April 2023 New Cookbook Review

April 26, 2023 by
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April showers bring loads of cookbooks – including several delicious cake and baking titles and loads of international cuisine favorites from Phaidon. The 2023 Cookbook Preview Listing is being kept up-to-date with new books from around the world. As titles change or publication dates are altered, I keep the list current.

If you would like to order any of these titles (or preorder/order any other books or items) using our affiliate links below or BUY BOOK button on the book details page, earns Eat Your Books revenue as an Amazon Associate from qualifying purchases when using our links:

 USA * Canada * UK * Australia 

Please also remember your local bookstores – for preorders as well.

If there is an  available for a cookbook, look for the orange icon in the blurb. Clicking on that link will take you directly to the Preview.

Lastly, if events are planned for particular books/authors, I have included a link. Be sure to check our Calendar frequently for new entries there are loads of events around the world as more in-person and virtual events are being planned.

To jump to a particular country’s listing, please click on the links below.

I have written short blurbs for those titles that I have reviewed and which are not reissued books or now being published in a different country. Any others are listed in the Other Titles of Interest section and you may be click on the book’s record to see the publisher’s description.

United States

Pasta for All Seasons: Dishes that Celebrate the Flavors of Italy and the Bounty of the Pacific Northwest by Michela Tartaglia shares 50 seasonal recipes that showcase the best of Northwest seafood, produce, and meat in creative, delicious pasta dishes. Michela is founder of Pasta Casalinga, a Pike Place Market counter restaurant that serves up new dishes each week from the garden, the ocean, and the farm. Using favorite ingredients such as salmon and clams and seasonal ingredients like nettles and chanterelles, this book offers home cooks regional, seasonal pasta dishes that are as comforting as a favorite spaghetti or fettucine dish but as bold and exciting as a hot new restaurant entrée. In addition, a pasta primer helps home cooks make fresh pasta at home and choose the right pasta shape for the right sauce or dish. There are two events scheduled at Book Larder on May 10th and May 15th for this title.

Cucina Povera: The Italian Way of Transforming Humble Ingredients into Unforgettable Meals by Giulia Scarpaleggia: Cucina povera is Italian peasant cooking or l’arte dell’arrangiarsi the art of making do with what you’ve got. Recipes include Onion soup from Calabrini, Bread and cheese stuffed eggplant, Roman egg drop soup, Chicken and pork lasagne, and Stuffed turkey breast roulade.

Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit by Abra Berens is the third installment from Berens. First came Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, then Grist: A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes and now we have a tome devoted to fruit. There are guides and tips on how to pick out the best fruit and recipes from cakes and breads to main courses – all with fruit at center stage. Events

More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community by Natasha Pickowicz: The author is a three times James Beard nominated pastry chef. In this her debut cookbook, she draws on her Chinese and California background and delivers recipes that are sure to impress. Measurements are given in weight and volume which is always appreciated. Chapters include – cookies, sweet & salty, single layer cakes, modern layer cakes, fruit, baking with vegetables, creamy and elegant desserts and yeasted treats. I am in love with this gorgeous book and it will be one of our baking options in the EYB Cookbook Club soon. Natasha has a book tour and “more than a bake sale” events planned that benefit various good causes so be sure to see if she is in your area: Events

Tin to Table: Fancy, Snacky Recipes for Tin-thusiasts and A-fish-ionados by Anna Hezel cracks open the secrets of tinned fish cooking with over 50 recipes, from no-fuss snacks to fresh salads, hearty mains, and creative no-recipe recipes for quick pop-and-eat meals.

Stuffed: The Sandwich Cookie Book by Heather Mubarak: What is better than a cookie? A stuffed cookie of course – two cookies sandwiched together with a tasty filling is a win-win. Here, Heather delivers 65 mix and match recipes such as Homemade Milanos; Copycat Nutter Butters; Black Forest ice cream sandwiches and loads more.

