As Epicurious editors, we have a bounty of cookbooks stacked in our kitchensâand usually our living rooms and bedrooms too. We turn to new and old ones alike to get dinner on the table, bake a sweet treat, and learn something new. Here are the books weâre especially excited about this month. Maybe youâll order one for yourself or gift a couple to your food-obsessed friendâeither way, stock up.
Thereâs been a particularly bitter chill in the air this winter, which has necessitated a lot of soup-making in my apartment. Lentil soup is a major staple for me because itâs so simple, and Iâm always interested in new ways to riff on it. When I was paging through Berlin-based writer Luisa Weissâs Classic German Cookbookâa cookbook stuffed with cozy recipesâI was eager to make the Lentil Soup with Sausage and Prunes. If youâre surprised by the idea of dried fruit in lentil soup, I get it, but it was quite the pleasant addition. Prunes add a rich sweetness that pairs well with the earthy lentils. Another unexpected player: apple cider vinegar, which brightened everything up with an agrodolce vibe. Put prunes and vinegar in your soup! âWilder Davies, commerce writer
When I asked my sister what kind of cookbook sheâd like this year (part of my regular holiday rounds), she had a specific request: âIâm in the market for things I can make easily and freeze in portions. Bonus if vegetarian.â My pick: Piecemeal by Kathryn Pauline of the blog Cardamom and Tea. Released in 2023, the book is arranged as a series of base recipes, with three options for turning each base into a fully realized dish: a throw-together version, a slightly involved version, and what Pauline calls, âa weekend project.â For example: roasted zaâatar-spiced cauliflower (itself a lovely side) becomes something more when dressed with garlic-tahini sauce and cilantro; an even heartier dish when tossed with lentils, arugula, feta, and a mustard vinaigrette; and an all-out hunger-killer when paired with cilantro-lime rice, shredded cabbage, salsa verde, and stuffed into a burrito. But donât forget the desserts! I made this Passion Fruit Olive Oil Cake with swirls of tangy, lush passion fruit curd. The tart vein of creamy passion fruit running through it means that it needs no accompaniment. But whipped cream? Whoâd say no to that? âJoe Sevier, senior SEO editor, cooking
Striking the Goldilocks zone of maximalist cooking with a home cookâs sensibility is no easy featâbut Molly Bazâs More Is More sits comfortably in it. With her most recent cookbook, the former Bon Appétit and Epicurious editor leans into bold flavors and idiosyncratic recipes that just work. Where there is a classic dish like lasagna, corn bread, or calamari, Baz has a clever, dialed-up riffâand no shortage of cheeky nomenclature (see: Chicky Chicky Bread Bread). I recently made her Dilly Beans and Burrata With Frizzled Shallots (who could resist that combination of things?), a delightfully bright bean salad. A whole arsenal of alliumsâonions, scallions, and garlicâget softened till jammy, then mixed with a couple cans of black-eyed peas and some vinegar for tang. After the whole thing cooled down, I mixed in chopped dill and topped it all with crispy shallots and a torn ball of burrata. As bean salads are wont to do, this one sat happily in the fridge overnight and emerged better than before. Bundled in a warmed tortilla for lunch, it brightened a chilly winter Monday. âLi Goldstein, associate newsletter editor
As a superfan of Ciao, Gloria (a Brooklyn cafe with standing-ovation-worthy sandwiches), I was over the moon to learn that the owner, Renato Poliafito, was coming out with a cookbook. Dolci! is a beautiful collection that straddles Italian and American baking. Think Amaro Root Beer Float, Honey-Ricotta Black and Whites, tiramisù-inspired rice krispie treats. The recipes are so eye-catching your hand will unknowingly scribble a grocery list as youâre reading them. I started by making dough for Nâduja Pizzetteâmini disks of pizza. After an overnight rest, the dough is slathered with fiery Calabrian sausage, torn mozzarella, and bursting tomatoes. Once baked in a scorching oven, I finished them with a freckle of earthy oregano, and my contribution to counteract the deeply savory flavor: a lick of honey. âNina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
In the peak of COVID, Iâd often find myself doom-scrolling on TikTok with an eager desire for a serotonin boost from watching a quick 15-second video. Thatâs when I came across TiffyCooks by Tiffy Chen, a fun cook who makes quick Asian-inspired meals and encouraged me to do the same. Last year, she released Tiffy Cooks, a cookbook with 88 recipes inspired by her upbringing and familial roots in Taiwan, as well as her travels throughout Southeast Asia. The cookbook is divided into sections that allow you to choose between easy dishes, family-style meals, or cooking in bulk. I most recently made her Spicy Honey Orange Shrimp paired with steamed rice; my husband and I savored every sweet-and-spicy bite. The shrimp was crisp yet saucy, and it was hard to guess that we whipped up the meal in under an hour. My next endeavor: prepping dumplings with all of my friends. âKetaki Malaviya, research fellow
Home Food was published in 2022 and I have been drawn to it several times in the years since. By Olia Herculesâa Ukraine-born, England-based cookbook authorâthe book describes itself as ârecipes to comfort.â And thatâs what I needed. Glued to the couch and physically depleted, a memory came to me: Herculesâs beets with feta and potatoes. She dubs them âJoeâs,â her husbandâs, because he made this nourishing meal for their family: boiled beets (grated then dressed with vinegar and honey), served with also-boiled potatoes and feta mashed into yogurt. Drizzle the whole thing with oil and sprinkle with dill if you want. Or donât. Like many dishes in the Home Food, the point is the simplicity. Also lovely: the Dark Greens and Noodles With Yogurt. Hercules opts for homemade pasta but gives permission to cheat with broken-up lasagna sheetsâa shortcut I happily took. âEmma Laperruque, associate director of cooking
Packaged in playful boxes with colorful illustrations, Fishwife tinned fish tastes as good as it looks. Thatâs why I was excited to learn about The Fishwife Cookbook, from the brandâs co-founder Becca Millstein and recipe developer Vilda Gonzalez. The recipes harness the ready-to-eat power of Fishwife, and give ideas beyond just plopping it on top of a salad or toast. Thereâs saucy dan dan noodles made with chili-crisp-smothered smoked salmon, loaded Tuna Melt Nachos, and Smoked Mackerel Udon with a nourishing broth. Because the fish is already cooked and seasoned, your ingredient list and prep time are short to begin with. The chapters have you covered from snacktime to late night to Sunday brunch. And for any concerned partiesâno, there is not a dessert chapter. âKate Kassin, editorial operations manager
I invite you to be comforted by a longer recipe, rather than intimidated. The recipes in The League of Kitchens Cookbook are not short, rather theyâre filled with insight, hand holding, and wisdom. Founder of the League of Kitchens, Lisa Kyung Gross and her culinary team of women have gathered, and rigorously tested, the food at the core of their cultures and expertise, previously shared in cooking classes and now preserved in this book. The ingredient lists donât hide a ton of prep work, the methods are detailed and evocative, and the headnotes and photographs communicate everything I need to know to succeed. The Ukrainian Hot Beet and Vegetable Borscht recipe from Larisa Frumkin, for example, begins with her advice: âApple gives sweetness and aroma, but you canât recognize itâyou will not find it, but you will feel it.â She goes on to offer practical substitutions for the red chile powder (chopped green chiles, if you like), an explanation of when to add the cabbage (near the end to retain its bite), and an easy out on garnishes (theyâre great for layering flavor, but donât worry if you need to skip them). Eating the sweet, sour, and vegetal soup felt sustaining. And cooking the soup left me feeling like Iâd spent an evening with my grandmother. What a gift. âKelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
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