February 2024 New Cookbook Review

February 26, 2024 by
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We need to pump the brakes on how fast the months keep flying by. One minute I’m working on the preview post for the year and the next thing I know the year is whirling past me at wicked speed. Are we ready for 2025? No!

Remember you can keep track of what is coming this year with our 2024 Cookbook Preview and don’t forget that you can create a wishlist and share it with your loved ones. Our February EYB Cookbook Club Summary and March 2024 Great Big Cookbook Club Summary can be found at the links provided.

Last 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 800 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 – authors state that preorders really help with their budgets for publicity, etc.

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

Wild Sugar: Seasonal Sweet Treats Inspired by the Mountain West by Lindsey Johnson and Chase Reynolds Ewald is a gorgeous book filled with the flavor profiles, ingredients, and artistic decorating ideas sparked by the western mountains. Here the authors teach us how to create amazing desserts via more than 50 recipes plus additional frostings, fillings, and toppings that are based on seasonal ingredients. These recipes are designed for the home baker with detailed instructions along with decorating tips and hints. A few of the tempting bakes include Chewy white chocolate-brown butter blondies, Pistachio-Amaretto cupcakes with raspberry buttercream, and Huckleberry crumble bars with citrus glaze. There is a full arsenal of jaw-dropping special occasion cakes along with more easy bakes such as cookies, bars and pies. Look for a giveaway/promotion soon.

French Boulangerie: Recipes and Techniques from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by Ferrandi Paris: Have you always wanted to go to a French pastry school? Now you “almost” experience the recipes and techniques of Ferrandi-Paris one of France’s leading professional training schools located in the 6th arrondissement of Paris in a 25,000 sq. m. site. In this stunner of a book there are myriad photos that guide you through braiding loaves of bread, whipping up pastry creams and so much more.

The Plant-Based Anti-Inflammatory Cookbook: Delicious Whole-Food Recipes to Reduce Inflammation and Promote Health by Linda Tyler, the Gracious Vegan, draws inspiration from classic dishes and global cuisines, adding creative twists and ensuring a whole-food approach without highly processed ingredients. Here are 80 plant-based recipes centered around foods known to fight against inflammation: ginger, turmeric, berries, garlic, citrus, and high-fiber foods such as legumes and whole grains.

Code Noir: Afro-Caribbean Stories and Recipes by Lelani Lewis is a cookbook steeped in history. Not just because of the title, which hits on a seventeenth-century decree in which King Louis XIV recorded how enslaved Africans in the French colonies were to be treated, but also because it deals with the food and the people that, through the gruesome course of history, came together in the Caribbean. Inside, chef and culinary activist Lelani Lewis goes back to her Caribbean roots with classics like Jerk chicken, Salted cod fritters, Pepperpot stew, and Guinness punch. She also shares new creations with typically Caribbean ingredients like cassava, corn, coconut, lime, plantain, and chilies: plantain with peanut and lime salsa, sweet potato gratin with ginger cream, and crème anglaise of creamed corn and caramelized guava.

The Cottagecore Baking Book: 60 Sweet and Savory Bakes for Simple, Cozy Living by Kayla Lobermeier, author of The Prairie Kitchen Cookbook and creator of the blog Under a Tin Roof, is back with a title devoted to baking that includes 60 rustic sweets and savory treats. The cottagecore movement is all about returning to a simpler, more sustainable time and Kayla delivers home-baked, from-scratch treats and sweets which reflects the movement beautifully.

The Farm Table by Julius Roberts is being released in the US this month having been published in the UK in September. This beautiful book shares honest tales of farming life and easy, thoughtful dishes to reconnect us to nature and the seasons. Making the most of simple ingredients, The Farm Table is unfussy home cooking at its very best.

Tiffy Cooks: 88 Easy Asian Recipes from My Family to Yours by Tiffy Chen shares memories and recipes shaped by growing up in Taiwan – a country with rich culture, diverse cuisines, and some of the best street food in the world – along with beloved family recipes and unique dishes inspired by her travels across Southeast Asia. With 88 (a very lucky number in Chinese culture) flavor-packed recipes, Tiffy offers her favorite quick and easy everyday dishes, like a classic Taiwanese breakfast sandwich and her grandmother’s Sesame chicken rice (this looks so good!). Also included are family-style dishes to pass around and enjoy, from Drunken chicken and Braised five-spice beef to Garlic and scallion lobster and Braised sticky pork belly.

