The Big Sur Bakery Cookbook: A Year in the Life of a Restaurant


Michelle Wojtowicz - 2009
    But don't be fooled by its unassuming location—stumbling across the Bakery, as countless visitors have done on their way up and down the Pacific Coast, will make you feel as if you've discovered a secret: a gem of a restaurant where the food, people, and atmosphere meld together in a perfect embodiment of the spirit of Big Sur.The three restaurant owners, chef Philip Wojtowicz, baker Michelle Wojtowicz, and host Michael Gilson, escaped the Los Angeles food scene to create their version of the ideal restaurant, nestled in the heart of some of the most beautiful country in the world. This is simple, wood-fired American cooking at its best, executed in a way that lets the ingredients—seasonal and often locally produced—shine. Weekend brunches feature thick, nine-grain pancakes and savory breakfast pizza topped with crisp bacon, fresh herbs, and pasture-raised eggs. At night, Phil offers classics like Grilled Prime Rib Steak with Red Wine Sauce along with twists on traditional favorites like Venison Osso Buco or Rockfish Scampi. And every meal should end with one of Michelle's great desserts, whether it's a homemade Peppermint Ice Cream Sundae or Hazelnut Flan with Roasted Cherries.But this is more than a cookbook; it's a yearlong glimpse into what it's really like to live in Big Sur, introducing the people and places that make the restaurant's renowned food possible, including Wayne Hyland, hunter and forager, Jamie Collins, organic row cropper, and Gary Pisoni, the eccentric vintner who supplies some of the restaurant's most beloved wine. With its outstanding photography, lively profiles, and dozens of must-make recipes, this book helps bring the experience of Big Sur home.

Vegan Mexico: Soul-Satisfying Regional Recipes from Tamales to Tostadas


Jason Wyrick - 2016
    Enjoy the exotic flavors of these diverse cuisines without leaving your kitchen. Jason's delicious recipes capture the essence of the moles of Oaxaca, the Mayan legacy of the Yucatan, the smoky chile flavors of Zacatecas,the fruit-centric Southern regions, the Spanish influence of Veracruz, and the street food of Mexico City. Recipes include:Oaxacan Black BeansBlue Corn Mushrooms BocolesFour Chile Noodle SoupClassic Sweet Corn TamalesOld-Style Street EnchiladasSonoran Machaca BurritosSweet Potato PastelitosTres Leches CakeA leading authority in vegan Mexican cooking, Jason shares the core concepts for making authentic Mexican cuisine and tie the recipes to their place in the story of Mexico. Readers will come away with a new understanding and admiration for the diversity and flavors of Mexico and be inspired to make delectable main dishes, soups, spreads, sandwiches, breads, desserts, snacks, and much more.

Twist: Creative Ideas to Reinvent Your Baking


Martha Collison - 2016
    Here in her first book, she offers a brilliant new approach to baking – a way to master baking, while adding 'twists' to recipes to make contemporary bakes that everyone will love.With clever illustrations and know-how throughout, alongside beautiful photography, Martha demonstrates how to take basic recipes and alter them into something new. Whether it’s a cake, a biscuit or even a pastry recipe, she shows how to alter the method, the balance of ingredients or the mixture of flavours to ensure exciting, magical bakes every time. Transform her Never-Fail Vanilla Cupcakes into Lemon Cheesecake Cupcakes, for example, or Caramel Macchiatos. Try Pink Grapefruit Drizzle Cake, instead of the usual Lemon, and then mix it up with Gin & Tonic flavours. Or take Macarons to a whole new level and try Peach Bellini Macarons or even a Macaron Shell Ice-Cream.Fresh, innovative and genuinely exciting, Twist looks set to make adventurous bakers of us all.