Y’all Eat Yet?: Welcome to the Pretty B*tchin’ Kitchen by Miranda Lambert: From the country music sensation, comes a cookbook sharing a wide array of her family’s tasty favorite recipes, straight outta Texas and collected from all the fabulous women who helped make Miranda who she is today. The book starts with photographs and some background on the women in Lambert’s life that have influenced her cooking. Then chapters follow with more narrative and recipes from Nonny (her Grandmother), then followed by her mother’s recipes and so forth. A section on Daddy’s lessons – how to season cast iron is also shared. This is simple comfort food Texas style.

Love and Lemons: Simple Feel Good Food: 125 Plant-Focused Meals to Enjoy Now or Make Ahead by Jeanine Donofrio shares make now and make ahead vegetarian recipes. Organized in two parts – the first section featuring recipes with minimal prep and ready to go ingredients and the second part sharing make ahead dishes perfect for the freezer. A few examples of dishes here include a lovely Eggplant sheet pan shawarma and a Savory oats with crispy mushrooms.

Meal Prep Magic: The Secrets to Healthy, Stress-Free Cooking by Catherine McCord shares the author’s  step-by-step process, to have your kitchen organized allowing fast, healthy family meals to be ready in no time with 100 of her favorite recipes. McCord believes that success in the kitchen comes down to two things – organization and meal prep – and she’ll show you how to master both.

Super Shortcut Instant Pot: The Ultimate Time-Saving Step-by-Step Cookbook by Jeffrey Eisner: Eisner’s flavor-bomb recipes are simpler than ever, with quick cooking and each Instant Pot recipe using no more than ten ingredients (including salt, pepper, and oil) – and often many fewer. But make no mistake: these shortcut dishes never skimp on flavor. They deliver the same delectable satisfaction that keeps cooks coming back time and time again. Plus, each recipe also works for smaller households, with instructions to serve from 1 to 6 people.

Afternoon Tea Is the New Happy Hour: More than 75 Recipes for Tea, Small Plates, Sweets and More by Gail Greco: Afternoon tea is more than a meal -it’s a moment, an aesthetic, a pose. This title features 80 recipes to make your tea time memorable. Inside you’ll find easy-to-follow recipes to create tea sandwiches, scones, breads, cakes, dips, and, of course – tea. Whether you’re throwing a vintage tea party or looking for high tea food ideas, there’s something for everyone.

Pasta Veloce: Irresistibly Fast Recipes from Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes brings irresistible Italian flavor right to your home with 100 of Mayes’ favorite pasta recipes. These well-loved recipes blend traditional Italian technique with magic from Mayes’s home kitchen where experiments are always in progress. Pasta is the most versatile food on Earth. And if you do it right: fast! Pasta Veloce offers a multitude of under-30-minute, luscious recipes, all accompanied by Mayes’s evocative text. Lemon pistachio linguine, Spaghettini with charred carrots and pea shoots and Spaghetti with elephant garlic and herbed breadcrumbs are a few pasta dishes that await us.

Ever-Green Vietnamese: Super-Fresh Recipes, Starring Plants from Land and Sea by Andrea Nguyen: The James Beard Award winning author has written a book that focuses on plant based dishes. The book shares rice transformations, snack sensations, Banh Mi possibilities, soup celebrations, salads, side dish gems, mains without meat, veggie packed mains and tempting sweets and sips. Events

Asada: The Art of Mexican-Style Grilling by Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral is the follow up to Oaxaca: Home Cooking from the Heart of Mexico. This book is devoted to asada – an asada means a gathering of family, friends, great music, cold drinks, good times, and community – all centered around the primal allure of juicy, smoky grilled meat with flavors and spices traditional to Mexico. 100 recipes are shared that show you how to prepare the right dishes and drinks for your next carne asada gathering. Asada will both guide you in crafting mouthwatering food and inspire the right laidback atmosphere. Everyone says they love a spicy margarita and asada tacos, but very few understand the culture that informs these flavors. Divided into the eight crucial elements of any carne asada: botanas (appetizers), carnes (meats), mariscos (seafood), side dishes and vegetables, salsas, aguas frescas, cocktails, and dessert, Asada walks you through every step. From Lopez’s secret “michelada marinade” to game-changing salsas that will elevate any grilled meat, this cookbook is the ultimate guide to making and beginning to understand the magic of asada. There is an event celebrating this book at Now Serving in Los Angeles on May 11th.

