Both of the following two books are good examples of a leading category of cookbooks: the regional culinary link of tourism and food, with emphasis on local markets and personalities, photography, and relatively simply prepared food. These two books have both Imperial and American measurements listed for their ingredients.
-COCINA DE ANDALUCIA; Spanish recipes from the land of a thousand landscapes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-587-6, $40.96 CAD hardbound) is by Maria Jose Sevilla, an award-winning Spanish food and wine expert and chef and broadcaster. It's a very well-put together book emphasizing all eight of the region's provinces. Andalucia itself is the largest area of Spain, with a culinary history from Moorish, Christian and Jewish influences. Each prep has a short intro about its character and the local people who live there. Most prominent for us in North America are the imported specialties of Iberico hams, olive oils, sherry vinegars, and olives. Many of the 80 preps are simple and/or spicy peasant dishes such as molletes Andaluces (bread rolls with tomatoes, olive oil and Iberico ham). The contents are listed as tapas and raciones (larger food items), followed by breads, veggies, fish, meats and desserts. Typical are potato omelette, chorizo in sherry, marinated olives, shrimp fritters, eggplant with molasses, and salt cod dishes.
-CYPRIANA; vibrant recipes inspired by the food of Greece & Cyprus (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, rev. ed. 2024, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-601-9, $42 CAD hardbound) is by Theo Michaels (who was born into a large Greek Cypriot family), a bona fide executive chef and author of six other cookbooks. The first edition was in 2019, but the book has been nicely refreshed for a new audience. He's got 80 preps especially meant for summer grilling, meze, and salads. An example is the pork fillet with smoky white beans and pickled apricot salsa (fasolada me hirino fileto kai saltsa verykoko). Recipes are headed in English and in demotic Greek. Both Imperial and metric sizes are noted. Orzo, roasted tomato, and feta salad really appealed to me, as did grilled eggplants with feta. Both books earn a Quality/Price rating of 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
Just in time for summer cookouts and outside dining comes a trio of small books: BURGERS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-600-2, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for patties, divided into classics, sliders, vegan, and "international" -- along with sauces and sides; TACOS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-589-0, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for fillings, salsa and sides pertaining to meat, seafood, vegetarian, and breakfast; and VEGAN SNACKS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-579-1, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for plant-based bites for breakfast, grazing, bar bites and sweet treats. All three are relevant and all three are based on prior books from Ryland Peters & Small. Still, both metric and imperial measurements have been incorporated this time. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
If you need more heavy duty "seriously good" BBQ stuff, then it is time to bring out the SERIOUSLY GOOD BARBECUE COOKBOOK (Fox Chapel Publishing, 2024, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4971-0475-4, $26.99 CAD softbound). This oversized book is authored by best-selling Brian Baumgartner and his team. He's got over 100 of some of the best recipes covering the major styles of US BBQ: Kansas city-style, Texas-style (central, eastern), deep south (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina) and other regional styles for Oklahoma, West Coast, Northwest, New Jersey, Hawaii, Montana, and Midwest. All the variations seem to have been covered, so the book becomes encyclopedic with the addition of seafood, sides, sauces, rubs, marinades, and sweets. Juicy all the way, especially my fave -- the pork belly burnt ends (a riff on brisket burnt ends). Imperial measurements. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
On a similar note, I've been reading through the 250 winning recipes from the World Food Championships held in Arkansas: BURGERS & BACON COOKBOOK, Fox Chapel Publishing, 2024, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-4971-0455-6, $31.99 CAD softbound. The WFC has 11 category-specific competitions over the course of one week, and these 250 preps have been pulled from major areas such as "sweet and savory bacon dishes", "aioli, cheese sauces, and chutneys", "buns and bases" plus sides, jams and spreads. Many techniques and flavours are discussed here, including meat blends, great cheeses for toppings, sauce injectors, and "perfect" buns. Thoroughly comprehensive with lots of notes and photographs and commentaries by the teams. Well-worth reading on its own. Imperial measurements. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
For a more relaxed take on BBQ with a theme of entertaining, then the cookbook du jour, by Valerie Aikman-Smith, is SUMMER FEASTING FROM THE FIRE, Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2014, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-586-9 $40.96 CAD hardbound...in addition to BBQ there are appetizers, salads, sides, drinks, and desserts. Ms. Aikman-Smith is a food stylist working for movies and TV shows, plus editorials, commercials, print and advertising campaigns. She has regularly published with Ryland over the past decade, and her current book embraces the best of her previous books SMOKE & SPICE, PICKLED & PACKED, and FEAST FROM THE FIRE. There's more than 90 preps here, including basic material on pantry staples. It's a complete work based on an updating of her earlier writings. "Small bites" is my fave section, with recipes of typical dishes such as empanadas, rillettes, pork belly tacos, fish tacos, crab cakes, shrimp hushpuppies, quesadillas, and grilled halloumi. It's well worth a look for innovative entertaining ideas. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
