Food writer Khan (Zaitoun) turns her attention to the eastern Mediterranean in this collection of poignant travel essays and delectable recipes. Khan started researching the work “just two weeks after a miscarriage,” while also living near the epicenter of the refugee crisis in Greece. Solace came in the form of welcoming strangers into her home for comforting meals, among them Syrians, Pakistanis, and Afghans who had sought shelter on the Greek island of Lesbos, and a restaurateur named Lena who set up a restaurant catering to the palates of refugees. The refugees’ origins influences many of the recipes, such as an Afghan-spiced pumpkin and an Iranian eggplant and kashk dip made with a fermented yogurt paste. Breakfast treats range from sweet tahini swirls inspired by Cyprus street vendors to a Turkish-spiced tomato scramble. Pomegranate shows up in a beet, fennel, and pomegranate salad; a pomegranate and sumac chicken; and a raspberry and pomegranate roulade. Food photographer Matt Russell’s elegant images, meanwhile, capture the crisp colors of Khan’s dishes. This powerful work shines both for its bright flavors and its humanitarian ethos. (May)

Reviewed on 01/22/2021 | Details & Permalink

Christensen and Goalen (Poole’s: Recipes and Stories from a Modern Diner) combine professional chefs’ tricks of the trade with practical advice in this clever guide to making the most of one’s freezer. The authors support their contention that the freezer “will help you cook delicious, flavorful meals in less time,” with a tutorial on the particulars of expiration dates, which foods can be frozen and which shouldn’t, how to reheat frozen foods, and how to defrost them properly. Recipes range from freezer-friendly meals to frozen drinks and pantry staples. Pistachio croissant French toast and tortilla pie can be frozen for up to six months when cut into single-sized portions, while chicken and dumplings calls for frozen corn. Using par-cooked risotto for rice dishes and a frozen chai concentrate for chai tea lattes promise easy assembly, and a delicious frozen pimento cheese butter comes in handy as a quick-melting topping for baked potatoes, grilled steak, and roasted oysters. The authors also include handy tips on using vacuum sealers (recommended) and the most suitable storage containers. This book will spur even experienced home cooks to see their freezers in a new light. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 01/22/2021 | Details & Permalink

Sifton (See You on Sunday), food editor of the New York Times, gathers in this remarkable cookbook 100 purposefully inexact methods for creating delicious meals. Cooking without adhering to standard recipes “is a proficiency to develop, a way to improve your confidence in the kitchen,” he writes, and, accordingly, the recipes are accompanied by measurement-free ingredient lists, a soupçon of insouciance (“This is a freestyle version of restaurant food”), cheerful tips, and ideas for modifications. A “bloop” of molasses goes into fried chicken marinade, while a couple “glugs” of olive oil are needed for braised kale with paprika. The making of enchiladas is eased by stacking rather than the tedious rolling of tortillas, and a savory spin on french toast uses cherry tomatoes and basil rather than cinnamon and sugar. The dishes are geared toward those with at least some familiarity with cooking (readers are told, for instance, to produce a pot of rice “as you always do” for a dried fruit and almond pilaf), and capable home cooks will appreciate how no-recipe recipes allow them to make flexible, tasty dishes without getting bogged down in details or overbearing instructions. Innovative, fun, and freeing, this outstanding offering will reenergize the creative spirits of novice and experienced home cooks alike. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/22/2021 | Details & Permalink

Two-time Top Chef competitor Simeon celebrates Hawaiian cuisine in this enticing collection. A third-generation Filipino-Hawaiian, Simeon details what it means to be Hawaiian and the important role that ethnicity plays in that definition: “See, in Hawai‘i we identify ourselves ethnically rather than geographically. On the mainland people might say ‘I’m a New Yorker,’ but here it’s ‘Lyndon? He’s Portuguese Chinese Hawaiian.’ ” He offers a brief history of the islands and describes local eating customs, including ohana food served family style; the plate lunch served with rice and mac and cheese; and pupus, an array of bountiful appetizers guaranteed to satiate even the most ravenous appetites. The recipes reflect the wide array of ethnic influences at play in Hawaiian culture, including Japanese shoyu dip with sesame crunch, Korean kimchee dip, and Filipino boiled peanuts with “oxtail spice.” Dishes such as garlic shrimp, “chop steak” cooked with ginger and onions, and pocho (steamed clams with Portuguese sausage) are drool-inducing. Some meals, such as Okinawan pig’s feet and lahaina fried soup made with Spam, may be an acquired taste, but in Simeon’s capable hands, even these unusual meals can be appetizing. Those looking to bring the tastes of Hawaii into their home will find no better guide. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

In this illuminating work, novelist Penick (Journey of the North Star) explores contemporary crises using the frame of a classic story from Buddhism. The young Buddha, as Prince Siddhartha, once wandered outside his father’s palace and discovered old age, sickness, and death—leading him to the path of enlightenment. Penick maps how these three afflictions manifest in “the era of a world man-made,” Penick musing on ecological disaster, personal medical emergencies, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the world as a place of suffering “ever at its end.” He examines anxiety expressed as apocalyptic fear and argues it is innate in human nature to desire a world “perpetually renewed.” Penick writes how, as an older adult, his understanding of the world has become destabilized by younger generations, and suggests reassurance only comes from the Four Noble Truths of the Buddha: it is through seeing, acknowledging, and living compassionately within suffering that clarity and wisdom can be found. By reflecting on personal as well as global issues, Penick models an unflinching but also compassionate orientation toward life. This call for courage in the face of crisis persuasively applies Buddhist precepts to modern concerns. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

