Anthony Bourdain

If "Hatfields & McCoys" is any indication, viewers just can't get enough of old-fashioned feudin'. History's three-part miniseries about the 19th century Appalachian clan war broke records with its first installment Monday night, attracting 13.9 million viewers, according to Nielsen. That made it the No. 1 non-sports telecast ever on an ad-supported cable network. "Hatfields & McCoys," which stars Kevin Costner and Bill Paxton as patriarchs whose grudge match spans generations, shot holes in the competition.

Anthony Bourdain didn't invent the chef memoir, but he revolutionized it. And judging by the latest crop of books, I'd say he has a lot to answer for. In the old days, chef stories followed a pretty staid outline: childhood in sunny France, first job, first great chef, own restaurant, and after many struggles, stardom. Like Horatio Alger stories they were at once almost ritualistic in their progress and thoroughly sanitized, yet oddly comforting in their predictability.

Golden and shimmery, the fragile crackly exterior of a Costa Rican corn pancake gives way to a moist, dense center. Alongside the Frisbee-size disk comes a small bowl of natilla , a buttery cultured cream that's as heavy and rich as cheesecake. The custom is to scoop up little mounds of cool cream with shards of warm pancake. Each bite is a blissful marriage of contrasts -- crunchy with tender, tart and subtly sweet. Chorreadas de elote , as they're called, turn up at street festivals, formal restaurants or anyplace Costa Ricans might stop for a café con leche.

L.A. girl Khristianne Uy was announced the winner of the first season of ABC's "The Taste" on Tuesday night's finale. Uy, who is also Charlie Sheen's personal chef, stood out the entire competition and definitely deserved the win. Here's a look at last night's finale. Jose Andres acted as guest judge, then mentor. Each of the four finalists, Khristianne Uy, Sarah Schiear, Diane "Cruella" DiMeo and Gregg Drusinsky prepared three spoons of tapas using mozzerella, Iberico ham and spot prawns.

1. "Kitchen Confidential" by Anthony Bourdain (Ecco Press, $14 ). Confessions of cooking's bad boy. Last Week: 4; Weeks on list: 75 2. "The World Atlas of Wine" by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson (Mitchell Beazley, $50). The classic wine text, updated. Last Week: -- Weeks on list: 1 3. Last Week: "How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking" by Nigella Lawson (Hyperion, $35). Cookies, cupcakes and pies to make you feel like one too. Last Week: -- Weeks on list: 3 4.

Guy Fieri is known to most TV viewers as the louder-than-loud host of Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives," cruising the country in a red '67 Chevy convertible and looking for spots serving good old-fashioned down-home food. But based on one major review of his latest restaurant, not even Fieri would park the car for a bite to eat. Guy's American Kitchen & Bar opened in New York City's Times Square in September, and on Tuesday, the New York Times published its review. And unlike most restaurant reviews, this one is making serious waves.