Salad Seasons: Vegetable-Forward Dishes All Year by Sheela Prakash shares vegetable and fruit forward seasonal dishes with meat being used as an accent, if at all. Cacio e pepe shaved Brussel sprouts, Crispy tofu and sesame noodle salad, Balsamic steak with caramelized peppers and Gorgonzola are a few examples of the tasty salads you will find here.

Guga: Breaking the Barbecue Rules by Gustavo Tosta: Guga (aka Gustavo Tosta) and his wildly popular Guga Foods YouTube channel are known for teaching fans how to make out-of-this-world BBQ. Using his energetic and enthusiastic approach to all things BBQ, Guga will teach even the most seasoned connoisseurs some new tricks, and beginning enthusasts will learn how to make BBQ in an entirely different way.

Milk Street Noodles: Secrets to the World’s Best Noodles, from Fettuccine Alfredo to Pad Thai to Miso Ramen by Christopher Kimball: Here, the Milk Street team shines a spotlight on the world’s most beloved noodle dishes, from spaghetti to pad see ew, from ramen to spaetzle. This collection of 125 weeknight-ready dishes offer up world of flavor in a bowl with recipes perfectly adapted to American home kitchens. Replete with perfected renditions of the dishes you know and love, and introductions to the dishes you are waiting to discover, this book will break you out of your pasta routine and give you 125 new reasons to remember why carbs are life.

Gordon Ramsay’s Uncharted: A Culinary Adventure With Recipes From Around the Globe by Gordon Ramsay: In the National Geographic television series Uncharted, chef Gordon Ramsay journeys to some of the most remote locations on Earth in search of culinary inspiration, epic adventures, and cultural experiences. Experience his journey in this beautifully illustrated collection, featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes and revealing insight into the cultures and foodways of destinations from Peru to Louisiana.

Inspiring Chocolate: Exceptional Recipes Born of Creative Crafting by Claire Pinchon: Since the opening of its first shop in 1882, Maison Weiss has mastered chocolate making, including learning the skills to select the best beans, mix cocoa from various regions, and design the taste of great chocolate. This abundantly illustrated book takes us through the wings and lobbies of this historic landmark in French master chocolatiers, introduces us to its bold and visionary founder, Eugene Weiss, and shares each step of the chocolate-making process. Some of the world’s greatest pastry chefs inspired by Maison Weiss also share their own personal visions of the beloved confectionary with more than 40 gourmet recipes for chocolate lovers at home.

Cristy’s Kitchen: More Than 130 Scrumptious and Nourishing Recipes Without Gluten, Dairy, or Processed Sugars by Cristina Kisner: In 2019 Cristy Kisner, her husband, Sebastian, and their five daughters moved to Roswell, Georgia, from Peru, investing all their savings in Cristy’s dream of opening a healthy café in the United States. When the Covid-19 lockdown came, they never closed their doors, working sixteen-hour days for a year. In March 2021, Brandon Stanton, the creator of Humans of New York who lived nearby, fell in love with the food at the café and Cristy’s incredible story. He offered to write about her and sponsor a fundraiser. The post went viral and raised $1.2 million in donations in just a week, allowing the family to stay afloat and continue to live their American dream. The food at Cristy’s Kitchen is gluten free, dairy free, organic, nourishing, and thoroughly tasty.

