April 2023 MBR The Cookbook Shelf

The Cookbook Shelf

Knead Peace: Recipes from the World's Best Bakers in Support of Ukraine
Andrew Green, editor
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781804191118, $29.99 hc / $14.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/Knead-Peace-Ukraine-Recipes-support/dp/1804191116

Knead Peace: Recipes from the World's Best Bakers in Support of Ukraine is edited by Andrew Green. It gathers baked goods inspired by Anna Makievska and The Bakehouse in Kyiv, which continues to bake throughout the war. "We, the bakers, create. And this is the opposite of what fascist aggressors do every day. We need peace, so let's knead it." This quote from Makievska inspires this cookbook, representing a gathering of bakers who donated recipes and time to raise money from this cookbook's sales. Besides supporting Ukraine, the recipes themselves will appeal with their variety, from savory bakes to original sweets such as Helen Goh's Blood Orange, Filo and Custard Cake. Knead Peace is a group effort that should be celebrated and in the collections of any culinary library and those interested in showing support for Ukraine.

70s House
Estelle Bilson
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781914239694, $22.99 hc / $10.99 Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/70s-House-homage-daring-decade/dp/1914239695

70s House: A Bold Homage to the Most Daring Decade in Design by Estelle Bilson tells readers how to take 70s-style design and incorporate it into a modern home, offering the author's expert tips and her experiences changing her three-bedroom home into a 1970s showcase. How she created each room lies at the heart of a colorful exploration that juxtaposes the basics of 70s and modern design concepts, creating a colorful interplay between the written advice and color photos packed throughout. The result is a winning display that captures both the eye and the imagination.

The Vegetarian Reset
Vasudha Viswanath, author
Alexandra Shytsman, photographer
The Collective Book Studio
https://thecollectivebook.studio
https://www.thevegetarianreset.com
9781685550370, $34.99, HC, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Reset-Low-Carb-Plant-Forward-Recipes/dp/1685550371

Synopsis: With the publication of "The Vegetarian Reset", culinary author Vasudha Viswanath celebrates a lifestyle where a foodie sensibility intersects with healthy eating. The 75 recipes comprising "The Vegetarian Rest" collectively solve the never-ending dilemma that all plant-based eaters face: Is life fun when you eat salad every day, or is it worth it to let your health take a backseat to enjoy a big bowl of rice or pasta without enough protein?

In her debut cookbook, Vasudha Viswanath takes her readers on a little culinary trip around the world, drawing inspiration from an array of traditional and global cuisines that are rich in whole foods like vegetables, legumes, and healthy fats. Seasonal vibrant recipes are moderately low-carb and put vegetables front and center, while also being gluten-free!

Kitchen cooks will also learn to bake healthy bread from scratch, make paella out of cauliflower rice, transform paneer into gnocchi, and sweeten brownies with dates! Whether you already follow a low-carb lifestyle or simply want to add more healthy dishes into your rotation,

Simply stated, the purpose of "The Vegetarian Reset" is to delight and inspire vegetarians, vegans, and omnivores alike to eat well, fully nourish, and reset their bodies.

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes by photographer Alexandra Shytsman, "The Vegetarian Reset: 75 Low-Carb, Plant-Forward Recipes from Around the World" from culinary expert Vasudha Viswanath will be of special appeal and value to kitchen cooks with an interest in vegetarian cooking, as well as Low Carb and Low Carbohydrate diets. While also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99), "The Vegetarian Reset" is an especially and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

Editorial Note #1: Vasudha Viswanath (https://www.v8well.com/about) is the founder of We Ate Well, a community for foodies that brings you the inside scoop on everything vegetarian. Her mission is to help you eat mindfully, joyfully, and sustainably on a vegetarian diet. She grew up in Bangalore, India and now lives in New York City with her husband and daughter.

Editorial Note #2: Alexandra Shytsman (https://alexandrashytsman.com) is a writer, recipe developer, food photographer, and creator of The New Baguette, a plant-based recipe site for the veg-curious. She is the co-author of The Complete Vegan Cookbook, and her work has been featured in national media like The Kitchn, Food52, HuffPost, and Cherry Bombe. She is a Ukrainian immigrant and currently lives in New York City.

