Off the shelf: My not-complete-at-all list of good books
What could be better than finding a new book for reading in the kitchen or curled up on the couch?
Hello! Hello!
Before I jump into today’s newsletter, I want to back up to last week, when it was Thanksgiving in America. My mother used to tell me that every day should be Mother’s Day and that every day is Children’s Day. I thought about this last Thursday because every day should be a day when we’re thankful for our lives and the people we share them with. This year, our Thanksgiving dinner was cozier than it usually is — we were just six: Joshua and Linling, Gemma and VV and Michael and me. Happily, it was as sweet as it usually is. Michael made pizza for Thanksgiving eve, and since we were too few for a turkey, I made Samin Nosrat’s exceptionally good Buttermilk-Brined Chicken (here’s the recipe — I’ve removed the paywall for you) and traditional T-day fixings. I forgot to serve the chestnut soup I’d made; ditto the gravlax — but it was nice to have them on Friday. For me, the highlight was making Michael’s favorite pecan-chocolate pie with “the girls” (the recipe’s from BAKING WITH DORIE and I made it as a tart). While Gemma and I try to bake whenever we can, I think it was the first time VV and I made something together. Everything tasted better than usual — it’s the magic of little hands and teamwork.
Back to the Future
Those of you who’ve been with me for a while know that come the end of the year, I scurry to tell you about some books that I think you’ll like, and that I always start my list the same way — with doubts and double-doubts. Or maybe it’s actually with sureties in the knowledge that I’ve forgotten, left out or otherwise missed great books, the books of friends and heroes, of icons and ingenues. Every year I think I should give up putting this list together, but the urge to share what I’m loving is always greater than my fear that I’ve come up short.
And so here it is — the mishmash that is my year-end celebration of new and almost-new books. And here’s the caveat: It’s not complete in any way. It’s long, but it’s just a start. The beginning of a conversation. Add your list to mine. Tell me what you’re loving. Tell me what books you’ll be giving for gifts. Tell me what books you hope someone will give you. Please.
This year, instead of trying to describe the books for you, I’ve decided to bookmark a few recipes from each book, things I’d like to try, and share the marked pages with you.
As always, the list is a little hodgepodge, although I did try to make a few categories. And, as I said, it’s long. Of course, I could have made shorter lists all through the fall, but I’m not that organized. And so here goes. I hope some of these titles intrigue you — what could be better than finding a new book!
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Some Baking Books
BAKE SMART by Samantha Seneviratne
It’s no secret that I love Samantha Seneviratne and her style of baking (Sam was the food stylist for BAKING WITH DORIE) and with the release of BAKE SMART, I love her even more — so will you! The book is divided into five chapters — Butter; Sugar; Eggs; Flours, Nuts & Cocoa; and Yeast — and each chapter is chockablock with irresistibles. And each recipe has super-useful tips and lessons. I’m thinking about jumping into Malted Chocolate Cream Pie (page 115); Ginger Brulée Doughnuts (page 190); and Plum and Rose Pie Bars with Almonds (page 33).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
SCANDINAVIAN FROM SCRATCH by Nichole Accettola
There isn’t a cookie in this book that I don’t want to make! (Hooray for the Black Licorice Slices, page 51, which Nichole admits are divisive, but since I’m on the love-side of the divide, I’m excited for these.) Ditto the simple cakes. And the savories. And the breads. For those of us with an affinity for the baking of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, this book is a treat. I’ll be baking Potato Flatbread, aka Lefse (page 171); Wild Blueberry Carrot Cake (page 79); and Brown Sugar “Focaccia” Cake (page 81), a cake made from a yeast dough that’s dimpled and finished with a pour-over of sugar syrup that caramelizes in the oven.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
SNACKING BAKES by Yossy Arefi
