Books Media

We wrote about this recipe two years ago and just got around to making it (with a minor citrus swap-out) this week. We might not forgive ourselves for taking that long. If you like sherbet, heed our advice: This is one of the easiest and most addictive desserts we’ve made in a while.We’ve always been bigger fans of sherbet than sorbet. Sorbet is virtuous. Sherbet toes that fine line between, “I’m eating fruit for dessert! Go me,” and “Oooh, this is creamy.

Now, more than six years later, glutenfreegirl.com is considered one of the top blogs on celiac disease, and on food in general. Her second book, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, continues her culinary path with pages of recipes, gluten-free tips, and many manifestations of her love for food. Reading Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef as just a cookbook is like watching a football game to check out the uniforms – you’d miss the whole point!

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We all know Rachael Ray appeals to the masses with recipes prized for speed and ease. But she’s also all about keeping costs down, and we appreciate that. With these two recipes (which both feed four people), we think you could buy organic ingredients and still come in well under the $10 mark.We realize Rachael Ray is a polarizing figure, and many of her recipes rely too heavily on poultry seasoning, ground beef, and shredded cheese. But you know what?

We knew immediately upon opening the July/August issue of Cook’s Illustrated that we would have to make this dish. We’re recent converts to the clan of eggplant-lovers, and the description of caramelized eggplant and silky tomato sauce sounded too good to resist!The article says that some of the problems with this eggplant pasta dish is that it can be labor-intensive to prepare and the resulting sauce can be oily and overwhelming.

Here’s a little more about this startlingly good cookbook, and a recipe I can’t wait to make.Yotam Ottolenghi owns a group of delis and restaurants in London, England, and his establishments have gained a reputation for fresh, creative vegetarian food. Ottolenghi is not actually a vegetarian, so his column at The Guardian, “The New Vegetarian”, raised some eyebrows.

This is the time of year that we cooks often forget to nourish ourselves; the ordinary meals that fall between the holiday feast and the baked treats can be rushed and overlooked. Here’s a recipe and a book to help you stay centered and nourished in the kitchen: a new favorite, a quiet, thorough look at Japanese home cooking from the perspective of a Western cook. This book is an absolute delight, and the recipe here? Well, we’re getting ready to make it right now.

Cara and Phoebe’s popular cooking blog, Big Girls Small Kitchen, has garnered acclaim and popularity from a variety of readers and established chefs. Their approach, explaining the basics of home cooking, to fellow “quarter-lifers” is as witty and fun as it is honest and approachable. These two ladies graduated from college, moved into the work force and tackled entertaining and food with gusto.

Sweet MagicThese cookies? They are amazing, and they start with an unexpected ingredient. See those little specks in the cookies? They aren’t nuts. Read on for more about this recipe, and this playful, witty, unexpectedly delightful book.Michel Richard is a one-of-a-kind French chef. He currently owns Citronelle in the D.C. area. He won a James Beard award as Outstanding Chef in 2007, and he is often referred to as a chef’s chef.

This is one reason why Elana Amsterdam’s books are so attractive: her ingredient lists are remarkably short. This strawberry cupcake recipe, for instance, only calls for eight relatively familiar ingredients. And yet it’s also outstandingly delicious!Elana Amsterdam of the popular blog Elana’s Pantry has gained quite a following for her gluten-free recipes.

A luscious cranberry cake, with the richness of crème fraîche. Christie is a friend who has appeared here before on The Kitchn; she cowrote the very popular cookbook Flour with Joanne Chang, and she also authored a book on salty sweets. This book is a lovely single-subject book, with soft, elegant photos by Alex Farnum. It has a smaller square profile, and a hardback cover with glossy pages. The 50 recipes cover the basics, like lemon-poppy seed and milk chocolate.

We were big fans of Stephanie Izard during Top Chef Chicago, and since her big win, she’s been busy planning a new restaurant and making appearances all over the country. She’s also been blogging, and we’ve been checking in occasionally to take a look at her recipes.

There’s a little turkey at Eight Mile Creek Farm in upstate New York who will soon sacrifice her life for our Thanksgiving meal. We’ve named her Patita, after our good friend Pati Jinich, a brilliant and effervescent Mexican cook, television show host, and cookbook author.

Jeni BrittonI remember sitting on the sun-warmed steps of the North Market, taking my first bite of Jeni’s Savannah buttermint ice cream. Peppermint exploded in my mouth, followed by a seductive, buttery saltiness. The creaminess was pure — like an after-dinner mint gone to heaven, removed from chalkiness and artificiality. It melted in my mouth, and I went for another bite.Quite a lot has happened in my life since that June morning.

Ancient Grains for Modern MealsMaria and I have the same literary agent, so we were delighted to meet up in person at a recent culinary conference. She is intensely warm and lively in person, practically crackling with life. At the moment I met her, she was literally staggering from joy; her book had just been named in the New York Times’ roundup of good summer cookbooks.

The Hadassah Everyday CookbookThis is a big, beautiful book that is also down-to-earth, and completely accessible. It’s full of recipes that are all kosher. In fact, each recipe has a D, M, or P symbol (for dairy, meat, and pareve) beside it so you can see at a glance its kosher status.The book showcases simple, unfussy, delicious kosher cooking. There are chapters for every meal and course, from Breakfasts and Breads to Mains, Sweets, and Anytime Snacks. Leah has it covered.

CookieHere’s a recipe, and a few more thoughts on this book, which is honestly just as good for busy singles as harried mommies.I see many, many books every year that promise quicker, easier cooking. (Quick! Fast! 30-minute meals!) My tolerance of these books reached a limit long ago; they often feel dumbed-down and slightly disingenuous in their promises of ever-quicker meals.This book, though, doesn’t fall into that camp.

The deep blue and silver cover of this latest issue in the Canal House Cooking series is an elegant hint at the the celebratory champagne-popping and truffle-stuffed recipes within. This is Canal House Cooking’s Fall & Holiday issue and it’s chock-full of recession-flouting recipes that glimmer and sparkle and call us to the table to eat well, make merry, and welcome in the good life with those we love.