Broke Vegan
Sam Dixon
Aster
c/o Octopus Books
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781783255382, $14.99, HC, 144pp

https://www.amazon.com/Broke-Vegan-Simple-Plant-based-Recipes/dp/1783255382

Synopsis: Featuring more than 100 plant-based recipes using supermarket staples, along with hints and tips for simplifying vegan cooking, "Broke Vegan: One Pot: Over 100 Simple Plant-based Recipes That Don't Cost The Earth" will have even the most novice of kitchen cooks preparing delicious vegan meals time after time -- meals that save money and help the planet. From easy weeknight meals to fancier dishes for entertaining, Broke Vegan: One Pot will help you cook sustainably without breaking the bank.

Demystifying the vegan diet, "Broke Vegan: One Pot" shows how to can make not only delicious meals without sacrificing any flavor, but being able to switch to a vegan diet without having to worry about extra costs. Whether taking part in Veganuary for the first time, making the move from veggie to vegan or just trying to make grocery money go further, "Broke Vegan: One Pot" will bring treasured variety and flavor to any meal without all the washing up!

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color, full page photographs of finished dishes, "Broke Vegan: One Pot: Over 100 Simple Plant-based Recipes That Don't Cost The Earth" will proved to be a prized and valued resource for menu planning and a welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library Vegan/Vegetarian cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Sam Dixon (www.samdixonstylist.com) is a self-taught food stylist for cookbooks, magazines, film and TV, learnt through industry with a background in baking. She officially started her career in food at Violet bakery in East London. A love for seasonal ingredients, creativity and aesthetics was developed here. Since then, she has worked with numerous publications and brands such as The Guardian, GQ, The Telegraph, Hix, the White Company, Kyle Books, Quadrille and Hodder and Stoughton. She is also the co-creator of Studio Feast, a food photography studio in Hackney, London.

Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists
Crystelle Pereira
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9781914239793, $19.99, HC, 208pp

https://www.amazon.com/Flavor-Kitchen-Creative-Recipes-Sharing/dp/1914239792

Synopsis: Cooking has always been an equal passion to baking for Crystelle Pereira, as shown by the coveted 'Hollywood Handshake' she received for her curried chicken and potato pie on The Great British Bake Off, a dish showcasing her Portuguese-Goan roots. Inspired by her travels and heritage, Crystelle's new cookbook, "Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists" encourages kitchen cooks to experiment with flavors and shows how (just by adding a few more condiments to your cupboard) anyone can elevate classic dishes.

Divided into two halves (savory and sweet), "Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists" showcases the baking that took Crystelle to the final of The Great British Bake Off, as well as her flair for creative savory dishes. Drawing inspiration from around the world, there is a flavor-packed dish for every occasion, from zingy curries, mouth-watering pastas and zesty salads to scrumptious cakes, pull-apart breads and indulgent brownies. Featuring a handy guide to Crystelle's hero ingredients and star seasonings (all of which feature in multiple recipes) it couldn't be easier to raise any dedicated kitchen cook's flavor game.

Critique: As much fun to browse through as it is inspiring to plan menus with, "Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists" is beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color, full page photographs of finished dishes. Exceptionally 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Flavor Kitchen: Vibrant Recipes with Creative Twists" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note: Raised in London by Kenyan-born, Portuguese-Goan parents, Crystelle Pereira first showcased her baking skills and winning flavor combinations on The Great British Bake Off. Cooking is an equal passion to baking for Crystelle, and her dishes are known for their inventive twists and exciting flavors. Her appearance on GBBO made Vanity Fair's list of Best Performances of 2021, and she has gone on to cook on acclaimed TV shows such as Good Morning America, The Today Show, Sunday Brunch and ITV Lorraine. She can be followed on Instagram: @crystellepereira

Vegan Chocolate Treats
Emma Hollingsworth
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9781914239564, $22.99, HC, 160pp

https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Chocolate-Treats-gluten-free-refined-sugar-free/dp/1914239563

Synopsis: After the success of "Vegan Treats" and with the publication of "Vegan Chocolate Treats", Emma Hollingsworth is back with an even more indulgent sequel featuring all things chocolaty. Comprised of 100 delicious dairy-free, gluten-free and refined-sugar-free recipes based on chocolate, "Vegan Chocolate Treats" provides simple, fuss-free instructions for memorable home-made treats created with easy to find, natural, ingredients. The focus is on confectionary, energy balls and bars, cakes, puddings and frozen desserts. Think healthier versions of peanut butter cups, Mars Bars, chocolate spread, Magnums and chocolate mousse as well as lots of birthday cake ideas too.

