Los Angeles Times Cookbook Hot List

1. “The Cake Mix Doctor” by Anne Byrn (Workman, $14.95). How to turn a box cake into something special.

Last Week: 2

Weeks on List:33

2. “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain (Bloomsbury Publishing, $24.95). Life in the culinary trenches.

Last Week: 1

Weeks on List: 20

3. “How to Cook Without a Book” by Pam Anderson (Bantam Doubleday Dell, $25). Outlines for dishes every cook should know.

Last Week: 3

Weeks on List: 10

4. “The Best Recipe” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (Boston Common Press, $29.95). “Ultimate” examples of favorite dishes.

Last Week: 8

Weeks on List: 24

5. “The French Laundry Cookbook” by Thomas Keller, Michael Ruhlman and Susie Heller (Artisan, $50). Recipes and inspiration from the famous Napa Valley restaurant.

Last Week: 4

Weeks on List: 43

6. “How to Cook Everything” by Mark Bittman (MacMillan, $25). A fresh approach to the cooking encyclopedia, with more than 1,500 recipes.

Last Week: 6

Weeks on List: 96

7. “This Can’t Be Tofu” by Deborah Madison (Bantam Doubleday Dell, $15). America’s favorite vegetarian cook may change your mind about soy.

Last Week: 9

Weeks on List: 16

8. “1,000 Jewish Recipes” by Faye Levy (IDG Books Worldwide, $35). Could this be the Jewish “Joy of Cooking”?

Last Week: 7

Weeks on List: 2

9. “The Low-Carb Cookbook” by Fran McCullough (Hyperion, $23.95). Recipes for the diet that’s all the rage.

Last Week: 10

Weeks on List: 40

10. “50 Chowders” by Jasper White (Scribner, $30). One-pot meals from one of New England’s great cooks.

Last Week: --

Weeks on List: 1

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Rankings are based on a Times poll of national and independent cookbook sellers.