At My Italian Table: Family Recipes from My Cucina to Yours by Laura Vitale: TV personality and author of Laura in the Kitchen is back with a book filled with 100 classic and incredibly delicious Italian family favorites for every night of the week. Laura shares the secrets of her Nonna’s fool-proof dishes so that we can create them in our kitchens.

Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food by Toriano Gordon: Gordon, the chef behind Vegan Mob, grew up sharing soul food with his family and friends. When he began eating vegan after wanting to improve his health, he was nostalgic for those childhood flavors, so he spent hours painstakingly recreating them from scratch. His innovative dishes became the backbone of Vegan Mob, a Bay Area original that draws in vegans and carnivores alike. In his debut cookbook, he shares favorites from the restaurant as well as new recipes to inspire us toward plant-based cooking.

A Taste of the World: Celebrating Global Flavors by Rowena Scherer is a carefully curated collection of recipes celebrating global cuisine and designed to be made by families with kids of all ages. Each recipe is a full meal and includes step-by-step instructions so parents can safely have their kids join in the fun while learning about other cultures through their traditional foods. Events

Misunderstood Vegetables: How to Fall in Love with Sunchokes, Rutabaga, Eggplant and More by Becky Selengut: Maybe you just discovered celery root (a lumpy, softball-sized bulb), at the grocery store. Or perhaps you received watermelon radishes in a CSA package. Did a parsnip catch your eye at the farmers’ market? Even vegetables you think you know, like cabbage or brussels sprouts, will reveal next-level flavor with the right recipe. Becky Selengut has made it her mission to take less popular or even outright scorned vegetables like beets and okra and cook them into irresistible dishes. It’s all about knowing how to cook or serve them and what herbs and spices to incorporate. Here, Selengut highlights 25 vegetables, with recipes alongside history, step-by-step preparation, and storage tips. Organized by season, recipes include Feta and citrus salad, Charred chard with spicy chile oil, and Celery root gratin. A must-have for the plant-curious, this cookbook will have readers seeking out unusual and underused produce like never before.

Roots, Heart, Soul: The Recipes, Stories, and Celebration of Afro Cuisine in the Americas by Todd Richards, the James Beard Award–winning author of Soul, is your guide to exploring West African diaspora cooking in the Americas, spanning history from the slave trade through the Great Migration, with over 100 mouthwatering recipes and illuminating narratives.

The Complete Beans and Grains Cookbook: A Comprehensive Guide with 400+ Recipes by America’s Test Kitchen: From favas to fonio, take a deep dive into the vast world of beans and grains, with hundreds of exceptional, foolproof recipes. Whether you’re just opening a can of black beans, taking the time to brine scarlet runners, or cooking teff, the world of beans and grains is both approachable and delicious. Discover tantalizing recipes that use them in everything from sandwiches and handpies to tacos and pizza, salads and simmered soups to cultural mainstays from around the world like adasi, spatzle, hummus, and gyros. These dishes will delight omnivores, vegetarians, and vegans alike.

Other titles of interest:

Canada

The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsky (CA/US release of The Joy of Better Cooking) is another vibrant offering from the author of  In Praise of Veg. Recipe after recipe offers inspiration and excitement to get into the kitchen and find the joy in cooking. Potato fritters that glitter, Lady marmalade melting moments; Salt and pepper creme caramel flan and Coffee pecan babka scrolls are just a few examples of Alice’s fun recipe creations.

United Kingdom

The Batch Lady Grab and Cook: No-fuss Prep-ahead Meals to Make Life Easy by Suzanne Mulholland: Take the hassle out of mealtimes with 100 easy recipes to have dinner ready in no time. Grab and Cook is a simple method to put satisfying, wholesome food on the table every day. Each recipe takes no more than 15 minutes to prepare, and can either be cooked right away, or made for the freezer to cook when you’re hungry. All of the recipes have instructions for cooking in multiple appliances – including oven, air fryer, pressure cooker, hob, slow cooker and microwave – so you can choose the one that suits you.