Muy Bueno Fiestas: 100+ Delicious Mexican Recipes for Celebrating the Year by Yvette Marquez-Sharpnack: Celebrate any occasion with this stunningly designed cookbook from popular food blog Muy Bueno featuring 100+ recipes for traditional and contemporary Mexican-inspired cuisine as well as DIY crafts that make every event a fiesta! In addition to delicious, seasonal recipes, each of the 14 chapters includes a step-by-step guide to a holiday-themed craft perfect for families and entertainers alike. With gorgeous food photography, comprehensive instructions, and helpful tips for cooking your favorite dishes, this book turns every day into a day worth celebrating.

The Dinner Party Project by Natasha Feldman: The chef and cooking show host shares the secrets to throwing fun, no-stress gatherings. This modern manual offers 80+ recipes with menu ideas, sketches, and practical tips to ensure that everyone enjoys the party, especially the host!

Trejo’s Cantina: Snacks, Cocktails, and Amazing Non-Alcoholic Drinks from the Heart of Hollywood by Danny Trejo: This is the second cookbook from the actor/restaurateur – the first being Trejo’s Tacos. The second book is all about cocktails and snacks – such as a Chai-spiced apple empanadas or Queso fundido and a plethora of cocktails and beverages to quench your thirst.

You Can Cook This!: Simple, Satisfying, Sustainable Recipes by Max Lamanna is being released in the US this month (March 2023 saw the UK release). This title offers 120 no-fuss recipes that celebrate your favorite veg and delivers solutions with a chapter dedicated to each of our most loved but also commonly wasted ingredients and recipes for how to cook with them, from bread to tomatoes, onions and bananas. Learn recipe hacks and tips on how to get the best out of food, including practical ideas for using up the whole vegetable, transforming leftovers and the best ways to store foods to keep them fresh.

Mostly Veggies: Easy Make-Ahead Meals for Healthy Living by Brittany Mullins: Plant-focused meal prep means a fridge stocked with healthy snacks ready to grab on your way out of the door; it means having an easy answer every time the question “what’s for dinner” pops into your head; and it means saving time and money while you enjoy flavorful, nutritious meals that come together in minutes. Mullins has perfected the art of flavor-filled, holistic cooking for the whole family while tacking a busy to-do list and a hectic schedule: now, Mostly Veggies brings you the same tools and tricks Brittany herself uses every day.

I’ll Bring the Cake by Mandy Merriman, the creator of Baking with Blondie, delivers her second cookbook devoted to cake! This seasonally organized book shares recipes such as Lemon blackberry poppy seed cake, Apricot upside down cake with honey brown sugar buttercream and Cannoli cake with cinnamon mascarpone buttercream with ricotta filling. There are multiple step-by-step photos demonstrating stacking and filling cakes and more. Measurements are given in volume only.

Vegetable Revelations: Inspiration for Produce-Forward Cooking by Steven Satterfield: Discover innovative, adaptable, and delicious ways to serve a wide range of vegetables with this inspired cookbook featuring over 150 recipes from Steven Satterfield, the James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef and author of Root to Leaf.

The Outdoor Cook: How to Cook Anything Outside Using Your Grill, Fire Pit, Flat-Top Griddle, and More by America’s Test Kitchen is another gem from the ATK team that delivers everything we must know to enjoy cooking outdoors. The Negimaki – flank steak with scallion sauce, Japanese steak house steak and vegetables and Stir-fried cumin beef look particularly delicious.

The Maison Premiere Almanac: Cocktails, Oysters, Absinthe, and Other Essential Nutrients for the Sensualist, Aesthete, and Flaneur: A Cocktail Recipe Book by Joshua Boissy, Krystof Zizka and Jordan Mackay is a delightful, imaginative, and thoroughly original cocktail compendium and bartending manual with 90 drink recipes from the popular and influential Brooklyn bar and restaurant. As captivating as the bar itself, The Maison Premiere Almanac is both a visual delight – drawing on photography, illustration, and graphic design – and a detailed guide to the rarefied subjects that make Maison Premiere unique, including deep explorations into the art of the cocktail and cutting-edge bartending techniques and equipment. There is an event scheduled on May 16th at Omnivore Books in San Francisco for this title.

