The Cookshelf: Summer 2018
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." ~ Virginia Woolf
Reviews from Browseabout Books,133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE; 302-226-2665
The Perfect Scoop
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press, 978-0-399-58031-4., $24.99
Nothing says summer quite like an ice cream cone! New York Times bestselling author and chef David Liebovitz worked at Chez Panisse for nearly 13 years before leaving to write cookbooks full time. The Perfect Scoop contains more than 200 recipes that are sure to delight every frozen treat lover. Beautiful photographs accompany all sorts of frozen concoctions, including ice creams, gelatos, sorbets, and granitas. Tantalize your taste buds with Cucumber-Gin Sorbet or Caramel Corn Ice Cream. Gild the lily with sauces and toppings such as Salted Butter Caramel Sauce and Candied Pineapple.
Food52: Any Night Grilling
By Paula Disbrowe
Ten Speed Press, 978-1-5247-5896-7, $24.99
Food52 cookbooks never disappoint, and the Food52 website is a treasure trove of information for the food aficionado, including recipes, shopping, a hotline for cooks’ questions, and even a podcast. These recipes in Any Night Grilling are for any night – no complicated marinades, no lengthy cooking times, only simple, flavorful recipes. Disbrowe thinks far beyond burgers and steaks, providing surprising and delicious recipes created especially for your grill. Prepare an entire meal without touching your stove; start with Halloumi with Blood Oranges, Green Olives & Pistachios, followed by Grilled Branzino with Thai Basil Butter, then finished with Grilled Figs + Coffee Ice Cream.
The Edna Lewis Cookbook
By Edna Lewis & Evangeline Peterson
Axios Press, 978-1-60419-106-6, $20.00
Chef Edna Lewis (1916-2006) is an inspiration to a whole new generation of chefs. She celebrated the African American culinary community while bringing Southern cuisine to 1940s New York City and beyond. As an African American female, she broke barriers by cooking for the elite of NYC, including Truman Capote, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Salvador Dali. The Edna Lewis Cookbook is a reprint of her very first cookbook and includes beautiful, fresh, seasonal, Southern-inspired recipes. Headed to a buffet? Bring along Edna’s Chicken Curry. Invited to a party? You’ll be welcome if you bring her Coconut Layer Cake! Need to impress the inlaws? Southern Fried Chicken and Whipped Sweet Potatoes will do the trick. Trust Edna; she will not steer you wrong.
Vegetables on Fire: 50 Vegetable- Centered Meals from the Grill
By Brooke Lewy, Photographs by Erin Kunkel
Chronicle Books, 978-1-4521-5824-2, $19.95
A beautiful grilling book dedicated to veggies! Each of the 50 recipes includes instructions for both gas and charcoal grills. Grilling brings out the natural sweetness of beautiful, farmers’ market fresh vegetables. These recipes capture the light, breezy days of summer. Too many tomatoes? Grill up Burst and Fresh Tomatoes with Halloumi and Basil Oil. Feeling corny? Satisfying and salty Mexican Street Corn will hit the spot. Garden overrun with zucchini? Make a quick batch of Ratatouille piled on grilled bread. Grab a glass of rosé and fire up the grill!
Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering
By Joanna Gaines
William Morrow, 978-0-06-282015-0, $29.99
You’d have to be living under a rock not to have fallen in love with HGTV super-couple Chip and Joanna Gaines! This adorable Waco, Texas-based couple is obsessed with family, home remodeling and decorating, and now…cooking. Joanna Gaines loves to cook for her family, and it shows in this gorgeous collection of easy, kid-friendly recipes. The kitchen is her happy place, and that joy shines through in this thoughtfully curated collection. Use this comprehensive book to cook your way through your day. Start with a creative Eggs Benedict Casserole, fill your lunch bowl with a Butternut Squash Soup, and end your day with a Perfect Roast Chicken.
Drink Pink: A Celebration of Rosé
By Victoria James, Illustrations by Lyle Railsback
Harper Design, 978-0-06-267620-7, $19.99
Rosé all day! Rosé is uncomplicated, fresh and lively, and it’s having its day in the sun. This appropriately pink book is a terrific gift for mom or hostess gift for a summer barbecue. Delightfully illustrated, with chapters on the history of rosé (from Ancient Greece to California), production, and where these grapes grow. James particularly loves the versatility of rosé and provides many recipes that pair beautifully with your favorite rosé, including Smoked Salmon Spread and Roasted Chicken Provencal. A Rosé Lemon Sorbet is a simple, yet refined finish to the meal.
