This month’s exciting cookbook titles – March 2018

Are you ready for another fantastic year of cookbook releases? Surrender and order additional bookcases because 2018 is gearing up to be as exciting, if not more so, than 2017. My preview-palooza post contains a breakdown by month of cookbook titles and is updated frequently. I added exciting titles this week including:

• The Art of Home Cooking: Recipes for Everyday Life by Kate McDermott
• Modern Baking by Donna Hay
• Flavors of Africa: Discover Authentic Family Recipes from All Over the Continent by Evi Aki
• SUQA: Desserts & Sweets from the Modern Middle East by Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf
• Let’s Eat France!: 1,250 Specialty Foods, 375 Iconic Recipes, 350 Topics, 260 Personalities, Plus Hundreds of Maps, Charts, Tricks, Tips by François-Régis Gaudry
• Fantastical Cakes: Incredible Cakes for the Baker in Anyone by Gesine Bullock-Prado

But let’s talk about this month – exciting new cookbooks are blowing in like a lion in March and today I am highlighting some of my favorites. Check the blog frequently as promotions are planned for most of these titles and be sure to follow us on social media (buttons on right lower side bar on the home page) and if you would like to order any of these titles using our affiliate links )right beneath the social media buttons) you will help to support EYB and our indexing efforts. Each author that has events scheduled has a link at the end of the blurb. The monthly roundup will highlight these titles and more.

Bake from Scratch: Artisan Recipes for the Home Baker edited by Brian Hart Hoffman is the second compilation book featuring all the glorious recipes from issues of the very popular magazine, Bake from Scratch, which is indexed for our members. The first compilation volume is also indexed and even though the recipes are in the magazines – I am one that must have the magazines each month as well as needing to own the gorgeous cookbooks. Each magazine has enough recipes to qualify for a cookbook in itself and everything I have made from these titles has been spot on perfect. Planned events.

Also, please note a special edition of Bake from Scratch: One Bowl Baking is being released on March 13th as well as the second issue of Cook Real Food Everyday. Be sure to look for those issues on that date. Also, look for a special Bake from Scratch Bread issue coming soon. Mark your calendars for the Fall when The Bread Collection will be published! 

Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel by Alon Shaya is no ordinary cookbook. It is part memoir detailing the chef’s culinary growth, the foundation of which is based in his heritage and worldwide experiences. Sharing more than one hundred recipes that range from Roasted chicken with harissa, Marinated soft cheese with herbs and spices; Buttermilk biscuits; to Whole roasted cauliflower with whipped feta. This book is greatness in every sense of the word – the writing, photographs, recipes – it will surely be an award winner. I will be interviewing Alon soon for our upcoming promotion. Planned events.

A Table in Venice: Recipes from My Home by SkyeMcAlpine is being released in the US and UK (UK cover to right, US here) this month. This gorgeous book takes readers to Venice to share in cooking traditional Venetian dishes as well as the author’s take on classics. The stunning photography and beautiful storytelling will bring this lovely city to life. With 100 irresistible recipes, 150 photos, and evocative essays, this title is a love letter to this storied city that will bring the beauty of its cuisine into our kitchens. I am in love with this title. Recipes range from delicate baked goods to Pheasant and radicchio lasagna. Planned events.

Risotto and Beyond: 100 Authentic Italian Rice Recipes for Antipasti, Soups, Salads, Risotti, One-Dish Meals, and Desserts by John Coletta, Nancy Ross Ryan and Monica Kass Rogers is the bible to rice cookery. Coletta, famed Chicago chef, shares his expertise on this staple of northern Italy. These 100 authentic dishes bring the full range of Italian rice cooking into the home kitchen, from familiar dishes such as arancini, crochettes, risotti, and rice pudding to more unusual offerings such as rice salads, soups, fritters, bracioli, and gelatos. This book is another stunner and we are working on coupling the promotion for same with a piece of cookware. 