Everyday Barbecue: At Home with America's Favorite Pitmaster


Myron Mixon - 2013
    Don’t mess it up.”  As the winningest man in barbecue, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, and a judge on the hit show BBQ Pitmasters on Discovery’s Destination America, Myron Mixon knows more about smoking meat than any man alive. And now he’s on a mission to prove to home cooks everywhere that they can make great barbecue any day of the week—in the comfort of their own backyard or kitchen, no matter their skill level. Across the country at competitions and in his Pride & Joy Bar-B-Que restaurants, Mixon has proven that no other pitmaster’s food can touch his when he’s behind a smoker. But he doesn’t need fancy equipment to do it: He can cook delicious barbecue with any grill, smoker, or oven, even on the busiest weeknight, and you’ll be able to, too, with the nearly 150 recipes in Everyday Barbecue. Armed with Mixon’s advice and tips, you’ll discover that barbecue isn’t just for the Fourth of July and Labor Day; it’s for any day you feel like cooking it. So fire up your grill and get ready to cook incredible barbecue favorites such as Ribs the Easy Way, Myron’s Dr Pepper Can Chicken, and The King Rib sandwich and adventurous backyard fare like Pork Belly Sliders and Barbecue-Fried Baby Backs, plus leftover inspirations, delectable deserts, and even some drunken recipes!In Everyday Barbecue, you will find some seriously finger-lickin’ good barbecue recipes, including:  • The Essentials: Turning any backyard grill into a smoker—Brisket the Easy Way, Ribs the Easy Way, The Only Barbecue Sauce You Need• Burgers and Sandwiches: Classic Hickory Smoked Barbecue Burger, The King Rib, Barbecue Pork Belly Sliders, Brisket Cheesesteaks, Barbecued Veggie Sandwiches• Smoked and Grilled: Perfect Grilled Rib Eyes, Whole Roasted Turkey with Bourbon Gravy, Myron’s Dr Pepper Can Chicken• Barbecue-Fried: Yes, first you smoke it, then you fry it—Baby Backs, Chicken Lollipops, Cap’n Crunch Chicken Tenders• Swimmers: Finger-Lickin’ Barbecue Shrimp-and-Cheese Grits, Smoky Catfish Tacos• Drunken Recipes: Bourbon Brown Sugar Chicken, Whiskey Grilled Shrimp• Barbecue Brunch: Pitmaster’s Smoked Eggs Benedict with Pulled Pork Cakes, Backyard Bacon• Plus, Salads and Sides, delectable Desserts, and Leftover inspirations! Baby Back Mac and Cheese, Tinga-Style Barbecue Tacos, Chocolate Cake on the Grill, and Grilled Skillet Apple Pie   Loaded with nearly 150 recipes and mouthwatering photographs throughout, Everyday Barbecue serves up barbecue’s greatest hits (and more) in a fast, efficient way that you’ve never seen before.Praise for Everyday Barbecue   “Mixon does an admirable job of showing grillers, smokers, and barbecuers how they can turn labor and time-intensive grilling and barbecue projects into weekday meals with a minimum of fuss in this to-the-point collection of 150 smoke-centered recipes. . . . It’s his ingenious use of leftovers that will make readers take notice as he offers suggestions for mountains of leftover brisket, pulled pork, or chicken. This approach—rather than a multitude of variations on ribs, pulled pork and a bevy of sauces—sets the book apart and make it a keeper.”—Publishers Weekly

Not Your Mama's Canning Book: Modern Canned Goods and What to Make with Them


Rebecca Lindamood - 2016
    She will also provide recipes that highlight these unique flavor combinations so you can make use out of every canned good! From jams, jellies and preserves to pickles and relishes to drunken fruit and pressure canning, this book has something for everyone. Some recipes will require the use of pressure canners, but not all.Make your mama proud but don't tell her you can can better than her!

The River Cottage Mushroom Handbook


John Wright - 2007
    The handbook is completed by more than 30 simple and delicious mushroom recipes from the River Cottage team. With color photographs throughout, line drawings, and a user-friendly Key, this comprehensive and collectable guide is destined to be an indispensable household reference.

