals, reviews and recommendations from The Sun's David Rosenthal

Have you ever gone to a restaurant, had an amazing meal, and then wondered how in the world the chef even thought to pair pork and pumpkin in the first place? Well, you're not the only one. And in an attempt to get into a local chef's brain, I e-mailed a few.

Most didn't get back to me as of posting time, but I'm going to assume it's because they're too busy making amazing food for me to eat. Don't worry, if they ever get out of the kitchen, I'll be sure to share their favorite reads that lead to our favorite eats.

But the incomparable Donna Crivello of Donna's made it easy for me, and responded with a few culinary classics. As a Charles Village resident, Donna's is a staple of mine. She shares insight into her inspirations, after the jump.

"One of my oldest (and well worn):
The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child (Knofp, 1968). I really learned to make some wonderful dishes many years ago from that book. Her recipes for: onion soup, ratatouille, coq au vin, pate brisee.
"Another well worn favorite: The Food of Southern Italy by Carlo Middione (Wm Morrow & Co. 1987) Authentic southern italian recipes that you really want to make. (and I have) A hearty Pizza Rustica: Neapolitan Rustic Country Pie, Sicilian Stuffed Artichokes, and Quail with Pomegrantes.
"My newest favorite: The Essential Mediterranean by Nancy Harmon Jenkins (Harper Collins, 2003) Authentic and well researched with stories about chefs and cooking teachers from just about all of the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries. Tunisian grilled summer vegetables, North African Chermoula (marinade for fish), Turkish yogurt soup with meatballs."

And if you ever wanted to decorate a cake like Chef Duff, the Charm City Cakes Web site has some literary advice for you: "If you’re looking for cake technique info, check out the books Cakewalk by Margaret Braun, Cakes To Dream On by Colette Peters, and Larry Powell’s Big Book of Cake Decorating."

Happy reading/eating!