Life goes on. Amid tragedies, upheaval and changes, the sun still rises and sets, the seasons still change, and the reasons to celebrate life still arrive.

With this in mind, we offer two recently published cookbooks, special ones to provide inspiration as we head into the fall and winter season. In a time when everyone is rethinking what matters most, both new books provide a fresh look at classics, what's tried, true and delicious, and guides for recreating them at home.

"Bay Wolfe Restaurant Cookbook," by Michael Wild and Lauren Lyle (Ten Speed Press), celebrates 25 years of the Oakland restaurant, which opened its doors on the autumn equinox, 1975. The book is a beauty, both as a a cooking text and engaging memoir.

It's organized by months according to the seasonal menus, at the restaurant, from "January, The Wolf at the Door," to December: "Chefs' Holiday."

Here, with stunning illustrations, are the classic recipes and the celebratory menus, the house favorites from Bay Wolf: Rustic apple tart, wine-braised duck, as well as tangerine champagne trifle and Tuscan minestrone.

Along the way you read the story of Bay Wolf, begun against the advice of experts, by partners "with more experience in eating than managing and serving." Founder Michael Wild writes, "We were known as 'what was the name of that place we where we ate?' until our lawyer persuaded us that a name was essential."

The Bay Wolf found its place, however, as the food revolution in Berkeley was beginning, when "Bruce Aidells hadn't found his way into the kitchen of Le Poulet, American Charcuterie was still science fiction in Omaha, and Chez Panisse had barely begun serving its $4.95 prix fixe meals. Unknown to all of us, however," Wild writes, "a new generation of intrepid, youthful travelers, Eurail pass in hand, was returning home with visions of boulangeries and a longing for Italian street markets."

"Jacques Ppin Celebrates," by Jacques Ppin (Knopf), has the feel of another classic treasury of good cooking. The recipes are from the celebratory menus of his television series, most of them drawn from his now out-of-print "Jacques Ppin's Art of Cooking."

Described as a book for people who love to cook "or those who want to cook well but are afraid to try," the book provides the clear steps -- lots of illustrations -- to create dishes both simple and elaborate. Here, in steps, are how to peel and julienne a carrot, puree garlic, bone a chicken -- and how to transform the basics in memorable dishes -- a honeydew melon carved as a swan filled with fruit, or the fanciful Chicken Salad Danny, which so engaged our photo editor's attention, he voted to use it as our lead photo.

Food is synonymous with celebrations; and Ppin is known for considering every meal a celebration. Here's a trustworthy guide.

Ppin's new series, upon which this book is based, premiers Saturday, Oct. 6, on KQED. Ppin and his daughter, Claudine, will be featured in 20 half-hour episodes as well as six hour-long holiday celebration programs.------Chicken Salad Danny"Jacques Pepin Celebrates"The chicken for this delightful chicken salad is exceptionally moist and tender because of the way it is poached. After poaching for only 10 minutes, the chicken is removed from the heat and set aside in the pot to continue cooking slowly in the hot liquid for 40 minutes or longer.The salad can be presented simply, or in a fanciful way to imitate a flying chicken. Regardless of the presentation, it should be served at room temperature. The chicken will lose half its flavor if served too cold, so, if you make it ahead and refrigerate it, bring it back to room temperature before serving.The red pepper for the garnish is peeled to make it more tender, flavorful, and milder in taste. The roasted pecans with cayenne are a crunchy, savory addition and give a satisfying texture to the salad. They are also excellent as a snack or served with drinks.Ingredients:Poaching the chicken:1 chicken, about 3 1/2 pounds (should yield about 1 1/2 pounds of cooked skinless and boneless meat)1 carrot (3 ounces), peeled and halved1 onion (4 ounces), peeled and stuck with 3 cloves1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns2 bay leaves1 rib celery2 or 3 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme6 large dried shiitake mushrooms1 large red bell pepper, peeled and seeded Chicken salad dressing:1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped (1/2 teaspoon)1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard1 tablespoon red wine vinegar1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce3 tablespoons peanut oil1 tablespoon walnut oilRoasted pecans:1 cup pecan halves1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 tablespoon sugar1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepperAdditional garnishes:2 hard-cooked eggsA small bunch chives12 to 18 large basil leavesDirections:Place the chicken, breast side down, in a saucepan with high sides so it fits snugly. Add just enough water to cover (6 to 7 cups) and the halved carrot, onion, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, celery and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and boil gently, covered, for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the dried mushrooms to the hot broth, cover and set aside for 1 hour. The chicken will continue to cook and the mushrooms will become reconstituted by soaking in the hot broth.After 1 hour, remove the chicken from the now lukewarm broth and set it aside to cool further. Remove the mushrooms and set them aside. (The broth can be strained and left to cool before defatting, then refrigerated or frozen for future use in soups or stocks.)Cut the red pepper into long strips and set aside. Pick the chicken meat off the bones and discard the skin and bones. You should have 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds of meat. Shred the meat into pieces, following the grain or fibers of the meat.For the dressing: Whisk the garlic, salt, pepper, mustard, vinegar and Worcestershire sauce together in a bowl. Add the peanut and walnut oils all at once, and mix briefly. The dressing should not be emulsified but be somewhat separated, so it looks glossy on top of the chicken.To roast the pecans: Put the pecans in a saucepan, pour in water to cover, bring to a boil, boil 30 seconds and then drain. Heat the butter in a saucepan, add the pecans, sugar, salt and cayenne and cook, tossing the pecans in the pan until they are caramelized and have a dark, glossy color. Set aside to cool.To serve: For a fanciful presentation, (see photo on page 1c) arrange a slice of hard-cooked egg on each plate to simulate the head of a chicken. Remove stems from the reconstituted mushrooms and cut caps into slices; cut out two pieces to simulate the chicken's beak and pieces of red pepper for the cockscomb and the eye. Toss chicken with the dressing and arrange next to the head to create a body. Add red pepper pieces and chives to simulate feathers. Fill basil leaves with glazed pecans and place alongside.Or simply arrange the chicken on a plate with diced hard-cooked eggs on top and chives, basil, pecans, mushrooms and red pepper slices all around as decoration. Serve at room temperature.Yield: Six servings