Crepes: 50 Savory and Sweet Recipes (Dessert Cookbook, French Cookbook, Crepe Cookbook)


Martha Holmberg - 2012
    Trained at the renowned La Varenne cooking school, she has been a food writer, editor, and cook in the United States, England, and France for the past two decades. Her lifelong love of this favorite food is apparent throughout this collection of 50 sweet and savory recipes, ranging from the simple and snacky Butter-Sugar-Lemon of her teenage years to the crepe cakes and cannelloni of an accomplished cook. Her encouraging instructions and master formulas produce beautiful crepes and tempting sauces and fillings that pay homage to the classics while also playing with ambitious and fascinating flavor combinations and ingredients.

The Good Cook


Simon Hopkinson - 2011
    The Good Cook is the result of over 40 years' experience and is based on Simon's belief that a good cook loves eating as much as cooking. How the ingredients you choose and the way you cook them will turn a good recipe into a great dish. That a cheap cut of meat cooked with care can taste as nice as a choice cut prepared by indifferent hands.Structured around Simon's passion for good ingredients (Anchovy and Aubergine, Cheese and Wine, Smoked and Salted Fish, Ham, Bacon and A Little Pig) and written with Simon's trademark perfectionism and precision, this is a book that you will cherish for life.

The Slanted Door: Modern Vietnamese Food


Charles Phan - 2014
     Charles Phan opened The Slanted Door in San Francisco's Mission District in 1995, inspired by the food of his native Vietnam. Since then, The Slanted Door has moved across town to the historic Ferry Building and has grown into a world-class dining destination. Its accessible, modern take on classic Vietnamese dishes is adored by diners, chefs, and critics alike. "The Slanted Door" is a love letter to the restaurant, its people, and its food, featuring stories and essays along with to its most iconic recipes such as Seared Scallops with Vietnamese Beurre Blanc, Wok-Seared Eggplant with Satay Sauce, and Rack of Lamb with Tamarind Sauce. In addition to recipes, the book will include an extensive cocktail section, and essays on its esteemed wine program.

The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook: 200 Fast and Foolproof Recipes for Every Brand of Electric Pressure Cooker


Barbara Schieving - 2017
    The new electric pressure cookers are fast-cooking devices that make it possible to come home from work and have a home-cooked, healthy dinner on the table in 15 or 20 minutes. They are easy, safe, and packed with features that previous generations’ stovetop models did not have. They offer the shortest route from here to dinner! In The Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook, the world’s leading blogger on pressure cooking, Barbara Schieving (of the blog PressureCookingToday.com), has created over 200 new family-friendly recipes that are big on flavor, imaginative in their variety, and easy to make, featuring lots of fresh, natural, and nutritious ingredients. These recipes are written for any electric pressure cooker, whether the Instant Pot or the popular models from Cuisinart, Fagor, Power Pressure Cooker, T-fal, and other makers. The book includes: lots of tips and tricks that help you get the most from your pressure cooker, no matter what brand you own; two chapters, “Shortcut Dinners” and “30-Minute Meals,” for terrific weeknight meals on the fly, and another, “Sunday Suppers,” for special weekend gatherings; and recipes for every taste and diet, from robust meat and chicken dishes to vegetarian mains and sides, plus healthy breakfasts, tasty sandwiches and tacos, soothing soups and stews, and a big chapter full of quick and easy desserts.

I Love Curry


Anjum Anand - 2010
    In this deliciously spicy book, Anjum Anand, voted Personality of the Year at the British Curry Awards, presents an eclectic choice of her favourite curries. These include regional dishes, favourite restaurant classics and many of her own original creations. As with all Anjum’s recipes, they are written to suit a lighter, healthier way of eating; but every dish bursts with the flavours of India. Divided into chapters on Fish and Seafood, Poultry and Game, Meat and Vegetable curries, there is a final chapter featuring the usual accompaniments: side dishes, breads, rice, chutneys and raitas. This is the essential book for all lovers of Indian food, whether they are confident cooks or novice enthusiasts.

