Food news antipasto

We start out this week's recap of culinary happenings with sad news of two deaths in the cookbook community. Acclaimed British writer Colin Spencer has passed away at the age of 90. Grub Street Publishing (UK - not related to the US Grub Street website) posted a remembrance about him yesterday. Spencer wrote numerous cookbooks and food-related titles including British… read more

Comfort food is great, but have you tried comforting food?

Since the start of the pandemic, comfort foods have reigned supreme. In times of stress, people turn to the foods that made them feel good, whether it is a throwback dish that reminds them of home or something with a lot of fat, carbs, sugar, or all three. While eating carbohydrate-rich and fat-laden dishes is satisfying, I think there is… read more

White Lily wants your recipes, author events, EYBD Previews, recipes, and more

In 2021, The White Lily Cookbook was published featuring over 70 of the most loved recipes from the White Lily Test Kitchen. This cookbook explored biscuit history and time-honored techniques, woven together with striking photography. Now White Lily is looking for your favorite recipes for their next title. Submit your recipes here. There are a few author events that have… read more

Celebrate French food on Bastille Day

I'm not French, but since nearly all of my great-great-great grandparents lived within spitting distance of the Rhine I say "close enough" for celebrating Bastille Day by eating French foods and drinking a French 75. Even if your ancestors are not French or French adjacent, holidays from other countries or traditions offer a great way to break out of a… read more

Top Chef announces new host and location

Following Padma Lakshmi's departure after Season 20 of the Bravo TV show Top Chef, fans of the series were wondering who the producers would tap as a replacement for Lakshmi. Now we know that beginning with Season 21, the new host joining Gail Simmons and head judge Tom Colicchio will be former Top Chef winner Kristin Kish. Kish has maintained… read more

Nigella Lawson addresses the ‘girl dinner’ trend

TikTok user Olivia Maher has been credited with coining the phrase 'girl dinner' after posting a video that described how medieval peasants ate, describing it as being terrible because they had nothing to eat but bread, cheese, and perhaps a few vegetables. However, Maher went on to say it was her “ideal meal” before panning to a plate containing of… read more

Food news antipasto

Fans of the Hulu series The Bear may have noticed that fictional chef Carmy Berzatto has a cookbook collection at the new restaurant he opens in Season 2. Kat Kinsman and Chandra Ram did some sleuthing - including taking screenshots and enlarging them, CSI-style - and put together a list of the books Carmy has displayed. They are what you would… read more

Prime Day July 11-12, 2023

We would like to remind our Members that Amazon's Prime Day two day event is set to begin next week. As you shop for deals on July 11th and 12th, please consider using our Amazon affiliate links for your purchases (as well as any time during the year). As an Amazon Associate Eat Your Books earns from qualifying purchases when using… read more

Cookbook author Marlena Spieler dies at age 74

We learned the sad news late yesterday evening that prolific cookbook author Marlena Spieler has died at the age of 74. She is the author of over 70 cookbooks published worldwide, including Grilled Cheese and Macaroni & Cheese, and has written for Bon Appétit, Saveur, The San Francisco Chronicle, and other publications. Marlena was also a three-time James Beard nominee… read more

Getting up to speed on modern restaurant lingo

The food world is never stagnant, and new creations happen at a rapid pace. Just a tick over ten years ago there was no such thing as a Cronut, seven years ago the Impossible Burger didn’t exist, six years ago ruby chocolate was born, and the list goes on. It’s difficult to keep up with food trends and new food… read more

Where does the ketchup go?

