I love baking so much that I often daydream about going back to school to study pastry arts. And I've recently gotten really into cooking, even trying out some exotic and complicated recipes. But as much as I've learned from books and cooking shows, sometimes it would be nice to be able to ask questions of a professional: how do I ensure my mashed potatoes are really fluffy? How do I make that pretty lattice crust for my pie? Who's the genius that first put peanut butter and chocolate together? (hehe) But seriously, having a cooking expert like James Peterson at my beck and call is a dream come true—and he's here just in time for THE food holiday of the year. Go ahead, ask all the questions you want; he's here right up until the big day to answer them! Join the conversation here: http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Food-Drink/James-Peterson-LIVE-through-Nov-25th-to-Answer-Holiday-BAKING/m-p/411885#U411885.

James Peterson started out in the 1970s as a restaurant cook in Paris. He has since published 15 cookbooks, including Sauces, his first book, which won a 1991 James Beard award; Cooking, which won a 2008 James Beard Cookbook of the Year award; and his newest, Baking, which was described by Publisher's Weekly as a "workhorse of a guidebook...a worthy baking school between covers." He is also a talented, self-taught food photographer who does the photography for his own cookbooks in addition to others' projects. He has taught at The French Culinary Institute and currently teaches at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City.