Off the shelf: a stack of books to delight readers and home cooks

Some to dig into now, and some worth waiting for

Hello! Hello!

If I were more organized, I’d formalize my cookbook round-ups and do them, say, every season. But it’s only when the new books are piled high or threatening to claim the last empty inch of my desk that I think, better settle down, look them over and tell you about them. And now’s the moment — here’s what I’ve got. But before I give you my usual caveat about how these books came to me and are coming to you, I want to tell you about a website, two excellent newsletters and a splendid podcast, each completely, totally and expertly dedicated to cookbooks. The website is Eat Your Books.com, the newsletters are

Stained Page News

and

Dianne Jacob's Newsletter

, and the podcast is aptly named, Everything Cookbooks. I’m devoted to these and I think you will be, too.

Ok, here’s the caveat: This is not a comprehensive round-up. It’s a mishmash of books I love and books that I might love once I get to know them better; of books I’ve bought and books that were given to me; of books by friends, books by heroes and books by stra…