Introduction - lays out Boston's culinary history and current landscape, and then segues right into the recipes! Chapter 1 - is all about appetizers--from eggplant caviar to fried oysters. Chapter 2 - covers soups, including many that use Boston staples in new ways, such as butternut-pumpkin soup and lobster gazpacho. Chapter 3 - Salads that range from Tamarind Bay's chickpea salad with Indian spices to Chez Henri's elegant spinach salad with warm bacon dressing. Chapter 4 - Pastas that reflect Boston's rich North End Italian heritage. Chapter 5 - moves into entree territory, covering seafood, poultry, meat, and vegetarian options. Sweet Basil's polenta and mushroom ragout, Skipjacks' gingered sea bass, and Todd English's take on the traditional lobster roll are among the more than 30 entrees featured here. Chapter 6 - features side dishes, including sweet potato spoonbread and the Union Oyster House's baked beans. Chapter 7 - devoted to desserts such as Prose's maple custard, Maria Merola's Italian cheesecake, and the classic Boston Cream Pie as prepared by the Omni Parker House, where it was created in the 1850s.

Chapter 8 - Finally, in a category all its own, comes Brunch, with recipes from some of Boston's most venerable hotels, including the Boston Park Plaza and the Seaport Hotel.