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With tons of media messages bombarding your customers daily, even hourly, it's hard to determine the next great trend that will capture their attention. We've wrapped up a few ideas from cookbook publishers and celebrity chefs to give you a glimpse of what is happening on the other side of your store's doors.

The Food Tube
PBS has a buffet of new shows and sponsors. Your customers will be witness to broadcasts from culinary leaders such as RÖSLE, Cuisinart and Mauviel — to name a few — this season, helping to reinforce their message at retail.

Cuisinart will sponsor "Harvest," the new PBS television series dedicated to food and travel, hosted by award-winning chef Eric Ripert of the famed Le Bernardin restaurant in New York City. The show will debut this November on public television stations nationwide.

Shot on location, "Harvest" will explore indigenous products, seasonal ingredients, and fascinating personalities in a variety of locations around the world. Confirmed destinations include Puerto Rico, Tuscany, Monaco, Vancouver, Barcelona and Andorra. The series will also showcase some of America's finest culinary destinations, including Portland, Ore.; New Orleans, La.; and the Napa Valley. The first episode of "Harvest" was shot in Sag Harbor, on the east end of Long Island and features Ripert as he prepares a traditional clambake on the beach, digging a pit in the sand and adding the fresh lobsters, clams and corn on the cob.

A leading proponent of organic foods, Ripert will travel the globe in search of the very best organic ingredients. He will visit local farmers, fishermen and ranchers, and share their passion for fresh, healthy ingredients first-hand. Ripert will also incorporate these ingredients into enticing recipes, inviting viewers to join him in private kitchens, a seaside villa, or "en plein air," for a unique look into the lives of both well-known and newly discovered culinary talent.

Mauviel and RÖSLE join the list of sponsors of "Joanne Weir's Cooking Class,"a brand new PBS 26-part cooking series featuring cooking teacher and author Joanne Weir.

In the series, Weir uses her favorite Mauviel pans which include the Zabaglione pan, the Cuprinox nonstick fry pan, the Cuprinox roasting pan with stainless handles, the Cupritam stockpot with lid, a large copper bowl with ring, the Chef's splayed pan with lid, the large copper fry pan, sauté pan, and bain-marie. She also uses her favorite RÖSLE tools which include the crosswise swivel peeler, garlic press, slotted spoon, food mill, spatula, zester, tongs, balloon whisk, small whisk for vinaigrettes, serving spoon and fork, colander, strainer, wire skimmer, pizza wheel, and cheese slicer.

"Joanne Weir's Cooking Class" is produced by A La Carte Communications, presented by KQED-TV, distributed by American Public Television, and sponsored by Gallo Family Vineyards, The Pfaltzgraff Company, and Mauviel and RÖSLE products.

Over at The Food Network, the heat will be turned up on the set of "Iron Chef America" when the red-hot American Iron Chefs return to Kitchen Stadium to begin production on the fourth season of the cult classic Food Network series, set to air in February 2007.

Iron Chefs Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Masaharu Morimoto and Cat Cora will go head to head against celebrated challengers from across the country, all attempting to take home the title of Kitchen Stadium victor. The Iron Chefs have been sharpening their skills since last season and are prepared to take on a new batch of competition.

Challengers this season include such celebrated chefs as Chris Cosentino, executive chef of San Francisco restaurant Incanto; David Myers, chef and co-owner of Los Angeles restaurant Sona; Graham Elliot Bowles, chef de cuisine of Chicago's Avenues; 2006 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington Chef of the Year and chef of Washington's Café Atlantico, Jose Andres; Executive Chef Tony Liu of New York's August restaurant; Michael Carlson, one of Food and Wine's 2006 Best New Chefs and chef of Schwa in Chicago; owner and chef of Ford's Filling Station, Ben Ford; chef of New York's A Voce, Andrew Carmellini, the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef New York for 2005; and Tim Love, chef and owner of The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro in Fort Worth, Texas.

The Network also announced that "Guy's Big Bite," hosted by Season Two winner Guy Fieri, has received a 13-episode pick-up. The series, which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. ET/PT, satisfies America's appetite for big, bold and broad flavors by cooking food that is as fun, fearless and fundamental as Fieri's larger-than-life personality. This fall, Fieri will also host two new primetime specials: "Gotta Get It" which premieres Saturday, October 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and looks at must-have food gadgets, as well as "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" which premieres Saturday, November 4 at 9 p.m. ET/PT and showcases unique throwback restaurants around the country.