Weber's Smoke: A Guide to Smoke Cooking for Everyone and Any Grill


Jamie Purviance - 2012
    Weber's Smoke shows you how and inspires you with recipes that range from the classic (Best-on-the-Block Baby Back Ribs) to the ambitious (Smoked Duck and Cherry Sausages). And best of all, many of the recipes let you achieve mouthwatering smoke flavor in a matter of minutes-not hours.You'll learn:Basic and advanced smoke cooking methods for traditional smokers as well as standard backyard grillsOver 85 exciting recipes such as Brined and Maple-Smoked Bacon and Cedar-Planked Brie with Cherry Chutney and Toasted AlmondsSmoking woods' flavor characteristics and food pairing suggestions that complement each distinct type of woodWeber's Top Ten Smoking Tips for getting the best possible results on any grill

An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace


Tamar Adler - 2011
    F. K. Fisher’s How to Cook a Wolf— written in 1942 during wartime shortages—An Everlasting Meal shows that cooking is the path to better eating. Through the insightful essays in An Everlasting Meal, Tamar Adler issues a rallying cry to home cooks. In chapters about boiling water, cooking eggs and beans, and summoning respectable meals from empty cupboards, Tamar weaves philosophy and instruction into approachable lessons on instinctive cooking. Tamar shows how to make the most of everything you buy, demonstrating what the world’s great chefs know: that great meals rely on the bones and peels and ends of meals before them. She explains how to smarten up simple food and gives advice for fixing dishes gone awry. She recommends turning to neglected onions, celery, and potatoes for inexpensive meals that taste full of fresh vegetables, and cooking meat and fish resourcefully. By wresting cooking from doctrine and doldrums, Tamar encourages readers to begin from wherever they are, with whatever they have. An Everlasting Meal is elegant testimony to the value of cooking and an empowering, indispensable tool for eaters today.

Bar Tartine: Techniques & Recipes


Nicolaus Balla - 2014
    Bar Tartine--co-founded by Tartine Bakery's Chad Robertson and Elisabeth Prueitt--is obsessed over by locals and visitors, critics and chefs. It is a restaurant that defies categorization, but not description: Everything is made in-house and layered into extraordinarily flavorful food. Helmed by Nick Balla and Cortney Burns, it draws on time-honored processes (such as fermentation, curing, pickling), and a core that runs through the cuisines of Central Europe, Japan, and Scandinavia to deliver a range of dishes from soups to salads, to shared plates and sweets. With more than 150 photographs, this highly anticipated cookbook is a true original.

Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation


Michael Pollan - 2013
    Here, he discovers the enduring power of the four classical elements - fire, water, air, and earth - to transform the stuff of nature into delicious things to eat and drink. Apprenticing himself to a succession of culinary masters, Pollan learns how to grill with fire, cook with liquid, bake bread, and ferment everything from cheese to beer. In the course of his journey, he discovers that the cook occupies a special place in the world, standing squarely between nature and culture. Both realms are transformed by cooking, and so, in the process, is the cook.Each section of Cooked tracks Pollan's effort to master a single classic recipe using one of the four elements. A North Carolina barbecue pit master tutors him in the primal magic of fire; a Chez Panisse-trained cook schools him in the art of braising; a celebrated baker teaches him how air transforms grain and water into a fragrant loaf of bread; and finally, several mad-genius "fermentos" (a tribe that includes brewers, cheese makers, and all kinds of picklers) reveal how fungi and bacteria can perform the most amazing alchemies of all. The listener learns alongside Pollan, but the lessons move beyond the practical to become an investigation of how cooking involves us in a web of social and ecological relationships: with plants and animals, the soil, farmers, our history and culture, and, of course, the people our cooking nourishes and delights. Cooking, above all, connects us.The effects of not cooking are similarly far reaching. Relying upon corporations to process our food means we consume huge quantities of fat, sugar, and salt; disrupt an essential link to the natural world; and weaken our relationships with family and friends. In fact, Cooked argues, taking back control of cooking may be the single most important step anyone can take to help make the American food system healthier and more sustainable. Reclaiming cooking as an act of enjoyment and self-reliance, learning to perform the magic of these everyday transformations, opens the door to a more nourishing life.