People look forward to fall for all kinds of reasons. Suede boots. Pumpkin recipes. Apple picking. Some can't wait for the September issue of Vogue; I can't wait for the release of fall cookbooks. And this year is a special year. From baking books that highlight cookies contributed by New York restaurants and chefs to a young Southern renegade chef making truly exciting food -- there's something for everyone.

This has been a banner year for fall cookbooks. There are always some great new releases that I get particularly excited about, but this year's different. I can hardly keep up and I wanted to share some of my new favorites with you. These are the ones that are bookmarked, riddled with post-it notes, and live on my bedstand--the ones I turn to for ideas on innovative ingredients, old-fashioned Southern recipes, and classic chocolate desserts. I've ogled them, baked from them, and recommended them to friends (not surprisingly, most of them are baking books). After chatting about these, I'd  love to hear about any new (or classic) fall cookbooks you've been enjoying lately.