A Cook’s Book: The Essential Nigel Slater by Nigel Slater is released in the US this month. A collection of more than 150 delicious, easy, and gratifying plant-based and meat recipes, A Cook’s Book is the story of famed food writer’s life in the kitchen. He charms readers with the tales behind the recipes, recalling the first time he ate a sublime baguette in Paris and the joy of his first slice of buttercream-topped chocolate cake.

An A-Z of Pasta: Recipes for Shapes and Sauces, from Alfabeto to Ziti, and Everything in Between by Rachel Roddy is published this month in the US. An A-Z of Pasta was first published in the UK in 2021. Guardian columnist and award-winning food writer and Rome dweller Rachel Roddy condenses everything she has learned about Italy’s favourite food in a practical, easy-to-use and mouth-watering collection of 100 essential pasta and pasta sauce recipes. Along with the recipes are short essays that weave together the history, culture and the everyday life of pasta shapes from the tip to the toe of Italy. There is pasta made with water, and pasta with egg; shapes made by hand and those rolled by a machine; the long and the short; the rolled and the stretched; the twisted and the stuffed; the fresh and the dried.

Other titles of interest:

Canada

Fermentation: History, Uses and Recipes by Mathilde Fenestraz and Stephane Ros: Through the exploration of food history that is almost as old as humanity, and an overview of key products – including bread, cheese, wine, beer, coffee and yogurt – this book immerses us in a world of unexpected flavors and textures. Some 30 tasty recipes – from simple pickles, salmon gravlax, pretzels and kombucha, to sophisticated recipes conceived by the experts of the Institut Paul Bocuse – enable everyone to discover the rich flavors offered by fermentation.

United Kingdom & Ireland

Love is a Pink Cake: Irresistible Bakes for Morning, Noon and Night by Claire Ptak is another dreamy cookbook devoted to bakes. This title will be released in the US next month. In her fifth cookbook, Claire shares all her favorites organized by her California life and her England experience. Examples of bakes include Black tea poppy seed muffins, Big Sur cookies (granola, white chocolate) and the famous Lemon and elderflower wedding cake served at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Events (US/UK)

Pasta Masterclass: Recipes for Spectacular Pasta Doughs, Shapes, Fillings and Sauces, from The Pasta Man by Mateo Zielonka is a stunning follow up to Mateo’s The Pasta Man. This book has everything – from how to cook pasta perfectly to how to finish your pasta dish to perfection. Many variety of doughs are shared from chestnut egg dough to squid ink dough as well as an equal number of fillings and sauces – you will never get tired of the same old pasta again. If you love pasta, you will love this book.

Norwegian Baking through the Seasons: 90 Sweet and Savoury Recipes from North Wild Kitchen by Nevada Berg is an absolute stunner from the North Wild Kitchen blogger. Horns with herby pea pesto, Rye and almond honey cake, Lemon golden cake with clovers, and Juniper berry sugar “cabin” buns are a few examples of the variety of brilliant bakes contained in this book.

The DIY BBQ Cookbook: How to Build You Own BBQ and Cook up a Feast by James Whetlor is divided into two parts: The first part will walk you through the process of making 10 DIY BBQs with step-by-step instructions to suit all spaces, whether you’re barbecuing on the beach, in the park, in an urban backyard, a balcony or rooftop terrace, or if you’re on the road with a campervan. The second section will then move on to an array of 50 delicious recipes. There is also a chapter covering all the spice rubs, marinades and dressings you can pull together to take your barbecuing to the next level.

DJ BBQ’s Backyard Baking: 50 Awesome Recipes for Baking Over Live Fire by Christian Stevenson, Chris Taylor and David Wright wants you to take your live fire skills and backyard set-up to the next level with 60 awesome recipes for baking over live fire. From Yeasty Boys, Between the Sheets, Early Risers and Party Bakes the chapters will cover everything you ever wanted to know about baking on your BBQ.

