Cookbook reviews

Basil Pistachio Pesto
Basil Pistachio Pesto

Basil Pistachio Pesto excerpted from Saucy: 50 Recipes for Drizzly, Dunk-able, Go-To Sauces to Elevate Everyday Meals by Ashley Boyd. Photography by Maren Caruso.

Saucy: 50 Recipes for Drizzly, Dunk-able, Go-To Sauces to Elevate Everyday Meals by Ashley Boyd

Elevate everyday cooking with 50 easy-peasy recipes for delicious, drizzly, dunk-able sauces.

Saucy is an accessible collection of 50 sauce recipes organized by flavour profile (herby, sweet, spicy, savory, and more). This go-to kitchen companion, irresistibly designed with bold graphics and full-colour photography, includes simple, super-tasty sauces that transform basics from ordinary to sensational:

  • Dress up a piece of grilled chicken with Orange Chimichurri

  • Drizzle Thai Peanut Sauce over steamed veggies to up the flavour factor

  • Add Coconut Chile Crisp to spice up morning eggs

  • Fancify a bowl of ice cream with Blackberry Basil Coulis

How-to instructions for ten homemade dishes—like sautéed shrimp, juicy burgers, and fluffy pancakes—plus a handy list of recommended sauce pairings for a range of proteins, vegetables, pasta, beans, grains, and greens help you get your saucy party started.

Amateur cooks, busy parents, and healthy eaters will appreciate these painless ways to upgrade everyday meals. Paired with kitchen basics, first-apartment supplies, or registry items, Saucy also makes a fun and practical graduation, housewarming, or newlywed gift. (more…)

Bacon Burgers with Grilled Onions & Roasted Tomato Dressing
Bacon Burgers with Grilled Onions & Roasted Tomato Dressing

Bacon Burgers with Grilled Onions & Roasted Tomato Dressing excerpted from Alfresco: 125 Recipes for Eating & Enjoying Outdoors (Entertaining cookbook, Williams Sonoma cookbook, grilling recipes) by Weldon Owen. Photography by Erin Scott

Alfresco: 125 Recipes for Eating & Enjoying Outdoors (Entertaining cookbook, Williams Sonoma cookbook, grilling recipes) by Weldon Owen

Featuring more than 125 classic and contemporary recipes with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients, Alfresco provides everything you need to cook, serve, and enjoy meals outdoors. Designed with the relaxed charm of outdoor living in mind, the book includes recipes for easy-to-eat and shareable appetizers (from skewers and flatbreads to crowd-pleasers like paella), backyard favourites (including grilled pizzas, whole grilled fish, and next-level burgers), and playful desserts (such as boozy ice cream floats and chai-smoked pineapple).

Whether you’re planning a laid-back weekend lunch or a lively evening gathering, the recipes are crafted to be as approachable as they are impressive.

Perfect for casual family dinners or festive gatherings, Alfresco helps home cooks make the most of spring, summer, and fall produce while offering smart menu-planning tips, time-saving prep strategies, and creative ways to use your grill or firepit.

Many of the dishes are designed to be made ahead or cooked in large batches, freeing up more time to enjoy with guests.

It also includes expert entertaining advice, from serving food safely outdoors to making big-batch cocktails and snacks with ease. Throughout the book, vibrant food photography and seasonal tablescape ideas offer plenty of visual inspiration for making every outdoor meal feel like a celebration. (more…)

Grilled Steak Tacos with Chorizo Pinto Beans
Grilled Steak Tacos with Chorizo Pinto Beans

Grilled Steak Tacos with Chorizo Pinto Beans excerpted from Coco: The Official Cookbook by Insight Editions and Gino Garcia. Photography by Ted Thomas.

Coco: The Official Cookbook by Insight Editions and Gino Garcia

Follow Miguel and Dante over the marigold bridge and create a feast inspired by Disney’s Coco.

Celebrate Día de Los Muertos with over 50 recipes inspired by the Land of the Dead in Disney’s Coco! Filled with sweet treats, appetizers, main courses, and delicious drinks, this cookbook includes dozens of authentic Mexican dishes and all of the meals that the Riveras offer to their loved ones on the other side!

Coco: The Official Cookbook features step-by-step instructions and full-colour images so cocineros of any age or skill level can learn to prepare traditional Mexican treats, such as churros and tamales, for serving to family and friends at the table or placing on the ofrenda for those who have crossed to the other side.

INSPIRED BY COCO: Includes recipes for dishes and delicacies featured in the Pixar film Coco.

EASY-TO-FOLLOW MEXICAN RECIPES: Learn how to prepare traditional Mexican treats such as churros, pan dulce, and more.

MEALS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY: Family-oriented Mexican recipes for every meal that will satisfy your loved ones in the Land of the Living and the Land of the Dead! (more…)

Julia Child’s Kitchen: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space

Today would have been Julia Child’s birthday and I am in no mood to be subtle about it. She is one of my heroes. Not just because she could sear a duck without breaking a sweat but because she managed to dominate in a profession where men were used to holding the knife and the spotlight. Julia walked in, taller than most of them, voice booming like a church bell, and showed everyone that authority in the kitchen was not about gender. It was about taste, skill, and the nerve to carry on when you have dropped a chicken on the floor.