Critique: Enhanced with the inclusion of full page, full color photographs of finished treats, "Vegan Chocolate Treats" is a chocolate lover's dream collection that will appeal to vegans and non-vegans alike! Exceptionally 'kitchen cook friendly' in organization and presentation, "Vegan Chocolate Treats" is an extraordinary and unreservedly recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Vegan Chocolate Treats" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $10.99).

Editorial Note: Emma Hollingsworth (https://readitandeatstore.com/pages/emma-hollingsworth) has a first in Economics from Birmingham and also studied at Harvard. Wanting to get healthier, she cut out gluten, sugar and other allergens, qualified as a certified health coach (IIN) and started developing healthy treats. She runs a weekly farmers' market stall, her blog won 'best recipe blog' at the 2017 Health Blog awards, she collaborates with well-known health brands such as Ethos, creates bespoke cakes to order and also runs workshops. Emma lives in London with her husband and daughter.

Recipes to Reconnect
Anna Boglione
Kyle Books
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
http://www.kylebooks.com
9780857839961, $39.99, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Recipes-to-Reconnect/dp/0857839969

Synopsis: Inspired by her upbringing at famed British restaurant -- Petersham Nurseries, Beautifully illustrated with full color photos of finished dishes, "Recipes to Reconnect" is comprised of more than 60 recipes from the Petersham team and other great chefs, alongside Anna's own home cooking.

Split into seasons these are delicious, simple dishes, created in response to wide-ranging conversations with farmers, conservationists and nutritionists around themes such as re-wilding, community, sleep and fasting. Interviewees and chefs featured include Isabella Tree, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bruce Parry, Jeremy Lee of Quo Vadis, Skye Gyngell of Spring, and Simon Rogan of L'Enclume, The dishes celebrate natural ingredients and encourage you to enjoy your food all the more having considered its origin.

Anna sees food as a way to create conversation, to bring people together and to experience the joy of nature. With the publication of "Recipes to Reconnect", she creates a deeper consideration of nature's place in our modern lives and brings it, quite literally, to the table.

Critique: A beautiful book to simple browse through, and ideal for planning menus with, not only will the meals be memorable, but they will provide values opportunities for food based conversations to re-establish the relationship between nature, food and self among those seated at the dining table. A culinary treasure, "Recipes to Reconnect" has the highest recommendation possible for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Recipes to Reconnect" is also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle, $12.99).

Editorial Note #1: Anna Boglione spent her childhood exploring the Italian alps and within London's Petersham Nurseries, her family's restaurant, farm and garden centre. Having grown up in such organic surroundings, Anna struggled once exposed to the food she ate outside of the home. She developed digestion issues which affected her weight, cognitive function and later in her her spine. Anna found relief and comfort in plants and nature and launched The Gut. https://www.wmagazine.com/story/artistic-director-anna-boglione-knows-how-to-put-on-a-show

Editorial Note #2: Petersham Nurseries, Richmond (https://petershamnurseries.com) is situated along the Thames, adjacent to a cow field. Awarded a Green Michelin star, the seasons are reflected in the food, flowers find their way into the dishes and the colours of each season are intertwined within the ambiance.

Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook
Taste of Home, editor
Trusted Media Brand
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621458890, $26.99, HC, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-Cooking-School-Cookbook/dp/162145889X

Synopsis: No matter your kitchen expertise, you'll cook with confidence with Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook at your fingertips! Discover the step-by-step techniques every home cook needs to set delicious, hearty, memorable meals on the table. Dozens of how-to photos, tips and hints turn you into the chef and baker you always knew you could be, and 40 QR Codes offer up free online tutorials for even more direction. From roasting a chicken and stuffing a turkey to grilling like a pro and baking up golden yeast breads, you'll discover all the secrets today's cooks rely on most... taught by the pros from the Taste of Home Test Kitchen. Whip up sumptuous holiday menus with all of the trimmings and impress the gang with beautiful cakes, luscious pies and fudgy brownies too good to be true. It's easy! Let Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook show you how!

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes, and an ideal culinary instruction guide and 'how-to' manual, "Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook: Step-by-Step Instructions, How-to Photos and the Recipes Today's Home Cooks Rely on Most" is an ideal DIY textbook for highschool and community college cooking classes, and will prove to be a prized addition to personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. Covering everything from knife skills and kitchen equipment to kitchen cook friendly recipes for menu planning that will transform ordinary meals into memorable dining occasions, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $14.99).