Et Voila!: A Simple French Baking Love Story by Manon Lagrève (2018 Great British Bake Off quarter finalist): In France, the term pâtisser (‘to bake’) is mostly reserved for professionals, not home bakers. Home bakers simply ‘faire un gâteau’ (‘make a cake’) for a treat or Sunday family dessert. A simple sweet treat, made without fuss, for the joy of sharing. That is what this book is about: simple French classics, made in the comfort of your home, using tins and utensils which are likely already lurking in your kitchen drawer. Showcasing tarts, choux, gateaux, clafoutis, brioches and more, this book contains all the well-known French desserts and some regional gems that Manon has come across when travelling in France (with some plant-based and gluten-free alternatives when possible). Without any fancy decorations or presentation, Manon will share exactly how it will look in your own home. An accessible and positive introduction to French baking that aims to prove that everyone can make authentic French treats in their own home. On May 2, Simple French Baking, the US version will be released.

Get Baked: Sensational Cakes, Bakes & Desserts by Rich Myers: Get Baked in Leeds shot to fame during ‘Sprinklegate‘, when its founder, Rich Myers, brilliantly capitalized on the banning of his use of US sprinkles. Rather than going quietly, Rich declared he would never use the inferior British variety and boycotted all sprinkles until he had created a UK version that does the job to his satisfaction! Expen$ive Sprinkles has now launched and they pair perfectly with Get Baked’s bold range of desserts including cookies, brownies, cakes and pies which are all high on the taste and indulgence spectrum and definite crowd pleasers. This book brings you 40 of those most popular creations, including Raspberry Glazed Donut Cookie, Lemon Meringue Pie, Mr Pistachio, Purple Haze, S’Mores Brownies, Campfire and Birthday Truffles, culminating in the famous ‘Bruce’, a 24 layer giant consisting of chocolate cake and ganache, that people travel far and wide to buy.

The Indonesian Table by Petty Pandean-Elliott is organized by vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, gluten free, nut free, dishes done in 30 minutes or less, and those recipes with 5 ingredients or fewer. The author opens with a section on spices, pastes and sambals and follows with recipes that are approachable for the home cook, which is refreshing as often Phaidon titles are more “cheffy”. Recipes include Pork satay with chilli, ginger and limes, Sweet corn frittters with chilli and tomato sambal and Sweet corn rice.

Two Magpies Bakery: Stories and Recipes from the Heart of Anglia by Rebecca Bishop: In 2013, the award-winning and much loved Two Magpies Bakery opened its doors for the first time in a beautiful Edwardian glass-fronted shop in the unspoilt coastal town of Southwold, Suffolk. Since then seven more branches have opened, alongside the baking school in Darsham. This book will teach you how to make all of your favourite breads, pastries and pizzas – everything from from sourdough to scones, and from croissants to cardamom buns. There are also recipes for celebration cakes, and many more bakes and bars (including the famous Adnams Broadside bread pudding and lemon shortbread slice). This is a book for every level of baker. Please note the two events at Waterstones for this title.

Ikoyi, A Journey Through Bold Heat with Recipes by Jeremy Chan: Ikoyi was voted one of the 50 best restaurants in the world in 2022. Childhood friends Iré Hassan-Odukale and Chan are the team behind the innovative tasting menu. The menu is inspired by the spices of sub Saharan West Africa and produce from local farms and artisan proceducers. Included with the 80 recipes is the story of how each recipe was developed.

A Splash of Soy: Everyday Food from Asia by Lara Lee: Following the success of her debut cookbook, Coconut & Sambal: Recipes from My Indonesian Kitchen, Lara is back with a cookbook on how to create authentic east and southeast Asian flavors at home using common ingredients, quickly and with minimal effort. There is an event on May 4th at Topping Bath for this release.