SENSATIONAL SALADS; more that 75 creative & vibrant recipes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-594-4, $34 CAD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis. Alongside the new recipes in this book are those previously published by RPS in five other books, including "Mediterranean Summer Table". Salads are easy enough to put together, but the awkward part is having on hand the ingredients to mesh. So you'll need a pantry. And salads can be made more substantial by adding cheese, eggs and meats to the final product. Her book is full of ideas, starting from the diverse bases beyond the usual leafiness, followed by the dressing that can range from minimal to lavish. In between there are veggies that you can crunch, proteins and fat, croutons (of course), and nuts/seeds. Most of the recipes have American and Imperial measurements. To me, what makes a salad is the collection of herbs and spices that are added at the finish, and Kathy Kordalis gives us all a wide variety...yum, yum. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
SURF-SIDE EATING; simple & fresh recipes for summer inspired by coastal living (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 2024, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-603-3 $39 CAD hardbound) is a collaborative
edition with collected preps from 12 RPS cookbook authors. 27 recipes come from Valerie Aikman-Smith; just one recipe apiece can be attributed to three other authors. Most other writers here have 10 to 12 recipes each. The preps are arranged by course: breakfast/brunch, salads and sides, BBQ, dinners at sunset. You can expect seafood, of course, such as shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid, fish tacos (now found everywhere), and lighter summer-y meats such as chicken. If you are at the seaside then this is a good book for guidance on beach food and drinks on the light side. Both American and Imperial measurements are used. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
I'LL HAVE THE RISOTTO!; 50 delicious recipes for Italian rice dishes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2024, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-596-8, $22.25 CAD hardbound) is by Maxine Clark, one of the RPS stalwarts in its cookbook series. It was first published in 2011, and has been through a few turns since then to include a few additions from three other RPS contributors. Select risottos include arancini di riso di siciliane, artichoke and pecorino risotto, roasted garlic risotto with goats' cheese -- all covering a range of veggies, cheeses, eggs, poultry, red meats, bacon and sausages, and seafood. Most of the preps have metric measurements but a few still also add some Imperial measurements -- which could be confusing if you switch back and forth. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
-COCINA DE ANDALUCIA; Spanish recipes from the land of a thousand landscapes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 192 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-587-6, $40.96 CAD hardbound) is by Maria Jose Sevilla, an award-winning Spanish food and wine expert and chef and broadcaster. It's a very well-put together book emphasizing all eight of the region's provinces. Andalucia itself is the largest area of Spain, with a culinary history from Moorish, Christian and Jewish influences. Each prep has a short intro about its character and the local people who live there. Most prominent for us in North America are the imported specialties of Iberico hams, olive oils, sherry vinegars, and olives. Many of the 80 preps are simple and/or spicy peasant dishes such as molletes Andaluces (bread rolls with tomatoes, olive oil and Iberico ham). The contents are listed as tapas and raciones (larger food items), followed by breads, veggies, fish, meats and desserts. Typical are potato omelette, chorizo in sherry, marinated olives, shrimp fritters, eggplant with molasses, and salt cod dishes.
-CYPRIANA; vibrant recipes inspired by the food of Greece & Cyprus (Ryland Peters & Small, 2019, rev. ed. 2024, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-601-9, $42 CAD hardbound) is by Theo Michaels (who was born into a large Greek Cypriot family), a bona fide executive chef and author of six other cookbooks. The first edition was in 2019, but the book has been nicely refreshed for a new audience. He's got 80 preps especially meant for summer grilling, meze, and salads. An example is the pork fillet with smoky white beans and pickled apricot salsa (fasolada me hirino fileto kai saltsa verykoko). Recipes are headed in English and in demotic Greek. Both Imperial and metric sizes are noted. Orzo, roasted tomato, and feta salad really appealed to me, as did grilled eggplants with feta. Both books earn a Quality/Price rating of 90 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
Just in time for summer cookouts and outside dining comes a trio of small books: BURGERS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-600-2, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for patties, divided into classics, sliders, vegan, and "international" -- along with sauces and sides; TACOS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-589-0, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for fillings, salsa and sides pertaining to meat, seafood, vegetarian, and breakfast; and VEGAN SNACKS (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 128 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-579-1, $16.19 CAD hardbound) with 60 preps for plant-based bites for breakfast, grazing, bar bites and sweet treats. All three are relevant and all three are based on prior books from Ryland Peters & Small. Still, both metric and imperial measurements have been incorporated this time. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