The Dry Bar: Over 60 Recipes for Zero-proof Craft Cocktails by Owen Williams: All the showmanship of proper cocktail mixology brought to a no-alcohol drinks book, The Dry Bar covers high-end counterparts to well-loved favourites, from the Passionfruit ‘mojito’ to the Espresso ‘martini’.
There are none of the overly sweet juice-oriented mocktails here: these are drinks for a sophisticated palate and show-off entertaining – finely curated and expertly crafted. This is the a go-to book for anyone wanting to enjoy the feeling of having a ‘proper’ drink without any of the downsides of alcohol. For those who like serious cocktails and fine dining but are cutting back on alcohol, are sober curious, or in dry January, the recipes deliver the flavour profiles of traditional spirits.

Deliciously Chocolatey Cakes & Bakes: 100 indulgent recipes for when you need a treat by Victoria Glass features ideas that cater for all chocolate cake lovers, with child-friendly recipes that use exciting ingredients like popping candy and homemade marshmallows, afternoon offerings for ladies who lunch, cakes to impress a love interest and recipes for the ultimate birthday cake. Clear step-by-step instructions make even the most complicated recipes feel achievable at home and there are guides on how to present your chocolate cakes and bakes as the ultimate eye candy.

Lilian’s Kitchen Home Cooked Food by Lilian Hiw shares recipes from 10 different Asian countries, giving lots of advice, tips, and trade secrets that she has picked up over her 40 plus years in the food and catering industry. Her recipes have been created for both novice or experienced cooks and are used by her students in her cookery school. Recipes that are comforting and can be made often at home, some that are easy and quick for weekdays, and some that are more indulgent, show-stopping recipes that will impress friends at a dinner party.

Sushi: More than 60 simple-to-follow recipes by Ryland Peters & Small: If you thought making sushi was strictly for the professionals, these easy-to-follow recipes will mean you never need to eat ready-made sushi again! Discover how to create delicious sushi in your own kitchen by following simple basic steps. This book begins by explaining how to cook the rice perfectly and then introduces simple rolled sushi using classic ingredients such as cucumber, tuna or salmon. The recipes use easy-to-source ingredients, including everything from spinach, asparagus and carrots to prawns, crab and smoked salmon. Also includes recipes for related raw bar dishes such as sashimi and poke, as well as great accompaniments, like fabulous pickles and three ways with wasabi.

JoyFull: Cook Effortlessly, Eat Freely, Live Radiantly by Radhi Devlukia-Shetty is being released in the US this month as well. Here vegan home cook Radhi delivers more than 125 plant-based recipes and a practical approach to making deeply flavorful food for feeling your best physically and spiritually. With bright four-color photography of Radhi’s food and family, and touching on the foundations of Ayurveda, this book leads you on a path that connects the very act of cooking to set our health, mood, and vibe. 

Kitchen Sanctuary Quick & Easy: Delicious 30-minute Dinners by Nicky Corbishley: After the debut book, Sunday Times bestseller It’s All About Dinner, Kitchen Sanctuary is back – this time focusing on quick and easy meals, all made in 30 minutes or less! With chapters such as Champion Chicken; Moreish Meat; Fantastic Fish; Vitally Veggie; Perfect Pasta; Rice, Noodles, Grains and Bread; Snack Suppers; Super Sauces – as well as a section dedicated to Smart Shortcuts containing Nicky’s top tips for speeding up dinner – you’ll be able to whip up a range of fabulous meals for the whole family, every day of the week, no matter how little time you have. Both of Nicky’s books are must haves.

A Whisper of Cardamom: 80 Sweetly Spiced Recipes to Fall In Love With by Eleanor Ford: Celebrating the love story between sugar and spice, this stunning new volume from award-winning cookbook author Eleanor Ford presents 80 spice-infused recipes for desserts and baked goods and a guide to spice switches so you can master classic flavor combinations and open the door to new possibilities. ckbk

Desified: Delicious Recipes for Ramadan, Eid & Every Day by Zaynah Din is also being released in the US. Desified is a celebration of South Asian flavours and spices. Inspired by the core principles of Ramadan, this book has more than 90 recipes, including speedy breakfasts, show-stopping brunches, simple and satisfying dinners, and feasting dishes to share.

