I'll take caramel over chocolate any day, so "Caramel," by Peggy Cullen, could have been written just for me. Now is the time to bake little caramel-peach upside-down cakes and burnt-sugar and lemon tarts with blueberry compote, and you will find recipes for them in the book, along with classic lace cookies, toffee and caramel corn. Marshmallow confections called Mad Caps take time and patience, but are well worth it - even though they will be eaten in a flash. Recipes for ice cream desserts with caramel topping are included, but not for caramel ice cream. There is an excellent guide to making caramel, with good safety tips. (Sugar caramelizes at 320 to 350 degrees, hot enough to burn.) Ms. Cullen wisely cautions that handling caramel is not for small children. - New York Times