The Vegetable Butcher: How to Select, Prep, Slice, Dice, and Masterfully Cook Vegetables from Artichokes to Zucchini


Cara Mangini - 2016
    The skills of butchery meet the world of fresh produce in this essential, inspiring guide that demystifies the world of vegetables. In step-by-step photographs, “vegetable butcher” Cara Mangini shows how to break down a butternut squash, cut a cauliflower into steaks, peel a tomato properly, chiffonade kale, turn carrots into coins and parsnips into matchsticks, and find the meaty heart of an artichoke. Additionally, more than 150 original, simple recipes put vegetables front and center, from a Kohlrabi Carpaccio to Zucchini, Sweet Corn, and Basil Penne, to a Parsnip-Ginger Layer Cake to sweeten a winter meal. It’s everything you need to know to get the best out of modern, sexy, and extraordinarily delicious vegetables.

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science


J. Kenji López-Alt - 2015
    Kenji López-Alt has pondered all these questions and more. In The Food Lab, Kenji focuses on the science behind beloved American dishes, delving into the interactions between heat, energy, and molecules that create great food. Kenji shows that often, conventional methods don’t work that well, and home cooks can achieve far better results using new—but simple—techniques. In hundreds of easy-to-make recipes with over 1,000 full-color images, you will find out how to make foolproof Hollandaise sauce in just two minutes, how to transform one simple tomato sauce into a half dozen dishes, how to make the crispiest, creamiest potato casserole ever conceived, and much more.

The Science of Good Cooking: Master 50 Simple Concepts to Enjoy a Lifetime of Success in the Kitchen


Cook's Illustrated - 2012
    Unlike other food science books, we make a direct and practical connection between the science and the cooking. We divide the book into 50 core principles, support them through detailed yet friendly explanations, bring them alive with color illustrations and inventive experiments, and reinforce them through recipes that put the principle to work. At Cook's Illustrated, we've been asking why in the kitchen for over 20 years and often find our answers in science. We believe good science makes great food and that understanding basic science will make you a great cook.

The Blender Girl: Super-Easy, Super-Healthy Meals, Snacks, Desserts, and Drinks--100 Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes!


Tess Masters - 2014
    Tess’s lively, down-to-earth approach has attracted legions of fans looking for quick and fun ways to prepare healthy food. In The Blender Girl, Tess’s much-anticipated debut cookbook, she offers 100 whole-food recipes that are gluten-free and vegan, and rely on natural flavors and sweeteners. Many are also raw and nut-, soy-, corn-, and sugar-free.   Smoothies, soups, and spreads are a given in a blender cookbook, but this surprisingly versatile collection also includes appetizers, salads, and main dishes with a blended component, like Fresh Spring Rolls with Orange-Almond Sauce, Twisted Caesar Pleaser, Spicy Chickpea Burgers with Portobello Buns and Greens, and I-Love-Veggies! Bake. And even though many of Tess’s smoothies and shakes taste like dessert—Apple Pie in a Glass, Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake, or Tastes-Like-Ice- Cream Kale, anyone?—her actual desserts are out-of this-world good, from Chocolate-Chile Banana Spilly to Flourless Triple-Pecan Mousse Pie and Chai Rice Pudding. Best of all, every recipe can easily be adjusted to your personal taste: add an extra squeeze of this, another handful of that, or leave something out altogether— these dishes are super forgiving, so you can’t mess them up.   Details on the benefits of soaking, sprouting, and dehydrating; proper food combining; and eating raw, probiotic-rich, and alkaline ingredients round out this nutrient-dense guide. But you don’t have to understand the science of good nutrition to run with The Blender Girl—all you need is a blender and a sense of adventure. So dust off your machine and get ready to find your perfect blend.

The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes From the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery and Cafe


Rebecca Rather - 2004
    Since the day Rebecca and her Rather Sweet Bakery and Café came to town, life in this Hill Country hamlet has been even sweeter and the townsfolk now know why she is the Pastry Queen. Everything she makes is a lot like her: down-home yet grand, and familiar yet one-of-a-kind.  A native Texan, Rather makes the most of her Lone Star state's varied traditions, whether looking to the kitchens of Texas's Mexican and German immigrants or to the cowboy culture of her own forebears. Best of all, her recipes aren't fussy—one of her best-selling cakes stirs together in a single saucepan. Add in a cupful of Texas attitude and her made-from-scratch-with-love philosophy, and you've got an irresistible taste of American baking.  What's best at Rather Sweet? Rebecca's customers all have their favorites (and she is happy to cater to their cravings), but here's just a taste of the perennial best sellers: •  Apple-Smoked Bacon and Cheddar Scones•  Texas Big Hairs Lemon-Lime Tarts (the only big hair Rebecca has ever had!)•  Fourth of July Fried Pies•  Peach Queen Cake with Dulce de Leche Frosting•  Turbo-Charged Brownies with Praline Topping•  All-Sold-Out Chicken Pot Pies•  Kolaches (pillowy yeasted buns with sweet or savory fillings)•  PB&J Cookies With over 125 surefire tested recipes and 100 photographs that richly capture small-town life in the Hill Country, The Pastry Queen offers a Texas-size serving of the royal splendor of Rebecca's baked goods—courtesy of the rather sweet gal behind the case.