If you need more heavy duty "seriously good" BBQ stuff, then it is time to bring out the SERIOUSLY GOOD BARBECUE COOKBOOK (Fox Chapel Publishing, 2024, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-4971-0475-4, $26.99 CAD softbound). This oversized book is authored by best-selling Brian Baumgartner and his team. He's got over 100 of some of the best recipes covering the major styles of US BBQ: Kansas city-style, Texas-style (central, eastern), deep south (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina) and other regional styles for Oklahoma, West Coast, Northwest, New Jersey, Hawaii, Montana, and Midwest. All the variations seem to have been covered, so the book becomes encyclopedic with the addition of seafood, sides, sauces, rubs, marinades, and sweets. Juicy all the way, especially my fave -- the pork belly burnt ends (a riff on brisket burnt ends). Imperial measurements. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
On a similar note, I've been reading through the 250 winning recipes from the World Food Championships held in Arkansas: BURGERS & BACON COOKBOOK, Fox Chapel Publishing, 2024, 184 pages, ISBN 978-1-4971-0455-6, $31.99 CAD softbound. The WFC has 11 category-specific competitions over the course of one week, and these 250 preps have been pulled from major areas such as "sweet and savory bacon dishes", "aioli, cheese sauces, and chutneys", "buns and bases" plus sides, jams and spreads. Many techniques and flavours are discussed here, including meat blends, great cheeses for toppings, sauce injectors, and "perfect" buns. Thoroughly comprehensive with lots of notes and photographs and commentaries by the teams. Well-worth reading on its own. Imperial measurements. Quality/Price rating is 89 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
For a more relaxed take on BBQ with a theme of entertaining, then the cookbook du jour, by Valerie Aikman-Smith, is SUMMER FEASTING FROM THE FIRE, Ryland Peters & Small, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2014, 208 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-586-9 $40.96 CAD hardbound...in addition to BBQ there are appetizers, salads, sides, drinks, and desserts. Ms. Aikman-Smith is a food stylist working for movies and TV shows, plus editorials, commercials, print and advertising campaigns. She has regularly published with Ryland over the past decade, and her current book embraces the best of her previous books SMOKE & SPICE, PICKLED & PACKED, and FEAST FROM THE FIRE. There's more than 90 preps here, including basic material on pantry staples. It's a complete work based on an updating of her earlier writings. "Small bites" is my fave section, with recipes of typical dishes such as empanadas, rillettes, pork belly tacos, fish tacos, crab cakes, shrimp hushpuppies, quesadillas, and grilled halloumi. It's well worth a look for innovative entertaining ideas. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
SENSATIONAL SALADS; more that 75 creative & vibrant recipes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2024, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-594-4, $34 CAD hardbound) is by Kathy Kordalis. Alongside the new recipes in this book are those previously published by RPS in five other books, including "Mediterranean Summer Table". Salads are easy enough to put together, but the awkward part is having on hand the ingredients to mesh. So you'll need a pantry. And salads can be made more substantial by adding cheese, eggs and meats to the final product. Her book is full of ideas, starting from the diverse bases beyond the usual leafiness, followed by the dressing that can range from minimal to lavish. In between there are veggies that you can crunch, proteins and fat, croutons (of course), and nuts/seeds. Most of the recipes have American and Imperial measurements. To me, what makes a salad is the collection of herbs and spices that are added at the finish, and Kathy Kordalis gives us all a wide variety...yum, yum. Quality/Price rating is 91 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
SURF-SIDE EATING; simple & fresh recipes for summer inspired by coastal living (Ryland Peters & Small, 2020, 2024, 176 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-603-3 $39 CAD hardbound) is a collaborative
edition with collected preps from 12 RPS cookbook authors. 27 recipes come from Valerie Aikman-Smith; just one recipe apiece can be attributed to three other authors. Most other writers here have 10 to 12 recipes each. The preps are arranged by course: breakfast/brunch, salads and sides, BBQ, dinners at sunset. You can expect seafood, of course, such as shrimp, scallops, mussels, squid, fish tacos (now found everywhere), and lighter summer-y meats such as chicken. If you are at the seaside then this is a good book for guidance on beach food and drinks on the light side. Both American and Imperial measurements are used. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
I'LL HAVE THE RISOTTO!; 50 delicious recipes for Italian rice dishes (Ryland Peters & Small, 2011, 2015, 2018, 2024, 160 pages, ISBN 978-1-78879-596-8, $22.25 CAD hardbound) is by Maxine Clark, one of the RPS stalwarts in its cookbook series. It was first published in 2011, and has been through a few turns since then to include a few additions from three other RPS contributors. Select risottos include arancini di riso di siciliane, artichoke and pecorino risotto, roasted garlic risotto with goats' cheese -- all covering a range of veggies, cheeses, eggs, poultry, red meats, bacon and sausages, and seafood. Most of the preps have metric measurements but a few still also add some Imperial measurements -- which could be confusing if you switch back and forth. Quality/Price rating is 88 points by Dean Tudor of Gothic Epicures Writing.
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