In Print
Saveur, the ultimate food magazine, salutes its favorite people, places, things and ideas from the world of food and drink in its annual Saveur 100 special issue coming this January. Set for the January/February 2007 issue, this ninth annual installment of the Saveur 100 celebrates the top 100 food and drink items from destinations around our nation and the world, from the serious to the surreal.

Some products have gotten to shine during the fourth quarter. Fiesta Products' Sil-Pin silicone rolling pin was included in "The Home List" feature of O at Home magazine's fall issue. The list consisted of 12 tools that were both modern and helpful in the kitchen. The article highlighted the new trend of silicone products in the kitchen, popular mostly for their durability in high temperatures and ability to keep food from sticking.

The Book Nook
It's a sweet season this quarter as cookbook publishers feed customers' desires to entertain and fill chilled houses with the warmth of fresh baked delights.

Forget what you think you know about whole grain baking. Gone are the days when you had to sacrifice taste and texture just because something was better for you. Instead of heavy, dense bread, envision light, flaky croissants; airy cakes; moist brownies; dreamy piecrusts; and scrumptious cookies — all made with healthier whole grains. This is what you find in King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking (The Countryman Press, October), another revolutionary cookbook from award-winning King Arthur Flour, the single largest educator of home bakers in the world. The book breathes new life into breads, cakes, cookies, pastries and more with whole grains such as whole wheat, corn, oats, rye and other minor grains.

The Sweet Life: Desserts from Chanterelle by Kate Zuckerman (Bulfinch Press, October) is a stunning and accessible collection of more than 100 dessert recipes from one of New York City's most beloved restaurants. Formerly the pastry chef at Picholine in New York and Firefly in San Francisco, Zuckerman is one of the most acclaimed pastry chefs of her generation, having been named one of the 10 best pastry chefs in America by Pastry Art & Design in 2005. Her desserts, which were described as a "life-changing experience" by The New York Times, have earned her extravagant praise from every major critic in the New York area.

Other books that will tempt your customers include this month's Jamie Oliver release and a healthy inspiration from Prevention magazine.

Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver (Hyperion, November) is his sixth and most exciting cookbook (and a TV series, "Escape to Jamie's Italy" will also air this month on the Travel Channel). A tour of this famously gastronomic country, the book pays homage to the classic regional dishes while allowing Oliver's culinary creativity to shine through. The way Italians cook is what has always been his cooking ethos — food stripped of pretension where the ingredients are the stars of the dish (remember he started as the Naked Chef). From Caponata to Crostata di Fichi to Insalata Caprese, Oliver's new book is a collection of more than 120 Italian recipes, old and new, that will transport you to Italy or at least bring Italy home to you.

Michael Mina: The Cook Book by Michael Mina (Bulfinch Press, November) brings his innovative meals to food lovers. With his "trio" concept, he does just that: a main ingredient master recipe is accessorized by three flavor variations and side dishes created just for that version. For example, an Olive Oil-Poached Rack of Lamb can be served with a Cucumber/Mint (Cucumber Raita, Mint Gremolata, Heirloom Tabbouleh), Red Pepper/Rosemary (Harissa Ratatouille, Rosemary Gremolata, Rosemary-Scented Baby Potatoes) and Curry/Cilantro (Matsutake Garam Masala, Cilantro Gremolata, Date Basmati) combination of accompaniments. Although the flavor combinations create complexity, the recipes themselves are simple. And while they are meant to be made and enjoyed together, each trio preparation also stands up on its own, and can be plated individually or served family-style.

In Linda Gassenheimer's new book, "Prevention's FIT AND FAST MEALS IN MINUTES: Over 175 Delicious, Healthy Recipes in 30 Minutes or Less" (Rodale, available now), she applies her Meals in Minutes formula to the latest USDA dietary guidelines and offers delicious dishes — complete with food preparation tips and dietary insight — that are suitable for every palate and every schedule. Each recipe includes a Shopping List — ingredients divided by supermarket category — as well as a Countdown, enabling readers to manage their time in the kitchen more efficiently. Recipes are organized into six different chapters and use real foods without gimmicks or artificial flavors. Drawing from these chapters, the book includes a four-week eating plan that provides a variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner selections throughout. It concludes with a section on Entertaining that is helpful for dinner parties, special occasions, and get-togethers.