With the emphasis on buying and eating local these days, don't forget to read "local,'' as well. This holiday season as you scurry around to find the perfect gift for your favorite foodie, do your part to support your neighborhood bookstore, such as Linden Tree Books in Los Altos (yes, adults shop at Linden Tree, too) and Kepler's in Menlo Park, where you'll find an array of new cookbooks and wine books by local authors.

Here's my Top 10:

1. "'Michael Chiarellos Bottega" (Chronicle Books) by Michael Chiarello. The Napa Valley celeb chef's newest cookbook offers up his signature lusty, Southern Italian cuisine, including many dishes made famous at his popular Yountville restaurant, Bottega. Get ready for such bold, satisfying fare as "Zinfandel Spaghettini with Spicy Rapini," in which the noodles are cooked with an entire bottle of wine.

2. "Daring Pairings'' (University of California Press) by Evan Goldstein. Sure, you know your Chardonnay from your Pinot Noir. But do you know your Mourvedre, Dolcetto, Pinotage and Carignan? Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein of San Francisco wants to teach you all about 36 lesser known, distinctive varietals from around the globe. Additionally, he asked 36 chef friends to come up with a dish to pair with each varietal, such as Albarino with "Steamed Manila Clams with Udon'' (described in my FoodGal blogfrom Larry Tse of The House restaurant in San Francisco.

3. "Secrets of the Sommeliers'' (10 Speed Press) by Rajat Parr and Jordan MacKay. Parr is the wine director for San Francisco mega chef Michael Mina's restaurant group, which includes 17 establishments around the country. MacKay is the wine and spirits director for San Francisco Magazine. Together, they've collaborated on a book that gives great insight into tasting, judging, serving and securing wines. Most of us might taste a wine and deem it simply good or bad. But this book explains the intricate thought-process of a sommelier when he/she takes a sip.

4. "Tartine Bread'' (Chronicle Books) by Chad Robertson.

Co-owner Chad Robertson (with his wife, Elizabeth Prueitt) turn out rustic loaves with true character at their fabled San Francisco bakery. With lovely photos and exacting directions, this book will have you turning out exceptional loaves in the comfort of your own kitchen.

5. "Heart of the Artichoke and Other Kitchen Journeys'' by David Tanis.

The book features 20 seasonal menus from this long-time Chez Panisse chef, including a fun "Dead of Winter Dinner from the Supermarket.'' It's also packed with handy tips such as this one to freeze summer's picked-at-their-peak tomatoes: Place whole ones in a Ziploc bag, squash them, release the air and freeze. When they're thawed, the skins come off easily to leave you with perfect peeled tomatoes.

6. "The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook'' by Rachel Saunders.

Saunders is the owner of Blue Chair Fruit Company in Oakland, which specializes in using sustainably farmed fruits from the Bay Area. Learn how to make jams with perfect consistency such as "Aprium and Candied Ginger Jam'' and "Brown Turkey Fig Jam with Sherry & Fennel.''

7. "Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes'' by Harold McGee.

Who doesn't want a food scientist as knowledgeable as San Francisco-based McGee in their kitchen? A copy of his new book is the next best thing. It's filled with tips to make you a better cook, such as the difference between Chinese and Japanese soy sauces, and how to avoid cracks when baking a cheesecake.

8. "The Sunset Cookbook'' (Oxmoor House).

It's the first new cookbook in 15 years by the Menlo Park-based magazine that's chronicled the lifestyle of the West for more than 110 years. Find more than 1,000 recipes that have been meticulously tested that reflect our area's diversity – from mushroom potstickers to wine-smoked turkey to one I made, "Beef Ale Stew and Green Onion-Buttermilk Dumplings."  This is one cookbook you'll turn to again and again.

9. "Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook: Dinner's Done!'' (Brown Bag Publishers) by Deanna Gunn and Wona Miniati.

Learn easy ways to whip up dinner from all those irresistible Trader Joe's products. Each recipe -- from lemon ricotta almond cake to shrimp lettuce wraps -- comes complete with a photo and nutritional information.

10. "The Wild Table'' (Viking Studio) by Connie Green and Sarah Scott.

Green (founder of Wine Forest Wild Mushrooms in the Napa Valley), and Scott (former executive chef for the Robert Mondavi Winery), takes us for a walk on the wild side in this book devoted to the ancient practice of foraging in nature for food. A hundred recipes showcase everything from morels to prickly pear.

 Carolyn Jung is an award-winning food and wine writer based in Silicon Valley. She is the recipient of a James Beard award for feature writing about restaurants/chefs, and the creator of the blog, FoodGal.com