November 2021 New Cookbook Review

One more month and 2021 will be behind us. I hope that 2022 will be more stable and less chaotic for the publishing and food world. As of the time of writing, the books below are published or are to be published by November 30th. But those dates can change at a moment’s notice. I’ve kept our 2021 preview post updated with… read more

A legendary pastry chef returns to the Big Apple

Pastry chef Claudia Fleming is an icon in the baking world. Her 2001 cookbook The Last Course became such a sought-after item that it was reissued in 2019. Now the vaunted chef has returned to the limelight with a role in restaurateur Danny Meyer's empire, serving as Executive Pastry Director for Union Square Hospitality Group, a position she assumed at… read more

November 2021 Eat Your Books Cookbook Club Summary

Each month we offer at least four cooking options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club. This month we have been cooking from: Main option: Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi or How to Cook: The 100 Essential Recipes Everyone Should Know by Darina AllenBaking option: Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple by Dorie Greenspan or Life Is What You… read more

Cookbooks just for kicks

What do you look for when you are shopping for a cookbook? For some of us it's one that introduces us to a cuisine with stories and recipes. Others might want something with a lot of step-by-step photos, especially in a baking book. What about just buying one for chuckles and grins? There are some books that we likely will… read more

What happened to NPR’s The Salt?

For several years The Salt was the face of NPR's food reporting, with subsections including Eating and Health, Foodways, Food for Thought, plus others. We linked to many stories from this NPR source that resonated with EYB Members. However, The Salt hasn't had any new posts since October, 2020, when it announced the passing of Cecelia Chang. So where did… read more

Food news antipasto

As the holiday season approaches, some of us are a bit out of shape for large meal planning due to the pandemic, so we appreciate getting tips on how to create a successful celebration. One tip that crossed my news feed this week involves turkey roasting. If you are keen on getting that perfectly golden bird, head over to Taste,… read more

The Great British Bake Off / Baking Show Recap Episode 8 – Free-From Week

Jane, Darcie, and I are back for another recap of what happened under the tent during "free-from" week. The bakers had to create dairy-free ice cream sandwiches, vegan sausage rolls and a gluten-free celebration cake. I thought the bakers did really well especially given this week's theme. I am too sad to write much more as Lizzie was sent home.… read more

December 2021 Great Big Cookbook Club Summary

As our members know, each month we offer at least four cooking options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club. There are other fun cookbook clubs around the interwebs and we’d like to highlight those for those members who might want to cook or bake something other than our choices.  We want to get this information out to you so you… read more

Mary Berry says she is never too old to learn

Dame Mary Berry has earned the right to retire from public life if she wants to, but the octogenarian is still going strong, hosting a new series 'Love to Cook' that premiered yesterday on BBC Two. In the first episode, Mary shows us that in addition to cooking, she loves to get in the garden and grow her own produce.… read more

This week: Ottolenghi’s AU/NZ tour, UK events, 3000 EYBD Preview recipes, giveaways and more

This week we hit a new milestone - over 3,000 (3,024 to be precise) EYBD Preview recipes have been added to our EYB Library. EYBD Preview recipes are those full recipes that are a part of our EYBD Book Previews (currently at 1,184 Previews)! Below is an example of one of the newest recipes added. Babka loaf from Bread Ahead… read more

To cook or not to cook? The cranberry question

US Thanksgiving in less than three weeks away, and given the hype about possible supply shortages, many cooks are busy gathering the ingredients to grace the holiday table. One item that makes an appearance at this meal - the biggest food holiday in the USA - is cranberry sauce or relish. Some people insist on the canned, jellied version, with… read more

Life is What You Bake It – Cookbook Giveaway with Rolling Pin and Pie Board Set

Enter our US giveaway to win one of three copies of Life Is What You Bake It: Recipes, Stories, and Inspiration to Bake Your Way to the Top by Vallery Lomas with one US winner also receiving an Ayesha Curry Kitchenware Pantryware Rolling Pin and Pie Board Set. This debut offering from Vallery Lomas, former attorney, turned baker and winner… read more

Advent by Anja Dunk Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/UK/AU/NZ giveaway to win one of three copies of Advent: Festive German Bakes to Celebrate the Coming of Christmas by Anja Dunk. Anja’s cookbooks are special – Strudel, Noodles and Dumplings is a must own for anyone who loves German food. If you take Anja and add baking and the holidays, you have a very happy Jenny. This book is filled… read more

