June 2023 New Cookbook Review

Half way through 2023 already! Soon it will be time to prepare my 2024 cookbook preview post. Just a reminder, the 2023 Cookbook Preview Listing is being kept up-to-date weekly.

In May we announced that we have connected the EYB database to ckbk’s library of digital cookbooks. ckbk is a cookbook subscription site where you can access the full content of more than 700 great cookbooks, the majority of which are indexed here on EYB (and more will be indexed every week). For all the details, please see Jane’s post. If any of this month’s books are a part of the ckbk library, we have identified them as such: ckbk.

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.

• United States
• Canada
• United Kingdom
• Australia

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 click on the book’s record to see the publisher’s description. This month contains many books which I have yet to review so publisher’s descriptions are shared.

United States

Every Ounce of Courage: A Daughter’s Reflections On Her Mother’s Bravery by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino: It began with an unexpected phone call and a startling statement: “You don’t know me, but your mother saved my life.” Cookbook author, Elizabeth Ann delved into a trove of old letters, photographs and recipes in search of the source of her mother’s courageous spirit. In Lulu’s (her mother) story, she found a complex life full of joy, sorrow, selflessness and survival, and learned precious lessons about how the timeless bonds of family, the steadfast strength of faith and the power of an indomitable will can provide solace and sense in a world of uncertainty. The book shares 24 recipes in the final chapter.

Dirty Gourmet Plant Power: Food for Your Outdoor Adventures by Aimee Trudeau, Emily Nielson and Mai-Yan Kwan: From the bestselling authors of Dirty Gourmet: Food for Your Outdoor Adventures, comes a brand new cookbook! The 126 recipes in Dirty Gourmet Plant Power focus on vegan recipes with a global twist. In the spirit of inclusivity and accessibility, the authors have included snacks and meals that work great for play dates at the local park or picnics on the beach, as well as food-fuel for urban and day hikes and on longer wilderness outings. With details on how to do your own dehydrating – though with no shaming for buying pre-dehydrated goods – and helpful tips about equipment and basics to keep on hand, Dirty Gourmet Plant Power will have you enjoying scrumptious recipes in the great outdoors in no time.

The Prairie Kitchen Cookbook: 75 Wholesome Heartland Recipes for Every Season by Kayla Lobermeier: Bring authentic, incredible farm-to-table meals to your home with Kayla Lobermeier’s collection of delicious recipes from her multigenerational farm. Taking beloved, old-fashioned classics and giving them a contemporary twist, this collection of heirloom recipes was made for those looking to get back to their roots and create home-cooked meals with heart. Discover simple, yet mouthwatering recipes that are perfect for any time of the year along with tips on stocking your pantry with from-scratch essentials to make comforting meals that satisfy both your stomach and soul.

Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Achievable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret and Irene Li is written by two of the sisters behind the popular Boston restaurant, Mei Mei Dumplings, and the authors of Double Awesome Chinese Food. This new book is for those moments everyone has, whether you cook for one or a whole household, moments standing before an overfull pantry or near-empty fridge, not sure what to do with an abundance of summer tomatoes or the last of the droopy spinach. Chock-full of ingenious use-it-up tips, smart storage ideas, and infinitely adaptable recipes, this book will teach you why smoothies are your secret weapon; how to freeze (almost) anything; why using your senses in the kitchen (including common sense!) is more important than so-called shelf-life. 

Blueberries for Sal Cookbook: Sweet Recipes Inspired by the Beloved Children’s Classic by Robert McCloskey: With over three million copies sold since its publication in 1948, Blueberries for Sal has established its place in the hearts of readers worldwide. Now, for the first time, you can share Little Sal’s love of blueberries with this charming cookbook of thirty family-friendly, blueberry-based recipes to enjoy.

A Table Set for Sisterhood: 35 Recipes Inspired by 35 Female Icons by Ashley Schütz and Ashly Jernigan is a fully illustrated, colorful, and wholly original feminist cookbook featuring thirty-five recipes, each linked to a significant woman throughout history and from across the globe. Whether you’re cooking for one, two, or a bunch of friends and family, you can find tasty meal options for any occasion. This cookbook features easy-to-follow sweet and savory recipes for beginners or more experienced cooks, containing a variety of options perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or snacks in between!