Japan, The Vegetarian Cookbook by Nancy Singleton Hachisu: From the author of global bestseller Japan: The Cookbook (and others), more than 250 delicious, healthy vegetarian recipes for home cooks. In this collection of new recipes, Nancy, the most authoritative voice in Japanese home cooking today, showcases Japanese vegetarian dishes, bringing the exquisite flavors of the nation’s elegant cuisine to those who follow a plant-based diet or want to lower the amount of fish and meat they eat. Events.

Manu, Recipes and Stories from My Brazil by Manoella Buffara: In this much anticipated book, award-winning chef Manoella Buffara (known as Manu) invites readers to discover how her love for her native Brazil became her greatest motivation. Through 60 never-before-published recipes and four evocative ‘menu’ collections, a set of welcome drinks, and petit-fours, Manu tells the story of a culinary career founded on a commitment to indigenous ingredients and underserved communities, as showcased within her restaurant Manu.  

Tapas by Anna Cabrera and Vanessa Murphy: Tapas are the perfect party food and even better icebreakers (great for first dates!). They can be enjoyed at a table, bar or simply as finger food. It’s all about sharing. And the best part is that you don’t have to commit to one dish – you can sample them all. The recipes that Anna and Vanessa have shared in this book are the way they love to prepare them. There are thousands of different ways to create so many of these dishes, but that’s the joy of Spain. Each region, city, village, bar and family has their own version that’s been handed down over the years. Hopefully you can now make these your own too.

A Good Appetite: Eating for Planet, Body and Soul by Jenny Chandler is packed with practical information for making the way you shop and cook more planet-friendly. And there are over 50 delicious recipes that are designed to be adapted in hundreds of ways to suit what’s in season or your store cupboard. By avoiding food waste and stretching expensive ingredients, there’s a pay-off for your pocket too. Jenny Chandler has created an invaluable guide that can change the way you cook – for yourself, friends and family – for good. There is an event on May 18th at Topping Bath.

Andaza: A Memoir of Food, Flavour and Freedom in the Pakistani Kitchen by Sumayya Usmani is an evocative and moving food memoir – which includes the most meaningful recipes of the author’s childhood. It tells the story of how Sumayya’s self-belief grew throughout her young life, allowing her to trust her instincts and find her own path between the expectations of following in her father’s footsteps as a lawyer and the pressures of a Pakistani woman’s presumed place in the household. Gradually, through the warmth of her family life, the meaning of ‘andaza’ comes to her: that the flavour and meaning of a recipe is not a list of measured ingredients, but a feeling in your hands, as you let the elements of a meal come together through instinct and experience. There is an event on June 10th at Book Larder, Seattle for this title.

Plentiful: A Vegan Jamaican Guide to Nyammin’ Good by Denai Moore is a Jamaican cookbook with a vegan twist. In this first-of-its-kind book, Denai pays homage to flavours and authentic dishes from her Jamaican roots whilst firmly planting them within a modern-day context. From her convenient Rice & Peas Arancini to her comforting ‘Oxtail’ Gravy & Roasted Garlic Spring Onion Mash, the recipes are approachable, engaging and downright delicious. Jamaican food is often misrepresented, simplifed and reduced to being really spicy – and MEAT heavy. Denai is a Jamaican chef who loves to make vegan food and in Plentiful she debunks this taboo about Jamaican food – with this book, she shows how exciting, diverse, and vibrant vegan flavours and Jamaican food truly are.

Other titles of interest:

Australia

The Seasonal Vegan: 100 Unique Recipes Inspired by Nature by Katie White: Featuring 100+ hearty and mouth-watering plant-based recipes that are seasonal, low-waste and easy, The Seasonal Vegan is for anyone who wants to eat from the heart and live a more sustainable life – whether they’re vegan or not – and improve their cooking skills along the way. It even features tips on how to grow your own food!