Kicking off fruitcake season

Fruitcake has gotten a bad rap here in the US, becoming the butt of jokes and something to dread rather than celebrate. One big reason so many people say they hate fruitcake is because they have never tasted one that has been properly made. As Eater's Dayna Evans explains, if you make fruitcake for yourself, you may come to appreciate… read more

Under Coconut Skies – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/CA/UK/AU/NZ giveaway to win one of 3 copies of Under Coconut Skies: Old and New Recipes from the Philippines by Yasmin Newman. Yasmin Newman is the author of 7000 Islands: A Food Portrait of the Philippines and The Desserts of New York: And How to Eat Them All. In her latest book she returns to her Filipino roots.… read more

Food news antipasto

We love that our members are adding loads of photos to recipes in the EYB Library. Taking great food photos can be a bit tricky, which is why we are featuring two articles with tips for improving your food photos, whether you use a smartphone or a camera. The first comes from Australian Gourmet Traveller, and the second article is… read more

The Great British Bake Off / Baking Show Recap Episode 7 – Caramel Week

Jane, Darcie, and I are back for another recap of what happened under the tent during sticky week, otherwise known as caramel week. Is it me or do the GBBO weeks fly by? Lizzie is the absolute best. "I can't be trusted with molten sugar. It's a terrifying week." First fryers now molten sugar. Her list of terrors has no end… read more

The last two weeks: James Beard announcement, Modernist Pizza podcast, updated events, recipes and more

Hello members. We skipped the roundup last week due to the monthly newsletter’s publication, if you missed the newsletter in your inbox, you can always find each issue in the newsletter archive. This week I have a big announcement to share with you: I have been honored with a four year appointment to the James Beard Cookbook Award Committee. In the… read more

The foods of Diwali

Today marks the beginning of Diwali - known as Deepavali in south India - a five-day festival of lights celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains across the world that celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali celebrations frequently include fireworks, candles, and other forms of light displays. As with many holidays around the… read more

IVFF announces the winners of its first-ever vegan cookbook awards

The fourth annual International Vegan Film Festival (IVFF) recently announced its 2021 award winners including the first-ever vegan cookbook contest presented by Wicked Kitchen. The IVFF is taking place virtually this year from October 30th - November 14th.  According to the IVFF, their vegan cookbook competition is the only one of its kind in the world. Submissions to the festival were sent… read more

Mooncakes & Milk Bread – Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our worldwide giveaway to win a copy of Mooncakes and Milk Bread: Sweet and Savory Recipes Inspired by Chinese Bakeries by Kristina Cho. My excitement for the release of Mooncakes and Milk Bread began to build the moment I added it to our 2021 preview which was at least a year ago. As I have said before, I am… read more

Modernist Pizza Review and Giveaway

We are pleased to offer a US giveaway to win Modernist Pizza by Nathan Myhrvold and Francisco Migoya. Over the last decade, the stellar team at Modernist Cuisine led by Nathan Myhrvold has published Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking, Modernist Cuisine at Home, The Photography of Modernist Cuisine, Modernist Bread: The Art and Science and most recently… read more

Día de Muertos celebrations

Today marks the Mexican celebration Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead, celebrated November 1-2 each year. Day of the Dead celebrations date back to the ancient Aztecs, who felt that instead of mourning the deceased, people should celebrate their lives and welcome their spirits back to the land of the living once a year. Spanish conquistadors brought Catholic missionaries who… read more

Food news antipasto

Just when you think you have seen it all, along comes a book that makes you realize that there are new things under the sun. That describes the newly indexed book Slippurinn, the debut cookbook from Icelandic chef Gísli Matt. It required 44 new ingredients to be added to the ingredients database. This does fall short of the record set… read more

The Great British Bake Off / Baking Show Recap Episode 6 – Pastry Week

Jane, Darcie, and I are back for another recap of what happened under the tent during pastry week. Before I begin with my thoughts on pastry week, I would like to address the attack on Prue Leith for saying a bite of something was "worth every calorie". Without thinking, I say that type of thing all the time and am… read more
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