...all reflect a boom in the cookbook publishing business. A paperback reprint will lower the cost to the purchaser, and also give a publisher a chance to correct egregious errors or add a postscript. Some will reissue a book in paper covers with a new layout or photos. Others will rearrange existing material to present it as more informative text while keeping the focus tight. Some magazines will reissue popular or classic recipes in an "easy" format. Here are some recent "re-editions"...
15.EAST THAI COOKBOOK (Nourish, 2007, 2010, 2018, 216 pages, ISBN 978-1-84483-893-6 $19.95 USD softbound) is by Sallie Morris. It was previously published in 2007, and is here reissued with some updated material. Morris has written many books on Southeast Asian cookery. She's got 70 simple preps here, each described step-by-step and accompanied by a photo. In addition to the prime on techniques, equipment and pantry, she has 12 menu plans with timings for create a wide assortment of meals, from a simple lunch for two to a dinner for eight, and even. The menus have preps indicated with page references and a countdown clock. Recipes in the book are arranged by course, from apps through soups, salads, curries, stir-fires, steams, grills, BBQ, and then desserts. It is all indexed by Thai name and by English translated name. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. But still a very handy book, well-worth reissuing. Quality/price rating: 88
16.THE JOY OF MIXOLOGY; the consummate guide to the bartender's craft (Clarkson Potter, 2003, 2018, 334 pages, ISBN 978-0-451-49902-8 $30 USD hardbound) is by Gary Regan, a magazine writer in spirits, and author of "The Bartender's Bible". It was originally published in 2003; this 2018 edition has been revised and updated. The 350 recipes have been grouped by families of drinks; this allows for substitutions and the creation of new drinks. There are the usual details on histories of mixed drinks, the art of blending, equipment, ingredients for the bar, etc. The section on garnishes is particularly good. Recipes cover all the popular drinks of martinis, highballs, snappers, sours, juleps. No pictures, which is a good thing. What I also do like about this book are the charts and the extensive bibliography (despite a lack of listed number of new books or many Internet resources). Quality/Price Ratio: 85.
17.THE GUT HEALTH COOKBOOK (Ryland Peters & Small, 2015, 2018, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-84975-970-0, $19.95 USD paper covers) is by Dunja Gulin, a chef who runs fermented foods workshops, and is the author of several vegan cookbooks such as The Vegan Pantry. It was originally published in 2015 as FERMENTED FOODS FOR VITALITY & HEALTH, but has been slightly revised for 2018. Naturally fermented foods boost the digestive immune system with pro-biotics, and appear in just about every culture (Japan's miso, Korea's kimchi, everybody's sourdough, beer, wine). Pro-biotics increase energy levels, stabilize blood pressure, improve sleeping patterns, and promote healthier skin. Gulin here has 60 ways to make fermented foods part of a normal meal pattern. It is all sorted by course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, salads, breads, condiments, drinks), concluding with an international list of sources and resources. Preparations have their ingredients listed in mainly avoirdupois with some metric measurements, but there still is no table of equivalents. Some interesting preps: vegan yogurt; water kefir grains; probiotic gazpacho; sauerkraut with quinces; sourdough grissini; spicy leek and miso condiment; Scandinavian chanterelle salad; purple sauerkraut with dulse and caraway seeds. Quality/Price Rating: 88.
18.KITCHEN BREWING (Hardie Grant Books, 2017, 2018, 108 pages, ISBN 978-1-78488-183-2 $22.99 USD hardbound) is by Jakob Nielsen and Mikael Zetterberg. It was first published in Sweden in 2017 as "Kokosbrygging". This is the translation for the English language market. They believe that you can create quality beers on a budget in just a few hours, without losing any taste. They use everyday kitchen equipment plus a basic home-brew starter kit for small volumes such as 5 litres. The 20 beer recipes make brews that are ready to drink in just 4 weeks. The arrangement is by season, so something like oatmeal stout is not attempted in the summer, nor is wheat beer or steam beer particularly useful to make in winter. There is a lot of hand-holding here, but that is how it should be for beginners. There are lagers, IPAs, stouts – and surprisingly there is even an apple cider. The most valuable lesson to be learned here is simply to use clean sanitized equipment. I've done all this over thirty year ago, and it is a very pleasant and worthwhile exercise with a big fat reward at the end. The book could have been improved if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 88.
19.HOW TO COOK WITHOUT A BOOK, completely updated and revised (Clarkson Potter, 2000, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-1-5247-6166-0 $29.99 USD hardbound) is by Pam Anderson, who has authored eight cookbooks and was the former executive editor of Cook's Illustrated magazine. It was originally published in 2000 and this is its second edition. New material includes modern flavours and new techniques for the home cook. The colour photos are all-new and original. Anderson believes that these are recipes and techniques that every cook should know by heart. But first off, the book could have been improved if it also used metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. All the world uses metric now except for the USA. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooking_weights_and_measures Key approaches to food here include stocking and re-stocking a pantry/larder (she gives extensive lists), shopping wisely and seasonally, and remembering important formulas and techniques. Chapters are divided into individual techniques and formulas with a step-by-step approach to showing how they all work, illustrative photos, a simple recipe and simple variations, and the main points at a glance. Home cooks are encouraged to explore further variations on the theme. First up is vinaigrette, followed by a pan of veggies (roasted, grilled, steamed, sauteed). On to a loaded frittata, a cup of soup, hearty grains, simple tomato sauces, pasta, pizza, ending with "shove-it-in-the-oven stew".
Quality/price rating: 87.
20.THE WORLD ATLAS OF COFFEE. 2D ed.(Firefly Books, 2014, 2018, 272 pages, ISBN 978-0-2281-0094-2 $35 USD hard covers) is by James Hoffmann, 2007 World Barista Champion. It was originally published in 2014, and is here revised with updated coverage of seven additional coffee-growing countries: Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, China, Philippines, Thailand, Haiti, and Puerto Rico. Almost a half-billion cups of coffee are consumed daily in North America; 125 million people around the world depend on coffee production for their livelihood. Behind each cup is an explanation by this book, a global tour of 29 or so coffee-growing countries, with colour photos. So for Malawi, for example, there is detail on cultural and business history, a taste profile of the coffees, an interconnection with other countries, a description of the main growing regions, and pictures of pickers. The countries are grouped by continent: Africa, Asia and the Americas. Both organic production and the fair trade movement are discussed. He's got full tasting notes for over 500 different beans and grinds. Detailed maps (with updated detail for the new edition) locate growing areas and worldwide trends. A great book to look at and to delve into, for you to explore beyond your fave coffee.
Quality/price rating: 89.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.
Chimo! www.deantudor.com
AND http://gothicepicures.blogspot.com
AND https://twitter.com/gothicepicures
Dean Tudor, Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus
Treasurer, Wine Writers' Circle of Canada http://winewriterscircle.ca
Look it up and you'll remember it; screw it up and you'll never forget it.
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