French Food at Home


Laura Calder - 2003
    Whether it's getting weeknight dinners on the table fairly fast (Basil Beef, Rhubarb Chops, or Carrot Juice Chicken) or leisurely cooking for dining at a slightly slower pace (Lamb Tagine, Holiday Hen, or Fennel Bass), Laura Calder shares recipes she's created at home in her own French kitchen.

The Unofficial Harry Potter Cookbook: From Cauldron Cakes to Knickerbocker Glory--More Than 150 Magical Recipes for Wizards and Non-Wizards Alike


Dinah Bucholz - 2010
    A proper cuppa tea and rock cakes in Hagrid's hut. Cauldron cakes and pumpkin juice on the Hogwarts Express. With this cookbook, dining a la Hogwarts is as easy as Banoffi Pie! With more than 150 easy-to-make recipes, tips, and techniques, you can indulge in spellbindingly delicious meals drawn straight from the pages of your favorite Potter stories, such as:Treacle Tart--Harry's favorite dessert, Molly's Meat Pies--Mrs. Weasley's classic dish, Kreacher's French Onion Soup, Pumpkin Pasties--a staple on the Hogwarts Express cartWith a dash of magic and a drop of creativity, you'll conjure up the entries, desserts, snacks, and drinks you need to transform ordinary Muggle meals into magickal culinary masterpieces, sure make even Mrs. Weasley proud!

The Pie and Pastry Bible


Rose Levy Beranbaum - 1998
    Here are a few: Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust, Flaky Cheddar Cheese Pie Crust, Miracle Flaky Lard Pie Crust, and Flaky Goose Fat Pie Crust; Bittersweet Chocolate, Coconut, Ginger, and Sweet Nut Cookie Crusts; and Vanilla, Gingersnap, Chocolate, and Graham Cracker Crumb Crusts -Countless tips that solve any problem, including the secrets to making a juicy fruit pie with a crisp bottom crust and a lemon meringue pie that doesn't weep -How to make a tender and flaky pie crust in under three minutes -How to make the best brownie ever into a crustless tart with puddles of ganache -Exciting savory recipes, including meat loaf wrapped in a flaky Cheddar cheese crust and a roasted poblano quiche -Extensive decorating techniques for the beginning baker and professional alike that show you how to make chocolate curls, pipe rosettes, crystallize flowers and leaves, and more -Detailed information on ingredients and equipment, previously available only to professionals -The wedding cake reconceived as a Seven-Tier Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Tart -Pointers for Success follow the recipes, guaranteeing perfect results every time

Come Home to Supper: Over 200 Casseroles, Skillets, and Sides (Desserts, Too!) to Feed Your Family with Love


Christy Jordan - 2013
    Conceived and written to reflect the reality of today s hectic schedules and the need to gather around the dinner table Come Home to Supper offers more than 200 deeply satisfying dishes that are budget-minded, kid-friendly, and quick. These are the everyday meals that Christy Jordan most loves to cook, and her family most loves to eat, and she serves them up with generous helpings of her folksy wisdom, gratitude, and lively stories.Many of the recipes make ingenious use of the slow cooker or a single pot or skillet; require easily found supermarket ingredients; and are packed with time-saving tips and shortcuts. And the menu, well, it's all good, including: Crispy Breaded Pork Chops with Milk Gravy, Beef and Broccoli, Spicy Fried Chicken, Craving Beans, Summer Corn Salad, Slow Cooker Baked Apples, Ice Cream Rolls, and Cinnamon Pudding Cobbler. Or to put it like Christy Jordan, food to make your family smile louder.

Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking


Marcella Hazan - 1992
    Designed as a basic manual for cooks of all levels of expertise—from beginners to accomplished professionals—it offers both an accessible and comprehensive guide to techniques and ingredients and a collection of the most delicious recipes from the Italian repertoire. As home cooks who have used Marcella’s classic books for years (and whose copies are now splattered and worn) know, there is no one more gifted at teaching us just what we need to know about the taste and texture of a dish and how to achieve it, and there is no one more passionate and inspiring about authentic Italian food.

Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza


Ken Forkish - 2012
    For Portland-based baker Ken Forkish, well-made bread is more than just a pleasure—it is a passion that has led him to create some of the best and most critically lauded breads and pizzas in the country. In Flour Water Salt Yeast, Forkish translates his obsessively honed craft into scores of recipes for rustic boules and Neapolitan-style pizzas, all suited for the home baker. Forkish developed and tested all of the recipes in his home oven, and his impeccable formulas and clear instructions result in top-quality artisan breads and pizzas that stand up against those sold in the best bakeries anywhere. Whether you’re a total beginner or a serious baker, Flour Water Salt Yeast has a recipe that suits your skill level and time constraints: Start with a straight dough and have fresh bread ready by supper time, or explore pre-ferments with a bread that uses biga or poolish. If you’re ready to take your baking to the next level, follow Forkish’s step-by-step guide to making a levain starter with only flour and water, and be amazed by the delicious complexity of your naturally leavened bread. Pizza lovers can experiment with a variety of doughs and sauces to create the perfect pie using either a pizza stone or a cast-iron skillet. Flour Water Salt Yeast is more than just a collection of recipes for amazing bread and pizza—it offers a complete baking education, with a thorough yet accessible explanation of the tools and techniques that set artisan bread apart. Featuring a tutorial on baker’s percentages, advice for manipulating ingredients ratios to create custom doughs, tips for adapting bread baking schedules to fit your day-to-day life, and an entire chapter that demystifies the levain-making process, Flour Water Salt Yeast is an indispensable resource for bakers who want to make their daily bread exceptional bread.

Two Greedy Italians: Carluccio and Contaldo's Return to Italy


Antonio Carluccio - 2011
    It includes an intriguing combination of classic dishes and ingredients as well as others showcasing the changes in style and influences that have become a part of the Italy of today.Reflecting the insights of both men into Italy then and now, Carluccio and Contaldo's return captures the essence of its authors - their humour, their wisdom, their curiosity and, most significantly, their shared passion for good simple food.

Teff Love: Adventures in Vegan Ethiopian Cooking


Kittee Berns - 2015
    Discover how to source and use the tantalizing seasonings and savory ingredients that are the foundation of these unique dishes. Kittee introduces the holy trinity of Ethiopian cooking: a berbere spice blend, injera (the fermented sourdough staple), and ye qimem zeyet, a veganized clarified butter. Armed with these basics, you'll be ready to dazzle your family and friends with many of the popular dishes found on veggie combo platters in restaurants all over North America. From saucy wots, spicy stews, and succulent stir-fries to traditional injera-based dishes and fusion foods that blend these unique seasonings into a range of family favorites, fans of this cuisine will be thrilled. Recipes are almost entirely gluten- and soy-free, or can be made so with easy adaptions. You'll also find tips on tools and equipment to time-saving techniques and menu suggestions. Just pull up a mesob (a traditional woven stand or basket), perch your platter on top, and get ready to party Ethiopian style!

Whole Bowls: Complete Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Meals to Power Your Day


Allison Day - 2016
    Over fifty full-meal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free recipes from nutritionist Allison Day. From the creator of the award-winning food blog Yummy Beet, turn familiar and traditional tastes into healthy, one-bowl meals. Healthful, plentiful, and simple kitchen creations feel at home in a bowl. Whether a meal is enjoyed as a weekday breakfast for one or part of a leisurely dinner with friends, whole foods come to life when presented within the walls of this steadfast kitchen vessel. For Allison Day, the nutritionist and food blogger behind Yummy Beet, meal-sized bowl recipes showcase her love of this cozy serving dish, staying true to her philosophy of eating with visually alluring, seasonal, and delicious food you can feel good about.Along with more than fifty full-meal, vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free recipes (not to mention the dozens of mini recipes-within-recipes), these pages contain an innovative, easy-to-follow “Whole Bowls Formula” to build your own creations for quick, everyday lunches and dinners. Recipes include:Curried falafel and kale salad bowlsBlack bean bowls with butternut squash, black rice, and chimichurriOat risotto bowls with soft-boiled eggs, avocado, and hazelnut dukkahSunny citrus bowls with orange pomegranate salsa and lemon creamCarrot cake bowls with a cream cheese dollop and candied carrotsSouthern Cheddar Grits with Tomatoes, Kale, and Black BeansAlmost Noodle Salad with Radishes and BasilChili con Veggie with CornbreadMediterranean Pasta with Arugula, Peas, Yellow Tomatoes, and FetaGreek Mushroom Stifado with Horseradish Mashed PotatoesTuscan Bean StewBaked Polenta with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, and MarinaraUsing real, fresh ingredients, Allison offers straightforward and approachable creations that can be made ahead of time, whipped up quickly on a weeknight, or invented off-the-cuff with her Bowl Formula Guide. With vibrant and exciting photography shot by Allison herself, you’ll be eager to cook and eat her fun, foolproof, and inventive whole bowls.

Crazy About Cupcakes


Krystina Castella - 2006
    And whether they’re chocolaty, spicy, crunchy, fruity, or creamy, these exquisitely decorated treats look as astounding as they taste—perfect little temptations designed to make adults nostalgic and children happy. All the basics are lovingly explained so anyone can whip up a beautiful batch, and there are varieties for every day (from healthy cupcakes to ice cream indulgences); parties big and small; holidays ranging from Christmas to the Fourth of July; just for kids; and fund-raisers and bake sales. Plus, to make things easy, an entire chart- and template-filled chapter focuses on flavor combinations and design elements.