March Cookbook Previews

The second greatest time of the year apart from Cookbooktober, that period from September through November, is the Spring when a whole new batch of great cookbooks are released. March comes in strong with so many exciting titles that I’ll probably need to do three preview posts to get them in. We need to coin a phrase for March and April – Cookbook Madness? I’ll work on that.

The books out this month focus on dinner challenges, masters sharing their recipes such as Patricia Wells and Deborah Madison, those books that embrace the no-waste method of using all the bits and scraps of ingredients in our meals and many gorgeous titles covering a range of international cuisines. Today’s selection cover some international titles and eating our greens!

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The Really Quite Good British Cookbook: The Food We Love from 100 of Our Best Chefs, Cooks, Bakers and Local Heroes shares 100 of Britain’s food heroes most beloved recipes. Nigella Lawson divulges how to bake her Chocolate Guinness Cake and Rick Stein fries up Shrimp & Dill Fritters with Ouzo. Yotam Ottolenghi would serve Pea & Mint Croquettes and for Jamie Oliver, an unrivalled Fantastic Fish Pie. These are just a few of the incredible recipes provided by the best and brightest on the British food scene, including chefs such as Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay, Delia Smith, Mary Berry, James Martin, Nigel Slater, Thomasina Miers, Mark Hix, Jason Atherton, Marco Pierre White, Claudia Roden and more. It is a celebration of the breadth, creativity and richness of Britain’s food culture.

Vibrant India: Fresh Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Brooklyn by Chitra Agrawal, the chef and owner of Brooklyn Delhi, takes us on a culinary journey to her mother’s hometown of Bangalore and back to Brooklyn. In this gorgeous book, she adapts her family’s South Indian recipes for home cooks using satisfyingly rich, bold and complex flavors. Grains, legumes, fresh produce, coconut, and yogurt – along with herbs, citrus, chiles, and spice – form the foundation of this cuisine, rooted in vegetarian customs. Next week I’m making the Lemon Peanut Rice and I cannot wait until fresh corn is readily available to make the Stir-fried Corn with Basil and Leeks. Every recipe in this title appeals to me and will be a fantastic way to zhoosh up our meals to bring more exciting vegetarian options to our table. Potato Stir-fry with Onion and Ginger, Green Bean and Coconut Stir-Fry and Spiced Spring Vegetable and Coconut Polenta are all hitting my table very soon. We will be doing a promotion on this title.

Burma Superstar: Addictive Recipes from the Crossroads of Southeast Asia by Desmond Tan and Kate Leahy, owners of the beloved San Francisco restaurant, deliver a mouthwatering collection of recipes, including Fiery Tofu, Garlic Noodles and the legendary Tea Leaf Salad, and many more. Known for its bustling tables, the sizzle of onions and garlic in the wok, and a wait time so legendary that customers start to line up before the doors even open – Burma Superstar is a Bay Area institution, offering diners a taste of the addictively savory and spiced food of Myanmar. Ninety recipes have been revamped for the home cook and include Chili Lamb, Pork and Pumpkin Stew, Platha (a buttery layered flatbread), Spicy Eggplant, and Mohinga, a fish noodle soup that is arguably Myanmar’s national dish. Vivid photography and essays that focus on the country and its food fill out this must-have book that delivers a glimpse into this jewel of Southeast Asia. We will be providing a full review and promotion on this title as well!

The Malaysian Kitchen: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking by Christina Arokiasamy shares recipes for authentic Malaysian favorites like Beef Rendang and Char Kway Teow Noodles, while also sharing her own modern iterations, such as Wok-Fried Spaghetti with Kale. Vivid on-location photography by David Hagerman takes the reader into the spice markets, coffee houses, fishing villages, and kitchen gardens that inspired each recipe. Food photography by Penny De Los Santos bring the recipes to life. Look for a promotion on this title soon.

Eat More Greens: The Most Inventive Recipes to Help You Eat More Greens by Zita Steyn demonstrates how to incorporate leafy greens, green vegetables, and herbs in new and exciting ways and in any meal. Barley and Mustard Green Risotto, Belgian Endive and Shallot Tarte Tatin, and the Polenta and Swiss Chard Chips with Rich Tomato Sauce (from the cover) will have everyone in the house clamoring for more greens! The South African-born, London-based author completed the Chef’s Training Program at the National Gourmet Institute in New York in 2013. She returned to London to host workshops, consults for businesses and hosts supper clubs and classes all on the subject of nutrition. 

The First Mess Cookbook: Vibrant Plant-Based Recipes to Eat Well Through the Seasons by Laura Wright, the blogger behind the Saveur award-winning blog, The First Mess, shares her eagerly anticipated debut cookbook, featuring more than 125 beautifully prepared seasonal whole-food recipes. Simple-to-prepare seasonal vegan recipes with beautiful photographs and enchanting storytelling are delivered in her 125 produce-forward recipes cookbook. Each recipe showcases the best each season has to offer and, as a whole, demonstrate that plant-based wellness is both accessible and delicious.

 

An Avocado a Day: More than 70 Recipes for Enjoying Nature’s Most Delicious Superfood by Lara Ferroni goes beyond guacamole! Even most avocado lovers don’t know what to do with them beyond adding a slice or two to a sandwich or mashing one into guacamole and I didn’t know the health benefits of the avocado before reading this book. Seventy simple and delicious tasty recipes for everything from breakfast to dessert, including Avocado Green Curry Noodles, Tequila, Citrus and Ginger Stuffed Avocados, Avocado Waffles, and Avocado Key Lime Pie. The author educates readers on the various kinds of avocados and how to pick them, store them, and even grow them! Home cooks will learn how to make use avocado butter, oil, and honey, and how to incorporate avocados into any meal of the day. My son and I love avocados and he has his eye on this book. 

 

 

Scraps, Wilt & Weeds: Turning Wasted Food into Plenty by Mads Refslund and Tama Matsuoka Wong embraces the no-scrap-left- behind trend with recipes that will surprise and excite you. Refslund, the talented chef and co-founder of NOMA along with Wong, author of Foraged Flavor, provide advice on how to throw away less – from preserving food to creatively using parts of ingredients that people commonly overlook. For example Skillet-Roasted Cauliflower Cores & Leaves with Brie, Broccoli Stems with Lardo & Fresh Coriander Seeds, and Flat Bread and Day-Old Bread Porridge will have us envisioning new ways to throw out far less. A full review, recipe and promotion will be coming soon. 
 

What books are you looking forward to this Spring? Leave a comment and let me know.