The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes from the Green Mountain State by Tracey Medeiros (10th Anniversary Edition). After 10 years, author Tracey Medeiros has revised and fully updated The Vermont Farm Table Cookbook highlighting the dedication of Vermont’s farmers, with brand-new recipes, photos, and local farm profiles. Events

Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira is released this month. The UK edition was published in May. The book is divided into two halves – savory and sweet – and showcases the baking that took Crystelle to the final of The Great British Bake Off, as well as her flair for creative savory dishes. Find out more about this title in our promotion/giveaway post. Events

Egg Rolls & Sweet Tea: Asian Inspired, Southern Style by Natalie Keng is in part a memoir of Keng’s personal food journey growing up in the deep South. This cookbook is filled with tasty Asian-American and Southern fusion dishes, sauces, and drinks that home cooks will enjoy preparing and sharing. Recipes include Fried chicken spring rolls with honey, Georgia bourbon Coca-Cola meatloaf, and of course, several recipes for egg rolls and sweet teas. I am enjoying this title.

Danny Loves Pasta by Danny Freeman teaches you how to make your own colorful and creative fresh pasta, unlike anything you can find at the store.
With no special equipment needed, you can take simple ingredients like flour, eggs, beets, and spinach, and turn them into vibrant works of delicious pasta art in every color of the rainbow. 

50 Pies, 50 States: An Immigrant’s Love Letter to the United States of America Through Pie by Stacey Mei Yan Fong celebrates pie like no other. Stacey grew up in Singapore and Hong Kong, watching movies set in the United States and dreaming about taking a road trip from coast to coast, stopping at diners along the way. After college in Savannah and a decade as a fashion designer, Stacey turned her passion for home baking into an ode to her chosen home: honoring the people, places, and flavors that made her love this country with a pie for each state. Snickerdoodle pie (Connecticut), Sweet tea peach pie with pecan crumble (Georgia) and Coconut cream pie with pineapple upside-down topping (Hawai’i) are just a few examples of the recipes in this amazing book.

Simply Tomato: 100 Recipes for Enjoying Your Favorite Ingredient All Year Long by Martha Holmberg: Americans eat more tomatoes than any vegetable (yes, we know it’s really a fruit) except for the potato. But what do we do with all those tomatoes? The acclaimed chef, cooking teacher, and author shares 100 recipes to turn the tomato into glorious dishes. Whether it’s a fresh-off-the-vine tomato or a just-picked-from-the-supermarket-shelf tomato, Holmberg has ideas to make the best of our favorite summer fruit. With more tomato varieties in existence than ever before, Holmberg explains which tomatoes work best with which recipes: choose a beefsteak to roast with fish or pick cherry tomatoes to toss with corn in a quick summer salad. Holmberg also reveals her secret, umami-packed ingredient – tomato water. She calls it a “magical elixir” that can add intense tomato flavor to most anything you make.

Linda Skeens Blue Ribbon Kitchen Cookbook by Linda Skeens: When Linda Skeens gained sudden and widespread fame for winning dozens of ribbons at the Virginia-Kentucky District Fair in the summer of 2022, people across the country began asking, “Who is Linda Skeens?” This is her first-ever published collection of recipes and family stories from the Appalachian grandmother who’s been cooking for her loved ones and entering county fairs for decades, frequently taking home the highest honors. In her book, she shares more than 30 of her prize-winning recipes in addition to more than 70 other family-favorite dishes. From canning and fudges to stews and casseroles, this cookbook features a lifetime of recipes collected and perfected by Linda Skeens. Promotion coming soon.

National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History, and the Meaning of Home by Anya Von Bremzen: The acclaimed international food writer and award-winning author of Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking explores the history and future of six of the world’s most fascinating and iconic food cultures – France, Italy, Japan, Spain, Mexico, and Turkey

Southern Lights: Easier, Lighter, and Better-for-You Recipes from the South by Lauren McDuffie: From the author of Smoke, Roots, Mountain, Harvest comes a hassle-free, lighter take on Southern cooking that proves the notion less can so often be more. By reimagining beloved Southern classics and viewing them through a more health- and lifestyle-conscious lens, this title explores ways to make Southern cooking more accessible without sacrificing flavor or quality.

A Middle Eastern Pantry:Essential Ingredients for Classic and Contemporary Recipes by Lior Lev Sercarz: the Israeli-born author, chef, and spice master takes home cooks on a fantastical journey to the Middle East to learn about the region’s most coveted recipes via its most sought-after ingredients from spices to syrups and seeds to cured meats and dried fruit. Through ninety delicious recipes, historically driven ingredient research, essays on Middle Eastern food artisans, and gorgeous photography.