Bahari: Recipes From an Omani Kitchen and Beyond by Dina Macki is also being released in the US this month. British-born Omani-Zanzibari chef Dina Macki explores the unique foodscape of Oman, in the first Omani cookbook to be written by an Omani chef. Bahari, meaning “ocean” in Swahili, is a culinary exploration of the rich flavors and history of Omani cuisine, a food culture shaped by boundless coastlines and complex maritime history, with origins and influences spanning Pakistan, Iran, India, the Swahili coast, and Portugal. Combining personal essays and contemporary twists on traditional recipes, Bahari takes us on a journey through the flavors of Oman.

The Sweet Polish Kitchen: 80 recipes for celebratory cakes, home bakes and nostalgic treats by Ren Behan is a collection of traditional and modern Polish baking and dessert recipes including babkas, cheesecakes, tarts, pastries, and all things sweet and celebratory. Ren Behan takes you from everyday baking to celebrations in this comprehensive, modern take on Polish sweet treats, and draws on influences from across central and Eastern Europe. I love Ren’s first book Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes and this one is just as amazing.

Every Last Bite: Save Money, Time and Waste with 100 Recipes that Make the Most of Mealtimes by Rosie Sykes offers recipes, tips and practical advice for preparing fantastic food on a budget, with very little waste, and using minimal energy and resources. Sykes knows how to get the most flavor and value out of ingredients. Across 100 recipes she’ll show you how to plan, prepare and cook dishes with maximum taste but minimum cost.

Seriously Good Toast: Over 70 Recipes for the Best Ever Toast by Emily Kydd: Everyone loves toast. It’s effortless, easy on the pocket and, most importantly, tasty. This title features every toast recipe you could ever need with recipes for breakfast, lunch, snacks and supper. With over 70 super-simple recipes, plus a guide to bread basics and toasting, this is the ultimate cookbook for everyone who loves toast.

Veggie Bowls: 80 Vibrant and Vegetarian One-Bowl Meals by Orathay Souksisavanh: This nifty title boasts more than 80 delicious recipes for healthy, veg-packed meals that can all be served up in a bowl. With a focus on how to layer up your bowl with an ‘edible rainbow’ you’ll be sure to get a balanced, nutritious, and most importantly, super tasty, meal every time.

Eat and Enjoy Gluten Free: Easy Meals, Brilliant Bakes and Delicious Desserts by Laura Strange features 100 recipes, and is split into two sections – Meals for Everyone and Baking Up a Storm. The book will take you from breakfast right through to lunch and dinner as well as dessert recipes and advice on how to master baking basics to build your confidence until you’re turning out gluten free showstoppers. As well as recipes, Laura will demystify ingredients, such as xanthan gum and psyllium husk (magic ingredients for gluten free baking), and provide practical advice on living with coeliac disease, including avoiding cross contamination, meal planning, and money-saving tips.

Healthiest Vegetables by Emily Ezekiel focuses on 15 of the most nutrient rich vegetables, including sweet potatoes, beets, carrots, onions, and kale and how to use these in easy and delicious recipes. Each section is devoted to a vegetable and has a detailed chart with cooking methods and timing, photos of different varieties, and nutritional information. With over 75 recipes, basic information on the vitamins and minerals your body needs plus which vegetables provide them, buying and storage tips, and common alternatives, your best health is well within reach.

Black Sea: Dispatches and Recipes – Through Darkness and Light by Caroline Eden is a revised edition of the 2018 best seller which contains reflections on the events of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent impact of the war on the people of the wider region. How Odesa, defiant against shelling and blackouts, has gained UNESCO protection while in Istanbul, over lunch with a Bosphorus ship-spotter, she finds out about the role of the Black Sea in the war and how Russians are smuggling stolen grain from Ukraine. The majority of the update is narrative with one recipe (Okra and apple soup) at the beginning of the title. We have linked this new edition to the original and noted on the Library record that the page numbers will be different for the 2023/24 edition and that the Okra and apple soup is only in this new edition.

At the Table in Paris: Recipes from the Best Cafés and Bistros in the City of Light by Jan Thorbecke Verlag invites readers to take a culinary stroll through the City of Light, along the Seine, over the Pont Neuf, to the Eiffel Tower, while taking little pit stops at street cafés to experience the food and drink on offer. With 40 typical French recipes, from breakfast right through to dinner and dessert, as well as information on what to do and where to go, this is a cookbook like no other. Discover the best green spaces to enjoy a picnic and feel inspired by time spent at the city’s famous bistros to whip up your own version of Moules frites, Coq au vin, or Crème brûlée. This gorgeous book celebrates all this city has to offer when it comes to food, drink, and must-see places.