I grew up French Canadian so many of Julia’s recipes already lived somewhere in my memory before I saw her make them. Boeuf bourguignon. French onion soup. Duck à l’orange. Coquilles Saint Jacques. Dishes my mother would unveil for fancy dinners, though Julia’s versions always came with something extra, the tacit permission to botch them and keep going. Burn the onions? She would say scrape them up and carry on. Sauce too thin? Thicken it and serve it anyway. The party is not ruined and neither are you. (more…)

Apricot Mascarpone Crostata
Apricot Mascarpone Crostata

Apricot Mascarpone Crostata excerpted from Baking for Every Season: Favorite Recipes for Celebrating Year-round by Weldon Owen. Photography by Erin Scott.

Baking for Every Season: Favorite Recipes for Celebrating Year-round by Weldon Owen

Spanning holidays throughout every season, Baking for Every Season is the quintessential idea book for home bakers looking for year-round baking inspiration and delectable treats to share with friends and family, no matter the celebration.

The recipes span classics like Bûche de Noël and Pumpkin Pie Bars, trendy treats recipes such as Candy Bar Pie and Hot Cocoa Cookies, and fun kid-friendly delights including Piñata Cupcakes and Classic Sugar Cookies.

Guides and tips for decorating and serving, troubleshooting, and flawless baking make this cookbook a go-to guide for home bakers of all skill levels. Whether you’re looking to create traditional treats for a cosy winter holiday or seeking inspiration for a new favourite dessert to serve at a Fourth of July BBQ, Baking for Every Season offers a wealth of delectable ideas perfect for any occasion.

125+ SEASONAL BAKING RECIPES: Classic and contemporary recipes will inspire home bakers with beloved classics and fresh favourites to share with family and friends

HOLIDAYS AND EVERY DAY: Recipes span delicious bakes for special occasions and everyday events throughout the year, making this book ideal for all seasons and occasions (more…)

Heirloom Tomato Toasts
Heirloom Tomato Toasts

Heirloom Tomato Toasts excerpted from Brunch Season: A Year of Delicious Mornings from the Buttermilk Kitchen by Suzanne Vizethann. Photography by Kelly Berry.

Brunch Season: A Year of Delicious Mornings from the Buttermilk Kitchen by Suzanne Vizethann 

From the Buttermilk Kitchen, a beautiful, year-round, go-to cookbook highlighting more than 60 made-from-scratch brunch recipes incorporating fresh fruits and vegetables at their peak times of year.

Brunch is a lovely way to celebrate a meal with friends and family, and a great way to make any midday or mid-week dining special. The recipes in Brunch Season: A Year of Delicious Mornings from the Buttermilk Kitchen include both sweet and savoury dishes, drawing ideas from Buttermilk Kitchen breakfast favourites, and adding seasonal soups and salads, as well as drinks. Chef Suzanne Vizethann’s fresh farm-to-table approach to this cookbook, divided into spring, summer, fall, and winter chapters, reflects her commitment to providing high-quality meals made with ripe, flavourful ingredients.

All of the recipes are simple yet refined, and the seasonal section openers include a list of peak ingredients for that season. For spring, you will find recipes such as Young Garlic and Radish Focaccia and Rhubarb Cobbler; for summer, Heirloom Tomato Toasts and Watermelon Mimosas; for fall, Roasted Squash Oatmeal with Crispy Rosemary Seeds and Chocolate Hazelnut Sticky Cake; for winter, Coddled Egg with Creamed Kale and Winter Citrus with Whipped Ricotta and Honey. The home cook can expect balanced dishes that are as beautiful as they are delicious. (more…)

Grilled Lamb Kebabs

Grilled Lamb Kebabs

Grilled Lamb Kebabs excerpted from Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen [A Cookbook] by Omid Roustaei. Photography by Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Bitter & Sweet: Global Flavors from an Iranian-American Kitchen [A Cookbook] by Omid Roustaei

Discover a world of flavours in this elegantly designed cookbook from Omid Roustaei—the Caspian Chef—featuring 75 mouthwatering recipes that blend Iranian dishes with global cuisines, accompanied by moving stories of Omid’s life and culinary journey from Iran to the US.

Infused with moving stories, useful cooking tips, and gorgeous photographs, Bitter & Sweet teaches readers to experiment not only with Iranian dishes but also with the many cuisines and techniques that Omid has explored throughout his career. His welcoming prose and down-to-earth methods are sure to engage both practiced hands and total newcomers to the kitchen.