Editorial Note: Taste of Home (www.tasteofhome.com) is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food, cooking, baking and entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food made with love. The Taste of Home magazine has a circulation of 1.5 million and publishes top-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials.

Taste of Home What Can I Bring?
Taste of Home, editor
Trusted Media Brand
https://www.trustedmediabrands.com
9781621458913, $19.99, PB, 320pp

https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Home-What-Can-Bring/dp/1621458911

Synopsis: When invited to a community, church, or family gathering and food is to be served our first response almost automatically ask the question "What Can I Bring?" All great parties, holidays, anniversaries, and communal gatherings aspire to include tasty dishes to share, munchable snacks and impressive desserts to offer brought together by those who will be attending and participating in the celebratory event.

Showcasing more than 360 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes suitable for parties, picnics and potlucks, "Taste of Home What Can I Bring? is a new cookbook specifically designed to find the perfect contribution to cocktail parties, tailgates, backyard barbecues, bridal and baby showers, Christmas buffets and other events. Each individual recipe serves a crowd, travels well and offers the no-fuss ease today's home cooks need most. In addition to more than 360+ make-and-take dishes, there are invaluable and 'real world practical' packing and traveling tips, suggestions for the ideal foods to bring to specific get-togethers, and other culinary tricks for answering that ever popular and inevitable question, "What can I bring?".

Critique: Beautifully and profusely illustrated throughout with full color photos of finished dishes that will inspire and delight for any and every communal dining occasion, "Taste of Home What Can I Bring?: 360+ Dishes for Parties, Picnics & Potlucks" is confidently recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Taste of Home What Can I Bring?" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.99).

Editorial Note: Taste of Home (www.tasteofhome.com) is the leading multi-platform producer of information on food, cooking, baking and entertaining, serving home cooks engaging media that capture the joy and comfort received from food made with love. The Taste of Home magazine has a circulation of 1.5 million and publishes top-selling cookbooks and newsstand specials.

Vietnam: Morning to Midnight
Jerry Mai
Smith Street Books
c/o Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781922754288, $29.95, HC, 192pp

https://www.amazon.com/Vietnam-Morning-Midnight-cookbook-Jerry/dp/1922754285

Synopsis: With the publication of "Vietnam: Morning to Midnight", kitchen cooks can readily join chef and author Jerry Mai as she shares the iconic dishes and street-food eats that are enjoyed throughout Vietnam, from morning to midnight.

As the sun rises, mornings start early in Vietnam: locals perch on plastic stools, slurping large bowls of beef pho, while others grab a crispy pork banh mi for breakfast on the go. Lunch might include delicious grilled meats piled high onto rice, or a cold noodle salad to help stay cool in the midday heat.

Weaving through the bustling streets, snacks are all around: rice paper rolls, savoury pancakes, sweet treats, drinks and more. At the end of the day, grilled or barbecued savoury snacks are the perfect foil for freshly brewed beer and are the best prelude to dinner -- a communal feast of shared dishes.

Critique: Enhanced for the kitchen cook with the inclusion of full color, full page photographs of finished dishes, "Vietnam: Morning to Midnight" showcases authentic Vietnamese cuisine. A culinary foodie's delight in browsing through the page of, and planning memorable menus with, "Vietnam: Morning to Midnight" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Ethnic & Asian cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Jerry Mai (https://www.smithstreetbooks.com/book-author/jerry-mai) is a Vietnamese - Australian chef living and working in Melbourne, Australia. She has spent over twenty years working in some of Melbourne's greatest kitchens including Longrain, Gingerboy, and Seamstress. Jerry now owns and runs two restaurants offering different Vietnamese food experiences -- the cool, casual street-food of Pho Nom, and Annam, Jerry's pimped-up Vietnamese restaurant showcasing her mother's recipes, all intertwined with her own unique food experiences.