Kinch—chef and owner of Manresa, with three Michelin stars, in northern California—shares in this laid-back cookbook the recipes he prepares on his days off from work. The key, Kinch writes, is that the dishes are “quick and inexpensive enough to make a handful for a party, or to prepare for yourself as snacks during the week.” Throughout, the chef is encouraging (“I don’t think cooking is difficult... it requires attention”) and isn’t stingy with tips, such as making sure to use a 12-inch or larger pan for paella and placing the gratin dish for his Belgian endive gratin on a baking sheet to prevent a mess if the cream bubbles over. Dishes are wide-ranging and take nods from various cuisines, as evidenced in recipes for Catalan-style kale cooked with raisins and pine nuts, cherry clafoutis, and jambalaya. Many options work well for entertaining, among them eggplant with black olive tapenade, and an herbed goat cheese and chorizo tartine with honey. Notable mains include a lamb tartare and oven-roasted potatoes with cod, while song suggestions for listening while cooking (such as making pesto to Aretha Franklin) reinforce the easygoing tone. This is a solid choice for readers craving quick, adventurous dishes. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

Eat-Drink-Garden blogger Rice debuts with a charming take on California cuisine that foregrounds gardening, eating, and drinking with the seasons, an approach Rice suggests “takes the guesswork out of eating.” She breaks down the recipes seasonally, teaching what to plant when in order to plan dishes based on harvest time. Spring features a golden negroni made with a French bitter aperitif and an indulgent triple coconut cake garnished with mid-spring rose petals. In the summer, carnitas tacos with homemade tortillas, avocado slaw, and a roasted garden salsa made with vine-ripened tomatoes and cilantro from one’s herb garden hits the spot. In the fall and winter, tamarind margaritas, squash hummus made from winter delicata squash, and black Manhattans are on offer. In addition to planting, drinking, and eating suggestions, Rice shares tips for spices (ancho and guajillo chile) and tools (a Spanish cooking pot, a Japanese planting knife, a double-hinged corkscrew) to keep on hand. This well-crafted cookbook serves as an excellent guide to living in tune with nature and the seasons. (May)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

Illustrator Frazer brings a feminist flair to embroidery in her winning debut that “honors the lifetime and work” of such feminist trailblazers as Eleanor Roosevelt, Frida Kahlo, and Harriet Tubman. Frazer starts with the basics, instructing on fabric, threads, embroidery needles, and tool kit must-haves. The author then guides the reader through the process of drawing a portrait suitable for embroidery, beginning with a creative sketch, and transferring it to a clean line drawing. In capturing each woman, Frazer encourages readers to dig into biographies and quotations to “feed your brainstorm and sketching.” Each project offers a pattern if readers don’t want to draw their own: a colorful Kahlo embroidery is broken down into steps for her hair, eyes, mouth, and floral crown; and a portrait of Maya Angelou offers tips for finishing a project and how to keep the backside of a project neat. Frazer focuses on individual artistry: “capturing someone’s exact likeness isn’t necessarily the goal here. The objective is to capture what these women mean to you.” Embroiderers looking to push their creativity will be rewarded by these projects. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

Little Veggie Eats blogger Boyett offers a no-fuss guide on how to feed the youngest of eaters a vegetarian diet. Along with adorable pictures of cute babies with chubby cheeks, the charming cookbook is packed with practical advice (“A little bit of time invested in prep goes a long way”), helpful tips (“roll your baby’s portion into balls”), and creative-yet-doable recipes fit for babies transitioning to solid foods as well as for older kids. A chapter on snacks and mini meals offers child-friendly treats such as chickpea crackers and sweet potato thins. The grain bowls section is wide-ranging and features a satay bowl and a Mexican bowl. Among the desserts (notably, none have sugar added) are a mango chia jam and a berry compote. Easy-to-read charts, detailed shopping lists, and a handy weaning timeline round things out. This wide-ranging collection of healthy recipes is a great resource for parents who are eager to get their kids to eat more vegetables. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink

Blogger Liu debuts with an impressive collection of Shanghainese recipes inspired by her family’s cooking. Following the cuisine’s tradition, Liu organizes chapters by season, with stews and citrus in winter and chilled dishes and green teas in summer. Liu celebrates regional preferences for seafood and pork in dishes such as scallion-roasted fish and pork-stuffed fried dough (whose sauced exterior she describes as “wrinkly like a soaked cloth”), and champions buns and dumplings as well. Common among many of the recipes are techniques of steaming, braising, and saucing with a glaze of soy sauce, wine, and sugar. Her cooking tips (such as preserving the color of bright purple eggplant by soaking it in vinegar before cooking) prove valuable for making fare that’s both gorgeous and delicious. Woven among the recipes and photos are tales from her cooking adventures, such as foraging for wild bamboo near the city of Hangzhou for her oil-braised spring bamboo recipe. This handsome work is perfect for lovers of Chinese cuisine and for home cooks of all stripes. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 01/15/2021 | Details & Permalink