...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"...
10.LAZY DAY BRUNCHES; relaxed recipes for the morning (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 144 pages, $20 hardbound) is a publisher's book with 65 preps by 11 food writers, principally Carol Hilker (23 recipes) and Kathy Kordalis (15 recipes). It's arranged by course, from fruit and grains through pancakes & waffles, eggs, salads, sides, pastries, preserves and drinks. A handy compilation. Quality/Price Rating: 86
11.MORTAR & PESTLE; 65 delicious recipes for sauces, rubs and marinades (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 144 pages, $20 hardbound) is a publisher's book with 65 preps by 22 food writers. Valerie Aikman-Smith leads off with 13 different recipes. It's arranged by course, and includes sauces and condiments, snacks and small bites, poultry and game, meat, seafood, and veggies. Another handy compilation. Quality/Price Rating: 86
12.THE SPICY PLANT-BASED COOKBOOK (Adams Media, 2021, 256 pages, $22.99 paperbound) is a project of Simon and Schuster – no direct author seems to be indicated. This should not, of course, detract from the book which is a very valuable contribution to vegan food writing. Its subtitle says all: "more than 200 fiery snacks, dips, and main dishes for the plant-based lifestyle". The importance is amplified by the types of dishes such as flaming hot guacamole, vegan "cheese" fries, spicy pad thai, and others. If there is one thing that will bring a guy over from an animal-based diet to a vegan – it's going to be SPICY FOOD . There are hot sauces galore here (basic Chinese Hot and Sour soup, kimchi cabbage, lime-soaked poblanos, Mexican hot chocolate. Arrangement is by meal course, after a primer on sauces, spreads, salsa, and spices. First up is breakfast – there's enough heat for the full day here! Followed by appetizers and snacks, salad, soups, stews, chilies, mains, sides, and desserts. At the very end there is a useful US/Metric conversion chart. Preparations have their ingredients only listed in avoirdupois measurements, but there is a table of metric equivalents. Quality/price rating: 92
13.SUMMER DRINKS; over 100 refreshing recipes to enjoy in the sunshine (Ryland Peters & Small, 2021, 144 pages, $20 hardbound) is an other publisher's project for Ryland Peters & Small. Here 15 UK chefs and food writers give us all the preps (with proper attribution found at the back of the book). The most prolific are Ben Reed (24, a quarter of the total) and Laura Gladwin (20). Julia Charles was the editorial director on this one, and she contributes 13 preps. Arrangement is by style: aperitifs, cocktails, spritzes, coolers, slushies, floats, punches, pitchers, mocktails and juices. More than enough preps for three months of summer! Quality/price rating: 89
14.SUMAC; recipes and stories from Syria (Interlink Books, 2019, 2021, 248 pages, $45 hardbound) is by Anas Atassi, who emphasizes his family's food traditions and culture. He's a Syrian chef now living in the Netherlands (this book was originally published in Dutch in 2019). Here are 80 classic and contemporary recipes strewn about various chapters such as breakfast, mezze (his mother's annual soirees), street food, grains, veggies, meats-poultry-fish (midsummer BBQs) , and desserts (the Ramadan table). Each prep has a story with some illustrations, plus a Syrian name for the dish. Excellent photography and layout, more about food than about travel. Preps are perfectly adaptable for the North American kitchen: Sumac is an essential ingredient in Syrian cooking; it is used everywhere. This is a nifty exploration of a series of influences from the Ottomans, the Persians, and the French. Take a look at lamb koftas in tahini sauce or shorbat ameh (lamb shanks) or musakham wraps. The book could have been improved, though, if it also used more metric in the recipes, or at least had a metric conversion chart. Quality/price rating: 90
15.THE SCANDI KITCHEN MIDSOMMAR (Ryland Peters & Small, 2018, 2021, 176 pages, $29.99 hard covers) is by Bronte Aurell, Danish restaurateur, who runs ScandiKitchen Cafe and shop in central London along with her Swedish husband. She has also been published widely. It was originally published in 2018 and this is the 2021 reissue update Here she has a summer introduction to Scandinavian food through 65 dishes for all occasions. The contents begin with a summer pantry/larder, and move on to breakfast, open sandwiches, smorgasbord with soups and salads and light dishes, followed by dinner and desserts. There is even a chapter on fika (get-together with coffee with cakes). Try the breakfast open sandwich, shrimp and asparagus open sandwich or traditional Danish apple trifle as individual servings. Preparations have their ingredients listed in both metric and avoirdupois measurements. Quality/price rating: 87.
16.ZERO WASTE; 60 recipes for a waste-free kitchen (White Star Publishers, 2020, 2021, 160 pages, $22.95 hardbound) is by Cinzia Trenchi, who also did the photography. It was originally published in Italian, and this is the 2021 English translation. She emphasizes that everything should be organic and preservative-free. She's got original ideas and preps for making dishes made with food scraps that no only taste good by also look great. It is all arranged by type of dish: one section deals with vegetable-based dishes, another with protein-based recipes, and a third with fruit-based recipes. There is also a small section at the end concerning leftovers, such as bread and rice, etc. Lovely dramatic illustrations showing ease, times, and preparations. 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: 90.
17.BATCH COOKING; save time, save money (White Star Publishers, 2018, 2021, 160 pages, $22.95 hardbound) is by is by Cinzia Trenchi, who also did the photography. It was originally published in Italian in 2018, and this is the 2021 English translation. She emphasizes that everything should be organic and preservative-free. She's got original ideas and preps for making larger dishes made with the bounty of the season. Batch cooking is a meal planning system that involves preparing a week's worth of meals in just a few hours.. These are stored in the fridge, freezer or pantry, and can be for both food that is eaten at home or out. Organization and a great selection of glass/plastic containers are needed. Sous vide and vacuum bags are also useful, but they tend to not be reusable. So here are 68 recipes with her own photos, for making easy dishes to organize your meals with, from breakfast onward. The week can be planned, and indeed the book is divided into 4 weeks. There is plenty of choice, and very few preps need to be repeated. Ir's a great book for the harried homemaker: do it all on Sunday and just eat out of hand for the rest of the week. Each week is divided into breakfast, "individual portions", and snacks. Voila! Typical are roast little tuna with artichokes and fresh orange salad, smoked salmon parcels stuffed with mixed berries, pumpkin and barley broth, and caper bread with vegetable and mayo. Lovely dramatic illustrations showing ease, times, and preparations. 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: 90.
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