The food of Barbara Lynch's Boston restaurants is so beguiling that many critics think it rivals that of Italy. Her pasta, in particular, is considered extraordinary, and has been the subject of prominent features in the New York Times (in a three-part series), gourmet, Food & Wine, and Bon Appetit. A tough kid, she discovered her passion--cooking--in home ec class, which she now credits with saving her life. Through a mix of grit, hunger for knowledge, and raw smarts,she ascended, and was singled out as best new chef by Food & Wine. Her Beacot Hill restaurant, No. Nine Park, was named one of the top 25 in America by Bon Appetit and one of the top 50 by Travel & Leisure. Then she won the cookbook world's top award: a James Beard Award for Best Chef, Northeast. STIR is Lynch's first book. The approximately 150 recipes--from Torn Pasta "Rags" with Spicy Clams to Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Taleggio-- combine primarily Italian food seasoned with a New Englander's practicality, with some French techniques for deepening flavor. Lynch's offers forthright opinions on how she simplifies dishes without sacrificing flavor.