Sofreh: A Contemporary Approach to Classic Persian Cuisine by Nasim Alikhani and Theresa Gambacorta is the much-anticipated cookbook – an exquisite collection of Persian recipes – from the James Beard–nominated chef of Sofreh, one of Brooklyn’s most acclaimed restaurants. Alikhani offers her readers what she has lovingly been providing for those who know her and who eat in her restaurant: the true tastes of Iran. Here is the timeless, soul-satisfying food of Persia, with its trademark bold herb and spice flavors, succulent, savory stews and stuffed meats, vast bounty of brightly pickled vegetables and fresh fruits, and much, much more. Events

Lush: Recipes for the Food you Really Want to Eat by Daniel Lambert: Daniel, the TikTok sensation, leads the pack of a new generation of social media chefs with 100 feel-good recipes. Sometimes all we want for dinner is golden, crunchy and moreish, so whether it’s Salt and chilli chicken for Friday-night dinner, Irish-style potato nachos for when friends come over, or Cheeseburger tacos if you fancy something new, Chef Lambert has you covered. I did some research and it appears the book was published in Ireland last year.

The Carlino Family Cookbook: Recipes & Stories of Growing Up in a Family Where Food Brought Us Together by Nadia Carlino: What is it like to grow up in an Italian household where food is the family business? Nadia Carlino shares previously untold stories and secret family recipes in this heartwarming memoir spanning three generations of the Carlino family, owners of the acclaimed Carlino Markets. Interspersed with childhood memories are 46 mouthwatering recipes ranging from steaming pasta and stuffed meats to crisp vegetables and creamy confections. Every reader will relate to this household full of chaos, love, and happiness, where a hearty Italian supper defines the meaning of home.

Ed Mitchell’s BBQ by Ed and Ryan Mitchell: Ed Mitchell’s journey in the barbecue business began in 1991 with a lunch for his mama, who was grieving the loss of Ed’s father. Ed drove to the nearby Piggly Wiggly to buy a thirty-five-pound pig – that’s a small one – and fired up the coals. As smoke filled the air and the pork skin started to crackle, the few customers at the family bodega started to inquire about lunch and what smelled so good. More than thirty years later, Ed is known simply as “The Pitmaster” in barbecue circles and is widely considered one of the best at what he does. Ed has written this book with his son Ryan and explores the whole hog historically through present day. Look for a promotion on this book with a sampling of barbecue sauces from “The Pitmaster”.

One-Pot Mediterranean: 70+ Simple Recipes for Healthy and Flavorful Weeknight Cooking by Samantha Ferraro is the second title from the food blogger. Her first book The Weeknight Mediterranean Kitchen was loved by her fans and now she takes the Mediterranean kitchen and makes it even easier with one-pot offerings.

Other titles of interest:

• Veggie Burgers Every Which Way: Fresh, Flavorful and Healthy Plant-Based Burgers―Plus Toppings, Sides, Buns and More by Lukas Volger (revised issue)
• How to Taste: A Guide to Discovering Flavor and Savoring Life by Mandy Naglich
• A Splash of Soy by Lara Lee (US release)
• Decadent Vegan Cakes for Every Occasion: 60 Plant-Based Recipes for Layer Cakes, Sheet Cakes, Cupcakes and More by Charlotte Roberts
• The Plant-Based Delicious: Healthy, Feel-Good Vegan Recipes You’ll Make Again and Again―All Recipes are Gluten and Oil Free! by Ashley Madden
• Seed to Table: Eco-Living Tips to Urban Gardening for Growing, Cooking, and Preserving Your Homegrown Food by Luay Ghafari (May 30th, 2023).
• Pomegranates and Artichokes: A Food Journey from Iran to Italy by Saghar Saterah (US release)

Canada

Where We Ate: A Field Guide to Canada’s Restaurants, Past and Present by Gabby Peyton is a love letter to 150 Canadian restaurants, and the stories and people behind them – from pre-Confederation to present day, from Victoria to St. John’s – here’s where we ate. In her debut book, the restaurant critic and journalist has penned a chronological celebration of 150 restaurants that have left a mark on the way Canada eats – whether they’re serving California rolls, foie gras poutine, hand-cut beef tartare or bánh mì – and brings us from one decade to the next, showing how our dining trends evolved from beef consommé at Auberge Saint-Gabriel in 1754 to nori-covered hot dogs at Japadog.