The Official Disney Parks Cookbook
Pam Brandon
Disney Editions
c/o Disney Book Group
https://books.disney.com
9781368090292, $19.99, HC, 208pp

https://www.amazon.com/Official-Disney-Parks-Cookbook-Delicious/dp/136809029X

Synopsis: For more than twenty-five years, Pam Brandon has worked closely with the Disney chefs to thoughtfully take the best dishes from Disney theme parks and resorts and serve up official recipes that are just right for prepping on a smaller scale in home kitchens and tested by real home chefs. Now comfy classics, festival favorites, and international cuisines are whisked together and presented in "The Official Disney Parks Cookbook", a profusely illustrated collection of memorable dishes from the Disney recipe vault.

Of special note is the inclusion of personalized notes from the chefs who created and enhanced a particular dish, inspiring food photos, helpful hints for easy preparation, and a little of that Disney culinary magic, showcasing 101 tried-and-true recipes.

"The Official Disney Parks Cookbook" is an impressive and 'kitchen cook friendly' assortment of appetizers, main courses, sides, desserts, and even joyful libations that have come from fine-dining and quick-service establishments and have wowed guests of the Disneyland Resort; Walt Disney World Resort; Disney Cruise Line ships; and Disney Vacation Club resorts,

Critique: A unique and impressive Disney themed cookbook whose 101 showcased recipes range from a Dagobah Slug Slinger, Chef Mickey's Breakfast Pizza, and Flame Tree Barbecue Sauce, to Micky Mouse Beignets, Rainbow Sprinkle Woopie Pies, Caramel Hawaiian Sweet Bread, "The Official Disney Parks Cookbook" will prove an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, professional, and community library cookbook collections.

Editorial Note: Pam Brandon (https://winterparkmag.com/2021/12/31/a-chefs-best-pal) is the author of 20 Disney cookbooks, including the "2017 Disney Festivals Coast to Coast," on bookshelves in August, and "Delicious Disney" with recipes from Disneyland Park, Walt Disney World Resort, Disney Cruise Line and Aulani, on bookshelves in late 2018. Brandon also is a food writer for the Disney Parks Blog. She began her career as a senior publicist for Walt Disney World Resort in 1987 and has worked on public relations' food & beverage projects for Disney parks around the globe for the last 20 years, including the opening of Shanghai Disney. She also was a contributing editor to the Disney Birnbaum guidebooks for more than 10 years. She also is managing editor of Edible Orlando magazine.

When You Fast... Recipes For Lenten Seasons
Catharine Mandell
SVS Press
575 Scarsdale Road, Yonkers, NY 10707
www.svspress.com
9780881412628, $32.00, PB, 256pp

https://svspress.com/when-you-fast-recipes-for-lenten-seasons

Synopsis: With the publication of "When You Fast... Recipes For Lenten Seasons" Catharine Mandell offers a compendium of balanced and helpful seasonal recipes for Lent. It was born out of Catharine's nearly decade-long quest to attain a rule of fasting for her family in accordance with the traditional Orthodox Christian discipline. Her goal was not only abstention from meat during lenten seasons, but also abstention from dairy products, and from oils on the strictest of fast days.

The resultant of her culinary labors is "When You Fast... Recipes For Lenten Seasons" showcasing 200 recipes, each of which will provide a variety of easy, nourishing, and appealing meals. Sprinkled among the delicious recipes are sayings from the Mothers and Fathers of the early Church regarding how the body and soul are affected by eating habits-pithy illuminations to accompany the appetizing recipes.

Critique: An inspirational pleasure to browse through and plan menus with, "When You Fast... Recipes For Lenten Seasons" is a unique and very special addition recommended for personal, community, and church library cookbook collections.

The Official Cookbook of the Chile Pepper Institute
Paul W. Bosland, author
Wendy V. Hamilton, author
Carolyn Graham, photographer
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM 87131-0001
www.unmpress.com
9780826364555, $24.95, PB, 200pp

https://www.amazon.com/Official-Cookbook-Chile-Pepper-Institute/dp/0826364551

Synopsis: The world-famous Chile Pepper Institute (https://cpi.nmsu.edu) is the only organization devoted to the study, cultivation, and enjoyment of the world's favorite fiery fruit, and "The Official Cookbook of the Chile Pepper Institute" is the ideal DIY guide to cooking with and enjoying chile peppers in all their magnificent, flavorful varieties. With over eighty recipes celebrating the world's diversity of chile peppers and more than a hundred photos of chile peppers in the field, at the market, and on your plate, this unique and specialized cookbook is like taking a tour through the Institute's famous Teaching Garden.