How to Taste: The Curious Cook’s Handbook to Seasoning and Balance, from Umami to Acid and Beyond–with Recipes by Becky Selengut outlines the underlying principles of taste, and then takes a deep dive into salt, acid, bitter, sweet, fat, umami, bite (heat), aromatics, and texture. You’ll find out how temperature impacts your enjoyment of the dishes you make as does color, alcohol, and more. The handbook goes beyond telling home cooks what ingredients go well together or explaining cooking ratios. You’ll learn how to adjust a dish that’s too salty or too acidic and how to determine when something might be lacking. It also includes recipes and simple kitchen experiments that illustrate the importance of salt in a dish, or identifies whether you’re a “supertaster” or not. Each recipe and experiment highlights the chapter’s main lesson. Planned events.

In Venice: Four Seasons of Home Cooking, Russell Norman returns to Venice to immerse himself in the authentic flavours of the Veneto and the culinary traditions of the city. His rustic kitchen – in the residential quarter of the city where washing hangs across the narrow streets and neighbours don’t bother to lock their doors – provides the perfect backdrop for this adventure, and for the 130 Italian family recipes showcasing the simple but exquisite flavours of Venice. Two of my favorite titles, Polpo and Spuntino, were written by Norman, the latter was the subject of a Friday Flashback feature last year. This title is being released in the UK this month and coming to the US in September.

Vegetarian Viet Nam by Cameron Stauch is brilliant. In the years the author spent living and cooking in Vietnam, Cameron learned about a tradition of vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine that is light and full of flavor. Based on recipes devised over centuries by Mahayana Buddhist monks, the dishes in this debut title make use of the full arsenal of Vietnamese herbs and sauces to make tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables burst with flavor like never before. With a lavishly illustrated glossary that helps you recognize the mushrooms, noodles, fruits, and vegetables that make up the vegetarian Vietnamese pantry, this cookbook will unlock an entire universe of flavor to people who want healthy, tasty, and sustainable food. Cameron is a delight to speak with and I wish I could get to one of his talks to listen to his culinary stories from the various corners of the world in which he has lived. Planned events.

The Flavor Matrix: The Art and Science of Pairing Common Ingredients to Create Extraordinary Dishes by James Briscione and Brooke Parkhurst is an intriguing title that will have you rethinking your approach to cooking. With color charts, the authors combined experience and knowledge, this is a book that take your culinary exploration to the next level. Planned events.

Ultimate Pound Cakes: Classic Recipe Collection by Phyllis Hoffman shares over 85 recipes that will give you a treasure trove to choose from for years to come. Holidays, special occasions, or weeknight suppers, these test-kitchen approved, home-baked cakes are always a welcome surprise for family and friends. They also make fabulous gifts. Hoffman Media has set the standard for periodicals that defy the odds during a tumultous time for magazines and the link – they continue to bring it. This cookbook follows that course set by Bake from Scratch – inspirational with beautiful photographs.


If you want to take a food tour of Austin from your own kitchen, Paula Forbes’ The Austin Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from Deep in the Heart of Texas is your ticket. Everything bagel kolache – that’s all you need to know – it just gets better from there. Paula’s book and selection of recipes will ignite a spark to get thee to Austin pronto. Planned events.


The Taartwork Pies Cookbook: Grandmother’s Recipe, Granddaughter’s Remix by Brittany Bennett delivers innovative flavor combinations for both sweet and savory pies all while creating works of art. Pie art is all the rage right now and this book delivers with stunning photography and crave-worthy pie offerings. A peek at her website will give you an idea of the level of creativeness that lies within these pages.

The European Cake Cookbook: Discover a New World of Decadence from the Celebrated Traditions of European Baking by Tatyana Nesteruk is a stunner from the blogger who brings Ukrainian, Russian and Eastern European recipes, which were passed down from her parents, alongside her own recipes inspired by the Italian, French and Asian cuisines. In her debut cookbook she celebrates European baking with a gorgeous selection of cakes. Planned events.

