As summer draws to a close, maybe you have time to think about creativity in the kitchen. Here is a list of the bestseling cookbooks from across the country. I have tried several recipes from Planet Barbecue, including smoked ice cream - delightfully different and delicious!

The Indie Cooking Bestseller List

Based on sales in independent bookstors nationwide for the eight-week period ending August 10, 2010.

1. In the Green Kitchen Alice Waters, Clarkson Potter, $28, 9780307336804

2. What's New, Cupcake?: Ingeniously Simple Designs for Every Occasion Karen Tack, Alan Richardson, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.95, 9780547241814

3. Joy of Cooking (75th Anniversary Ed.) Irma S. Rombauer, et al., Scribner, $35, 9780743246262

4. Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter, $35, 9781400054350

5. Fiesta at Rick's: Fabulous Food for Great Times With Friends Rick Bayless, Norton, $35, 9780393058994

6. Planet Barbecue: 309 Recipes, 60 Countries Steven Raichlen, Workman, $22.95, 9780761148012

7. Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I Julia Child, et al., Knopf, $40, 9780375413407

8. Fast, Fresh, & Green: More Than 90 Delicious Recipes for Veggie Lovers Susie Middleton, Chronicle, $24.95, 9780811865661

9. 101 Things I Learned in Culinary School Louis Eguaras, Grand Central, $15, 9780446550307

10. The Art of Simple Food Alice Waters, Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780307336798

11. Ad Hoc at Home Thomas Keller, Artisan, $50, 9781579653774

12. Jamie's Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals Jamie Oliver, Hyperion, $35, 9781401323592

13. Hello, Cupcake! Karen Tack, Houghton Mifflin, $15.95, 9780618829255

14. How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food Mark Bittman, Alan Witschonke (Illus.), Wiley, $35, 9780764524837

15. Giada at Home: Family Recipes from Italy and California Giada de Laurentiis, Clarkson Potter, $35, 9780307451019

16. How to Cook Everything: 2,000 Simple Recipes for Great Food Mark Bittman, Alan Witschonke (Illus.), Wiley, $35, 9780764578656

17. Molto Gusto: Easy Italian Cooking Mario Batali, Ecco, $29.99, 9780061924323

18. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl Ree Drummond, William Morrow Cookbooks, $27.5, 9780061658198

19. Now Eat This! Rocco DiSpirito, Ballantine, $22, 9780345520906

20. The New Moosewood Cookbook Mollie Katzen, Ten Speed Press, $19.99, 9781580081306

21. Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast: 250 Easy, Delicious Recipes for Any Time of Day Martha Stewart Living Magazine, Clarkson Potter, $24.99, 9780307405104

22. The Pleasures of Cooking for One Judith Jones, Knopf, $27.95, 9780307270726

23. The Frankies Spuntino Kitchen Companion & Cooking Manual Frank Falcinelli, et al., Artisan, $24.95, 9781579654153

24. The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook Mireille Guiliano, Atria, $24.99, 9781439148969

25. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day Jeff Hertzberg, Zoe Francois, Thomas Dunne, $27.99, 9780312362911