Speaking with twice the authority

Pardon us if our B team status and mild Midwestern manners tend to make us collaborative rather than cutthroat. </p><p>Kansas City produces its share of cookbook authors with national reputations, but it&#x2019;s also fertile ground for the team approach.</p><p>&bull;&nbsp; <span class="bold">Judith Fertig </span>is a leading authority on Midwestern cuisine, with last year&#x2019;s splendid &#x201C;Heartland Cookbook&#x201D; firmly cementing her reputation. <span class="bold">Karen Adler </span>is founder of Pig Out Publications, the country&#x2019;s largest distributor of barbecue cookbooks. Together the power duo have become known as the BBQ Queens as they smoked and planked their way to the top of the grilling world. </p><p>Next up: <span class="bold">&#x201C;The Gardener & the Grill&#x201D; </span>(Running Press, $20) should expand the farm-to-table movement into a garden-to-grill movement. Due out April 23.</p><p>&bull;&nbsp; <span class="bold">Ardie Davis </span>and <span class="bold">Paul Kirk </span>are charter members of the Kansas City Barbeque Society. They have several solo titles apiece, but they recently joined up for their fourth book together. </p><p>Next up: <span class="bold">&#x201C;America&#x2019;s Best Ribs&#x201D;</span> (Andrews McMeel, $20). Due out May 1. </p><p>&bull;&nbsp;Professional home economists <span class="bold">Kathy Moore </span>and <span class="bold">Roxanne Wyss </span>met back in the days of the Rival test kitchens and have been business partners since. They develop recipes for numerous publications (including The Star). Their most recent line of cookbooks is for the Babycakes appliance line, which is manufactured by Select Brands of Lenexa.</p><p>Next up: <span class="bold">&#x201C;175 Best Babycake Cake Pops Recipes&#x201D;</span> (Robert Rose, $24.95). Due out in April, although advance copies are available at select retail outlets, including Kohl&#x2019;s.

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