Critique: "The Official Cookbook of the Chile Pepper Institute" by co-authors Paul W. Bosland and Wendy V. Hamilton is specifically organized to include almost every chile pepper variety worldwide. Each individual chile includes a description of its history, where it originated and where it is grown now, and its flavor profile, heat index, and common uses. And, of course, recipes! For those who like the flavor enhancement of chilies in the dishes they serve, "The Official Cookbook of the Chile Pepper Institute" is unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted by kitchen cooks that "The Official Cookbook of the Chile Pepper Institute" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $24.95).

Editorial Note #1: Paul W. Bosland (https://pes.nmsu.edu/faculty/emeritus/paul-w-bosland.html) is the Regents Professor of Horticulture emeritus, a Distinguished Achievement Professor, and the former director of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. He is popularly known as the "Chileman." He led the chile breeding and genetics research program at New Mexico State University and is recognized internationally as the foremost expert on chile peppers. Bosland has published more than 150 scientific papers and coauthored five books, including Peppers of the World: An Identification Guide with Dave DeWitt.

Editorial Note #2: Wendy V. Hamilton is a professor emeritus at New Mexico State University and the former department head for the New Mexico Cooperative Extension Service's Program Development and Accountability Department. She also served as Extension's statewide program evaluation and grant development specialist until retiring in 2020.

Editorial Note #3: Carolyn Graham (https://www.unmpress.com/author/carolyn-graham) has worked for more than twenty-five years in the publishing industry, most recently as the CEO of New Mexico Magazine. She is the author of New Mexico Food Trails: A Road Tripper's Guide to Hot Chile, Cold Brews, and Classic Dishes from the Land of Enchantment (UNM Press).

The Complete Small Plates Cookbook
America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen, Publisher
www.americastestkitchen.com
9781954210370, $34.99

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Small-Plates-Cookbook-Shareable/dp/195421037X

The Complete Small Plates Cookbook features over three hundred shareable dishes that can be defined as anything from Spanish tapas to bar snacks and salads. In keeping with the modern trend to eat less, but more flavorfully and diversely, this notion of sharing several small plates initially might feel like a challenge for home cooks used to producing a single large meal with a few side dishes. The trick of easy preparation lies in putting the pieces together that result in different dishes using similar ingredients, then balancing tastes, textures, and food displays for maximum diversity and appeal.

The Complete Small Plates Cookbook presents foolproof recipes for dishes such as Apple-Fennel Remoulade, Crab Croquettes, and Sweet Potato Hummus, with colorful photos of dishes combining eye-catching attraction with food that home cooks can easily reproduce to support the concept of small dishes shared among family and friends.

Libraries seeking a fine, diverse representation of small dish recipes should include The Complete Small Plates Cookbook in their collections.

Egg
Lizzie Stark
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue New York, New York 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393531503, $28.00

https://www.amazon.com/Egg-Dozen-Ovatures-Lizzie-Stark/dp/0393531503

Egg: A Dozen Ovatures is a rousing tribute to the egg that will attract cooks and anyone with an interest in historical and scientific facts about eggs. The egg represents a paradox in many ways. This is thoroughly explored by an author interested in all of the egg's facets, from myths and realities about eggs to the possibilities of utilizing them more widely in the kitchen. While this far-ranging examination brings it far from the typical cookbook recipe format, Egg is featured here because it should not be missed by any with an interest in food history in general and eggs in particular.

Libraries will find Egg unparalleled in its in-depth focus, lively considerations of history, and ability to appeal to historical readers as well as cooks who normally don't receive such an expansive survey.

The Slimming Foodie in Minutes
Pip Payne
Aster
c/o Octopus Publishing
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781783254989, $26.99

https://www.amazon.com/Slimming-Foodie-Minutes-quick-cook-calories/dp/178325498X

The Slimming Foodie in Minutes: 100+ Quick-Cook Recipes Under 600 Calories combines speedy dishes with a healthy perspective on cooking, offering recipes that can each be prepared in under 30 minutes, containing under 600 calories.

Pip Payne proves that "low-fat" needn't translate to "high effort," presenting dishes packed with flavor. Examples include Light Lemon, Smoked Salmon & Pea Spaghetti, Sweet & Spicy Mango Prawns, and Creamy Chinese Five Spice Chicken Curry (the cream comes from light coconut milk). With attractive facing color photos accompanying each recipe, even the busiest cooks can easily produce healthier main dishes that shine.

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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review