First We Eat: Good Food for Simple Gatherings from My Pacific Northwest Kitchen by Eva Kosmas Flores is the popular blogger’s second cookbook that is even more breathtakingly inspirational. Her first title, Adventures in Chicken, shares a selection of recipes that will revamp your chicken for dinner routine. But here in First We Eat, Eva has found her stride with a book that delivers not only gorgeous recipes and photographs but a stronger reflection of her life in the Pacific Northwest with seasonal recipes taken from one year in her kitchen. Eva is also a partner in First We Eat, a series of food based travel workshops around the world. 

The One-Bottle Cocktail: More than 80 Recipes with Fresh Ingredients and a Single Spirit by Maggie Hoffman is organized by spirit – vodka, gin, agave spirits, rum, brandy, and whiskey – each chapter offers fresh, eye-opening cocktails like the Garden Gnome (vodka, green tomato, basil, and lime), Night of the Hunter (gin, figs, thyme, and grapefruit soda), and the Bluest Chai (rye whiskey, chai tea, and balsamic vinegar).

Bring It!: Tried and True Recipes for Potlucks and Casual Entertaining by Ali Rosen is the book all entertainers need for any time of year. We are often asked to bring a dish to share at potlucks or family gatherings and Ali has the answer to “what can I bring?”. This title is one of our options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club for June. Ali got her start in food very young, cooking beside her grandmother and shadowing along at restaurants in Charleston, SC, where she grew up. Now living in New York City, she is is continuing her exploration in cooking via the potluck route and what a great reminder on how we can entertain with less stress – by getting everyone involved. Planned events.

Feasting: A New Take on Jewish Cooking by Amanda Ruben delivers a new take on the Jewish feast with modern, interesting recipes for any gathering. The Melbourne restaurateur offers up a range of delicious Jewish staples and new recipes to enjoy any day and shares a special Jewish holiday section as well. Very approachable recipes and menus that anyone can appreciate and master are shared here.



The L.A. Cookbook: Recipes from the Best Restaurants, Bakeries, and Bars in Los Angeles by Alison Clare Steingold shares 100 collected and curated recipes from the most talked-about kitchens in LA, many shared for the very first time. As Austin, above, takes the reader into the heart of that city’s food scene, this title immerses us in the varied and fascinating cuisine of Los Angeles.

Souk: Feasting at the Mezze Table by Nadia Zerouali and Merijn Tol is an invitation to gather around the table and enjoy the beautiful food of Lebanon. Feast on the varied recipes and take in the stunning photography while you delve into personal stories and reminiscences of the authors. Eating in the mezze style is all about the conversations – the experience of enjoying the friends and family around you. 



ESSENTIAL Volume Two: Sweet Treats for Every Occasion by Annabel Langbein will be released on March 19th look for our full promotion on that date. Annabel’s books are always workhorses in the kitchen and also boast lovely photographs. Annabel shares, “In this book I have sought to bring you the best of everything I know and love from the sweet kitchen,” says Annabel. “I don’t have time for fancy techniques, hard-to-find ingredients or longwinded procedures. On these pages you’ll find classic recipes made simpler, indulgent recipes tweaked to be lighter and healthier, and loads of exciting brand-new recipes, plus an encyclopaedia of tips and tricks that I’ve gathered over the years.”

Simply Citrus by Marie Asselin is a beautifully photographed book that contains 60 recipes using a variety of fresh citrus fruits, including lemons, pomelos, oranges, limes, mandarins, kumquats, grapefruit, and citrus products such as yuzu juice, orange blossom honey, and preserved lemons.

Tasting Paris: 100 Recipes to Eat Like a Local by Clotilde Dusoulier is a captivating culinary tour of this favorite food destination featuring recipes that span iconic bistro and brasserie fare as well as newer dishes that reflect the way Parisians eat today. I love Clotilde’s work and am anxious to see this title.

This is just a sampling of the books out this month. My monthly roundup will bring you all the wonderful madness from the cookbook world. I am loving the spirit of the books that are being released – gatherings, family, friends, community and experiencing the cuisines of cities and countries around the world.