Recipes include Persian classics like Chicken in Pomegranate Walnut Sauce (Khoresh Fesenjun), Sour Cherry Rice with Petite Meatballs (Albalu Polo ba Ghel Gheli), and Rice with a Crispy Saffron Layer (Polo ba Tahdig) alongside international dishes such as Braised Burdock with Carrots (Kinpira Gobo), Creamy Smoked Fish and Vegetable Soup (Cullen Skink), and Fried Potato and Bulgur Kibbeh (Kibbet Batata bil Lahmeh).

ACCESSIBLE: Written in a conversational format that makes this complex and delicious cuisine easy to cook for anyone, regardless of experience.

IMPROVISATIONAL: Each recipe includes simple tips for modification based on what you have on hand, with deeper instruction on how to become a more mindful and intuitive cook. (more…)

Mussels in Red Sauce with Fried Garlic Bread
Mussels in Red Sauce with Fried Garlic Bread

Mussels in Red Sauce with Fried Garlic Bread excerpted from Out There: A Camper Cookbook: Recipes from the by Lee Kalpakis. Photography by Brittany Barb.

Out There: A Camper Cookbook: Recipes from the by Lee Kalpakis

“This cookbook helps you cook luxuriously with the simplest kitchen set-up…tempting recipes and hard-won wisdom.”
– The Wall Street Journal

“A beautifully illustrated cookbook with over 50 recipes much more sophisticated than grilled hot dogs and s’mores…”
– The Huffington Post

An adventure-rich collection of easy, flavourful, beautiful recipes to make over a campfire and enjoy in the great outdoors.

Out There: A Camper Cookbook presents the story and recipes of Lee Kalpakis, a professional cook who returned home to the Catskill Mountains after 14 years in New York City to live in an off-grid camper in the woods.

Along with delicious, sophisticated recipes, Lee shares how to get the most out of an unconventional kitchen. This is a guide for pairing down kitchen clutter and stocking up a versatile pantry while maximising the efficiency of any small cooking space.

75 RECIPES: Delicious and beautiful recipes for entertaining–in the wild–from a professional chef and food stylist (more…)

Strawberry Rhubarb Squares

Strawberry Rhubarb Squares excerpted from Seasons of Greens: A Collection of New Recipes from the Iconic San Francisco Restaurant © 2025 by Katie Reicher. Reprinted by permission of Weldon Owen, an imprint of Insight Editions. All rights reserved. photography © Erin Scott.

Seasons of Greens: A Collection of New Recipes from the Iconic San Francisco Restaurant by Katie Reicher

Chef Katie Reicher of San Francisco’s legendary Greens Restaurant shares 120+ plant-based recipes inspired by cultures from around the world. Using seasonal ingredients for maximum flavour, Chef Reicher shows how to make vegetables the hero of any dish.

Vegetarian cuisine is celebrated in Katie Reicher’s Seasons of Greens. With more than 120 recipes to suit every taste, Chef Reicher pays homage to the amazing chefs before her while showcasing vegetables in new and exciting ways. Incorporating global influences, classic vegetarian dishes get a delicious makeover: root vegetables and rice is transformed into a Biryani, an Indian-inspired dish with layers of your favourite veggies. Summer rolls, a Greens version of the spring roll, uses sweet potato and a peanut sauce for a Thai twist. Avocado toast gets an update with a butterbean smash on charred bread that’s perfect for breakfast or entertaining. All of the recipes are created with substitutes in mind and with whatever is available for the season. Seasons of Greens is a fresh and modern way to enjoy vegetables.

MORE THAN 120 RECIPES: Vegetables, legumes, and grains are the heroes of every dish with substitutions and tips to make any meal a success. (more…)

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip
Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip

Roasted Red Pepper & Walnut Dip excerpted from Souk to Table: Vibrant Middle Eastern Dishes for Everyday Meals by Amina Al-Saigh. Photography © 2024 by Amina Al-Saigh.

Souk to Table: Vibrant Middle Eastern Dishes for Everyday Meals by Amina Al-Saigh

In Souk to Table, popular food blogger Amina Al-Saigh (@hungrypaprikas) is here to help you figure out dinner for your family with her easy, quick, and accessible Middle Eastern recipes, inspired by her heritage and using flavours she knows and love. She understands how busy life can get and how sometimes cooking Middle Eastern dishes can be overwhelming, but with the right know-how and the right recipes, you can serve up delicious and bold flavours and not spend all day in the kitchen!​

This homestyle cookbook gathers the best of the region—dips, condiments, salads, sides, mains, soups, stews, desserts, and drinks—using easy-to-find, fresh ingredients and delicious Arabic spices.​​ In Souk to Table, you’ll find:

  • 100 easy-to-make and delicious recipes from Amina’s homeland of Iraq, as well as Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, and beyond​
  • Dinners that can be made in under an hour for easy weeknight cooking, as well as traditional dishes “worth the effort” for weekend cooking​ and hosting
  • A simpler approach to Middle Eastern cooking without sacrificing any of the authentic flavours​
  • A stunning photo accompanying every recipe​
  • How to stock your Middle Eastern kitchen

(more…)