United Kingdom

Hungry Woman: Eating for Good Health, Happiness and Hormones by Pauline Cox is a ground-breaking cookbook with 100 simple, delicious and affordable low-carb recipes, will give you everything you need to balance your hormones and optimise your health for good – at any stage of your life

Knife Drop: Creative Recipes Anyone Can Cook by Nick DiGiovanni: Home-cooked food doesn’t have to be over-the-top, fussy, or time-intensive to be absolutely amazing. In his debut cookbook, DiGiovanni gives you the tools to become fearless in the kitchen and to create delicious meals. Building on a foundation of staple recipes such as basic pasta dough and homemade butter, Nick shares a mouthwatering selection of his favorite recipes.

SLICE!: 30 Fabulous Pizza Recipes by Thom & James Elliot is packed with over 30 recipes to make sure you finally delete your local takeaway from speed dial #1. From an NY slice, to true Neapolitan pizza made in a frying pan, SLICE offers classic and new creations, and even a sweet Nutella pizza ring! The latest from the authors of Pizza Pilgrims: Recipes from the Backstreets of Italy and Pizza: History, Recipes, Stories, Places, People, Love.

Mindfulness in Baking by Julia Ponsonby is a delightful insight into how the act of baking is a practical meditation by its very nature. Ponsonby, head of food at Schumacher College, looks at what it means to use our hands and why kneading promotes wellbeing, and explores the true and enduring value of eating real food. Containing a wealth of mouth-watering recipes that highlight how you can incorporate mindfulness into your baking, this book demonstrates how baking with awareness provides benefits for not only you, but also those around you.

Super Easy Air Fryer Recipes: 69 Simple, Quick and Delicious Meals by Lelia Castello: All the recipes in this title require minimum effort and only a few ingredients, allowing you to create quick midweek dinners or weekend meals, without compromising on flavour. Each recipe is accompanied by a photograph and all the ingredients are photographed too, making it the ultimate foolproof cookbook for your air fryer.

Paella: The Original One-Pan Dish: Over 50 Recipes for the Spanish Classic by Omar Allibhoy unveils the insider knowledge and tips you need to produce a perfect panful of glorious tastes and textures. He starts with a “how to” guide taking you through all the basic techniques and ingredients, and then offers over 50 easy-to-follow recipes – from the classic chicken and rabbit, to black seafood paella with squid and tiger prawns, through oxtail paella, and vegetarian and vegan options including wild mushroom and Jerusalem artichoke paella.

Simply Scandinavian: Cook and Eat the Easy Way, with Delicious Scandi Recipes by Trine Hahnemann: In a nod to the Scandinavian way of eating, Trine’s new book offers over 80 unpretentious and straightforward dishes with a focus on ease of cooking and seasonality. By showing just how achievable it is to get amazing flavours out of a handful of good ingredients, Trine creates solutions for easy breakfasts, mid-week meals and simple but impressive ways to entertain family and friends. This is an uncomplicated and greener way to cook and eat, from an expert in Scandinavian cookery.

Wholesome Bowls: Food for Mind, Body & Soul by Melissa Delport: The nearly 90 recipes included in this book are packed with nourishment, providing healthy, balanced and easy meals in a bowl. Many of the recipes are vegan or vegetarian, or can easily be adapted to suit either lifestyle choice. But there is plenty for the meat-eater too, with the added bonus that not only does the food look inviting and uplifting for the soul, it’s good for your body too. There are also snippets of information about some of the ingredients to inform your food choices and why eating fresh, whole foods will benefit you.

Ramen: 80 Easy Noodle Bowls and Broths by Makiko Sano: With slurpable noodles, umami broths and colourful customizable toppings, this unique comfort food can be endlessly adapted according to your individual tastes and creativity. Learn the basics of broths and noodles, plus a range of add-ons to adapt as you like. Take a journey from Japanese street stall favourites and Korean versions with kimchi and spicy gochugaru to home-cooked quick meals and Tiktok-style instant recipes. Whatever style you prefer – a light shoyu mushroom ramen, a meaty chashu pork ramen or the slow-cooking legendary tonkotsu ramen – here are recipes that make for enjoyable eating all times of the day or night.

Wok On: Deliciously balanced Asian meals in 30 minutes or less by Ching-He Huang is being re-issued this month. Originally published in 2019, Wok On is a celebration of the wok, demonstrating its versatility and featuring recipes from places across Asia, including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Australia

Malta: Flavours of the Mediterranean by Simon Bajada takes you to the spectacular archipelago between Italy and the North African coast with over 65 dishes showcasing the country’s vibrant cuisine. Exploring his own family heritage, the author captures Maltese food for the home cook. Featuring breathtaking photography and evocative coastal landscapes, Malta is a stunning postcard from the heart of one of Europe’s most captivating hidden gems.