Low- and No-alcohol Cocktails: 60 Delicious Drink Recipes for Any Time of Day by Matthias Giroud contains 60 alcohol-free or low-alcohol recipes that are sure to tantalise tastebuds and get tongues wagging. Each cocktail is an experience built on flavor and scent and can be enjoyed throughout the day. In addition to the recipes, Matthias shares his manufacturing secrets, with detailed explanations on cold infusion with and without alcohol, how to prepare syrups and step-by-step instructions on how to decorate your cocktails with flourish. This book promises low- or no-alcohol beverages that truly deliver on taste.

Natural Cakes by Giovanna Torrico teaches novice and experienced bakers alike to make their favorite baked goods with plant-based food dyes, natural sweeteners, and whole grains. Cakes are the utmost symbol of celebration and add sweetness to our lives beyond the sugar used to make them. Natural food dyes like turmeric and beets lend supernatural hues to any batter or frosting. Buckwheat and brown rice flour give nuttiness and texture. And sweeteners like coconut sugar and date syrup add depth of flavor. With 70 recipes and easy swaps throughout, healthy doesn’t need to mean cutting out sugar, nor does it need to be lackluster.

Other titles of interest:

Australia

What Can I Bring?: Easy, Delicious Food for Sharing by Sophie Hansen offers seasonally delicious answers to the perennial question – what can I bring? Drawing inspiration from some of her favourite country cooks, friends, family and bring-a-plate traditions, here are the best recipes when you need something special to impress friends and family.

Baker Bleu The Book: Bake it Till you Make It by Mike Russell provides 70-plus delicious, inventive recipes for anyone who wants to emulate the best bread and Roman-style sourdough pizza crusts in Melbourne. And those who are sandwich fiends (like Neil Perry), or who aspire to resourcefulness with leftover bread, or use croissant dough to make simple filled pastries at home (and prudently leave the whole croissant palaver to the experts). Or just crave the bakery’s now cultish vegan challah (born of the fact its first low-grade food licence did not allow them to work with eggs). But there is more to it too. It’s also a story of what’s possible when you wake up one day and decide there’s more to life than the soulless corporate grind. And you sign on with pluck and ambition to bake it till you make it. This title will be released in the US next month.

Mochi: Make Your Own at Home! by Sabrina Fauda-Rôle: Learn how to perfect the beloved Asian dessert at home with Mochi. This delicious, colorful book features 22 mochi recipes, from chocolate, passionfruit, and sesame to lemon myrtle, matcha-coconut, and red bean paste. With a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to making and shaping your own pillowy-soft mochi dough, easy-to-follow recipes for all the fillings imaginable, plus all the basics, this book will leave you never wanting store-bought mochi again!

The 5-Minute Noodle Salad Lunchbox: Happy, Healthy & Speedy Meals to Make in Minutes by Alexander Hart aims to make prepping your lunch each day a breeze—ensuring your days are deliciously healthy. The 52 recipes cover a range of diverse salads, utilizing the power of noodles, from vermicelli to udon to rice noodles, as well as low-carb zoodle options. There’s also advice throughout on how to make bulk lunches for your week, if that’s your style, and how to overhaul last night’s leftovers into a great midday meal.

Bubble Tea: Make Your Own at Home! by Sandra Mahut: Learn how to perfect the beloved Asian drink at home with Bubble Tea. This delicious, colorful book features 22 bubble tea recipes, from brown sugar, matcha and jasmine, and lime to grass jelly and coconut milk, pomegranate, and grenadine and pandan jelly. With a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to making your own tapioca pearls, easy-to-follow recipes for all the flavors imaginable, plus all the basics, this book will leave you never wanting store-bought bubble tea again!

The Simple Dinner Edit: Overhaul Your Everyday Cooking with 80+ Fast, Fresh Low-cost Dinners by Nicole Maguire: More than half a million Australian home cooks already love Nicole Maguire’s delicious, simple dinner ideas. Her much-anticipated debut cookbook is a mantra in keeping it simple, with more than 80 mouth-watering, low-cost dinners for people watching their weekly food cost. With brilliant tips on how to freeze or turn leftovers into another meal, Nicole makes planning and streamlining your weekly meal-planning, shop, and your nightly dinners, a breeze.

Category: New Cookbooks

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