From Salt to Jam: Make Kitchen Magic With Sauces, Seasonings And More Flavour Sensations by Katrina Meynink offers foolproof recipes for hardworking condiments – pastes, dressings, sauces, seasonings and jams – that unlock 100 just-plain-delicious meals for the whole family. Cook, mum, and straight-talking kitchen superstar Meynink knows how hard it can be to get dinner on the table. The columnist for popular Australian website Good Food has mastered the art of ‘throw in a bowl and call it a meal’ wizardry. Discover delicious hacks and time-saving tips to get off the culinary treadmill and make memorable dishes from midweek to Saturday night. Use the ultimate ranch dressing to make slow roasted spiced brisket, or perfect caramel sauce to whip up smoky no-churn ice cream. Tahini dressing powers a Middle Eastern-inspired lasagne, while olive tapenade transforms savoury French toast. With everything from chicken salt to jalapeno jam, lemon curd to spicy harissa, this brilliant book is your guide to sauce-laden, cook-it-again success. There is an event at Scrumptious Reads on May 6th in Brisbane and on May 25th this title will be a part of their book club.

Noods: 80 Slurpable Noodle Recipes from Asia by Smith Street Books covers the best of the noodle world, from ramen to pho, lo mein to pad see ew. With fifty slurpable recipes, beautiful photography, and dishes that are as simple as they’re packed with flavor, this book is (almost) as good as a trip across Asia.

Strong, Sweet and Bitter: Your Guide to All Things Cocktails, Bartending and Booze from Behind the Bar by Cara Devine is the debut cocktail recipe book by the hostess of the popular YouTube series Behind the Bar. Using the Flavor Triangle (strong, sweet and bitter or sour flavors) as the basis, this book shows you how to master the fundamentals of flavor and craft a drink from anything available on hand. Drawing upon her expertise as cocktail bar Bomba’s manager, Devine explores the different ingredients and techniques required to craft anything from classic cocktails to their lesser-known but equally delicious counterparts.

New Zealand

Butter, Butter: Sometimes More is More by Petra Galler: Inspired by the author’s Jewish heritage, the recipes here have a very European sensibility, with a touch of Middle Eastern flavours. They are sophisticated, featuring some nostalgic classics with a twist that are easy to make. The book is divided into five sections: cakes, pastry, dough, cookie and slices, and savoury. The bakes utilize ingredients like semolina, hazelnuts and tahini and toppings like candied fennel, pistachios, sesame and thyme.

Nostrana: Flavours from my Italian Kitchen Garden by Bri DiMattina: Nostrana means homegrown; growing food with the intent of sharing it. Inspired by the abundant lemon trees and trellised tomato vines of her Italian grandparents’ vegetable garden, Bri DiMattina started her own edible pantry in her back garden and discovered the joys of bringing food from seed to table. Organised seasonally, and with growing guides for each ingredient, Nostrana shares simple, gorgeous and delicious recipes with fresh vegetables and fruits you can easily grow and harvest yourself.

Flavour Kiss: Vibrant Food Exploding with Flavour for Keto and More by Belinda Macdonald: More easy keto-centric recipes that are packed with flavour from Bel MacDonald, the creator of popular website and best-selling book Flavourbomb. With more than 150 simple keto-centric recipes, there’s something for everyone, from easy mid-week meals to tapas for entertaining, an abundant veggie section and a sampling of desserts.

Winter Warmers: Recipes & Stories from a New Zealand High Country Station by Philippa Cameron: The author’s much-loved book A High Country Life sprang from her popular Instagram page, ‘What’s for Smoko’. Full of great stories of living through the seasons on a high country station, it contained stunning images of the beautiful landscape in which Philippa and her family live and farm. Here her second book includes more fascinating tales from past staff and family who have life-long connections to the land and life on the station. It has even more recipes, with approximately 70 hearty fill-’em-up meals and baking ideas. There’s a strong focus on Philippa’s favourite kitchen appliance, the magic pot (multicooker), plus methods for stovetop, oven and conventional slow cookers too. It also has lots of no-waste ideas and tips on how to use leftovers to create exciting and inspiring new meals. Complete with incredible photography of life in the high country, this is both a practical guide and a beautiful, aspirational book to browse.

Category: New Cookbooks

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