Some food disputes seem eternal: is a hot dog a sandwich, should chili have beans in it, are brownie centers better than brownie edges, and is cake superior to pie. Another one, and the subject of today's discussion, whether ketchup should be stored in the refrigerator. The answer to that question depends on who you ask. The UK branch of… read more

Honey Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/UK/AU/NZ giveaway to win one of three copies of Honey: Recipes From a Beekeeper's Kitchen by Amy Newsome. Amy Newsome is a cook, gardener and beekeeper – and this title is her homage to honey and its deliciously distinct varietals from around the globe. Marvel at the floral intricacies of honey’s terroir and all its wonderful flavours, before… read more

Ed Mitchell’s Barbecue Cookbook and BBQ Sauce Giveaway

Enter our US giveaway to win one of three copies of Ed Mitchell's Barbecue by Ed and Ryan Mitchell along with a 6 bottle set of Mitchell's low/no sugar BBQ sauces. Each winner will receive the book and a set of sauces! Be sure to check out Ed's events to see if he will be in your area. Ed Mitchell… read more

Fireworks in the kitchen

My neighborhood was full of the pops, booms, and crackles of fireworks tonight as people celebrated the 4th of July holiday. I only heard them distantly because I was scurrying about in the kitchen. Whenever I have a day off, I almost always plan a huge cooking or baking spree. Today was Cook's Illustrated Strawberry cream cake, plus Greg’s scrunchy… read more

Food news antipasto

Cookbook author, food writer and longtime EYB collaborator, Roberta Muir, runs online cooking classes featuring a new cuisine each month. She packages detailed written recipes and step-by-step videos in a glossy eMagazine with lots of extra food, wine and travel info relevant to the month’s cuisine. There are also pescatarian-friendly variations for all meat and poultry dishes. All 26 of Roberta’s existing… read more

How to avoid grilling mistakes

The 4th of July holiday in the US features fireworks, parades, picnics, and backyard grilling and barbecuing. Judging from the out-of-office replies I am receiving, plenty of Americans are making this weekend and upcoming holiday an extended time off. For some it might be the first time they've grilled out in a long time and for a few could be… read more

When you can’t find a copycat

Have you ever eaten something at a restaurant that compelled you to ask the chef for the recipe or sought it out on the internet after you returned home? This has happened to me on two occasions. The first time, the chef gladly gave me the (restaurant-sized) recipe for a fabulous pumpkin soup, so no sleuthing was required. The second… read more

To preheat or not to preheat, that is the question

oven dial
Almost any baking recipe, savory or sweet, begins with instructions to preheat the oven. It's second nature for most cooks to turn on the oven before gathering ingredients or preparing baking pans. But is it really necessary to preheat? There's one school of thought that says it wastes time and electricity (or gas), and another that says you need to… read more

Food news antipasto

Consumers are one step closer to getting lab-grown meat, as US regulators approved two California companies to make chicken from cultivated cells. Upside Foods and Good Meat were both vying to be the first company to get the go-ahead for lab-grown meat products. “Instead of all of that land and all of that water that’s used to feed all of… read more

Iconic dishes, legendary restaurants

As a few readers noted in our post about the World's 50 Best Restaurants, the rankings reflect the views of the sponsor company as much as they do the judgment of experts. Well, I have another curated list for you, but this one is different. It's a list of the 150 most legendary restaurants and each one's iconic dish. You… read more

June 2023 EYB Cookbook Club Summary

Each month we offer at least four cooking options in our Eat Your Books Cookbook Club. This month our selections were: Cookbook: How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food by Mark Bittman or A Cook’s Book: The Essential Nigel Slater by Nigel SlaterBaking: More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes Built for Pleasure and Community by Natasha Pickowicz or any… read more

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… read more

Flavor Kitchen Cookbook Giveaway

Enter our US/CA giveaway to win one of three copies of Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists by Crystelle Pereira. Crystelle has several events planned in the US promoting this book. Be aware the event at Book Larder is sold out, but signed books will be available to purchase. Crystelle Pereira was a contestant on Channel 4’s show The… read more

Get the most from your oven

If you are like me, there is no room in your kitchen for another countertop appliance. While air fryers, Instant Pots, food dehydrators, and other devices have benefits, they demand too much space in my small kitchen to be practical. Despite this limitation, I do not feel bereft when I read all of the 'air fryer' recipes because I have… read more

World’s 50 Best Restaurants

The annual ranking of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants was announced yesterday. As usual, European restaurants dominated the list, although the number one restaurant, Central, is located in Peru and there is again increased worldwide representation. Only two US restaurants - Le Bernardin and Atomix, both in New York City - landed in the top 50. Many chefs on the list… read more
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