Practical cooking in 2016’s top titles
IF YOU had never bought a cookbook before this year, the crop of 2016 could build a first-rate culinary library. But because you are reading this, you probably own cookbooks. (Come to think of it, who doesn’t? Even my friends who say they never cook have some on their shelves.) Well, you’ll want to look through this list, too, with an eye toward replacing a few titles. That’s how impressed I am with what’s on offer.
Bakers can delight in Dorie Greenspan’s must-have compendium of cookies and the stunning pictorials of Uri Scheft’s breads; Southern and Appalachian foods get star turns from Asha Gomez and Ronni Lundy. Plant-based eating advances in heroic leaps and bounds, thanks to Isa Chandra Moskowitz and to the Philly team of Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby. A few notable chefs tried to shake up the cookbook status quo by splattering a mess here and slipping in profanity there, but LA’s Jessica Koslow managed to set herself and her work apart to better effect.
It was especially nice to see some backup singers of the culinary world, aka “with” authors, step out on their own, such as Genevieve Ko and Julia Turshen.
And I’m happiest to report the recipe collections that always draw me in the most – handsome, practical, full of dishes you have to try – come from the wisest cooks I know. They inspire and teach us.
Here is our shortlist in three categories:
For people who want to cook better
How to Celebrate Everything: Recipes and Rituals for Birthdays, Holidays, Family Dinners, and Every Day in Between, by Jenny Rosenstrach (Ballentine Books, $30). The average cook-host who’s so often stumped by party menu planning will appreciate the straightforward recipes here, as well as author’s friendly writing style and party game suggestions. Recipe to try: Cranberry-marinated beef tenderloin.
Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home-Cooking Triumphs, by Julia Turshen (Chronicle, $35).
The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook, by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (Little, Brown and Co., 2016; $32). This could be the sleeper cookbook of the year, as it steers party food in the mode that’s increasingly sought-after and appreciated. Recipe to try: Peking portobellos.
V Street: 100 Globe-Hopping Plates on the Cutting Edge of Vegetable Cooking, by Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby ( William Morrow, 2016; $34.99). These vegan Philadelphia chef-restaurateurs are especially adept at seasoning and saucing. Recipe to try: Korean soft tofu stew.
Cooking for Jeffrey, by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, $35). Her painstaking approach to recipe development and testing translates to “easy” for the rest of us. Fans will delight in the young-couple photos. Recipe to try: Raspberry roasted applesauce.
For a culture dive
My Two Souths: Blending the Flavors of India into a Southern Kitchen, by Asha Gomez with Martha Hall Foose (Running Press, $35). The author’s sure hand and Kerala roots make for a stunning fusion of culinary traditions.
Cúrate: Authentic Spanish Food From an American Kitchen, by Katie Button with Genevieve Ko (Flatiron Books, $35). The Carolina-born chef-restaurateur, whose mentors include Ferran Adrià and José Andrés, makes Spanish food with local and widely available ingredients. Recipe to try: Cod with tomato sauce and garbanzos
Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, With Recipes, by Ronni Lundy (Clarkson Potter, $). The author’s a terrific guide to the regional cuisine many Americans know so little about. Recipes to try: Sweet and savoury banana pudding; John Fleer’s buttermilk corn bread soup.
For gift-giving and/or fun
Everything I Want to Eat: Sqirl and the New California Cooking, by Jessica Koslow with Maria Zizka (Abrams, $40). Big props for this restaurant chef-author who apologises for relying on some “sub-recipes” – those extra, time-consuming elements that can bring plans for imminent dinner to a halt. This is fun and it has a different look that doesn’t alienate the average cookbook reader.
The Asian Slow Cooker: Exotic Favorites for Your Crockpot, by Kelly Kwok (Page Street Publishing, $22). The recipes are not so exotic, in fact, but doable renditions for anyone who has a pantry full of supermarket-access Asian ingredients. Slow-cooker enthusiasts tired of chili, this one’s for you.
For bakers
Breaking Breads: A New World of Israeli Baking, by Uri Scheft with Raquel Pelzel (Artisan, $35). Scheft, the force behind Lehamim Bakery in Tel Aviv and Breads Bakery in New York, has contributed mightily to the canon of bread-focused books not only for his wizard use of Middle Eastern ingredients but also for helping to create such stunning process and technique photography. Recipe to try: Dill bread.
Dorie’s Cookies, by Dorie Greenspan (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $35). It was worth the wait. The author always keeps her audience in mind, with clear directions and ideas for substitutions. Recipe to try: Dorie Greenspan’s peanut butter change-ups.