If you loved SNACKING CAKES — I did! — then you’ll love SNACKING BAKES — I do! Yossy’s recipes are straightforward, but each bake is packed with flavor and often a surprise. And several of them are vegan. The Triple-Chocolate Olive Oil Brownies (page 123) have my name on them. Also the vegan Spiced Applesauce Crumb Cake (page 140) and the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bark (page 97).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
ZINGERMAN’S BAKEHOUSE CELEBRATE EVERY DAY by Amy Emberling, Lindsay-Jean Hard, Lee Vedder and Corynn Coscia
When my friends at Zingerman’s Bakehouse sent me their book, they included their Gingerbread Coffee Cake (page 177). It was perfect and so it’s at the top of my must-bake list. I’m also looking at their Run For the Roses Pie (page 57), a Kentucky-Derby Pie (like a pecan pie) that would be right all through fall and winter, and Za’atar Flatbreads — yes, there are savory recipes, too.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
Some Cooking Books
MAKE IT JAPANESE by Rie McClenny with Sanaë Lemoine
The subtitle of this book is “recipes for everyone” — they might have added “for anytime,” because so many of these recipes are made quickly with ingredients many of us usually have on hand. I’d like to start on page 1 and cook my way through it (I think my family would like me to do that, too), but here’s what I’m thinking of making soon: Shrimp in Chili Sauce (page 106), a Japanese-Chinese dish; Cabbage Salad with Lemon-Miso Dressing (page 54) — the dressing is terrific; and Matcha and Black Sesame Cookies (page 220). (Heads-up: you can pre-order Sanaë’s next book now — it’s called HOT SHEET and it’s written with Olga Massov.)
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
MORE IS MORE by Molly Baz
Molly wants you to “get loose in the kitchen” — also have some fun — and that’s the aim of every recipe in this energetic book. In very-Molly fashion, every recipe’s got “goes with” suggestions and lots of them have QR codes that link to cook-along videos. There’s a lot here, like Crick-Cracks! (page 58) that “goes with” Faux French Onion Soup (page 207) that also “goes with” Crispy Potato Skins with Fried Herb Aioli (page 226). If you want to know more about Molly, look at the current issue of CHERRY BOMBE MAGAZINE — she’s on the cover.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
RINTARO by Sylvan Mishima Brackett, Jessica Battilana and Aya Mishima Brackett
A fascinating peek into Rintaro, the Japanese izakaya in the Mission District of San Francisco, and a series of culinary lessons in Japanese cooking — I was mesmerized by the photographs of a chicken cut the Japanese way. The photographs are by Aya Brackett, whom I got to meet when I was in Paris in October (take a look at what she shot in my apartment), and they’re extraordinary. When Aya came, she brought me a copy of the book, which I left in Paris. I have a Connecticut copy on order, but since it’s not here, I can’t share my bookmarks. File this under “TK” — an editor’s shorthand for “to come.”
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
ROAST FIGS, SUGAR SNOW by Diana Henry
This is a reissue of a beloved book by beloved author, Diana Henry. If you don’t know her work, nothing would make me happier than to be the one to introduce her to you — she’s a treasure. Here is a book to read and to cook from — the essays are as comforting as the recipes. As Nigel Slater says on the book’s cover, “Each paragraph is a carol to what makes the cooking of the cold months something to cherish.” I want to make Pumpkin Tarts with Spinach and Gorgonzola (page 53); Québécois Mussel Chowder with Cod and Hard Cider (page 125); and Smoked Eel with Potato Poppy Seed Cakes and Apple and Beet Relish (page 116). Also everything in the Cheese chapter.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
SCHECKEATS COOKING SMARTER by Jeremy Scheck
There’s a lot to cook in this debut book from a Tik-Tok star — and so much to be charmed by. The book is as much an homage to the foods Jeremy Scheck grew up on and the people who cooked for him as it is an invitation for new cooks to get into the kitchen. The recipes are straightforward with lots of suggestions for variations and the occasional “side of science.” For sure I’ll make Internet-Famous Crispy Roast Potatoes (page 54) — I’m sorry I didn’t make them sooner; Engagement Short Ribs (page 122) — yes, the kid’s got a way with names; and the gorgeous cover recipe, Chicken Thighs with Date Butter Sauce (page 137).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
SEAFOOD SIMPLE by Eric Ripert
This book is as elegant as its author, the chef and co-owner of New York’s exquisite restaurant, Le Bernardin. As in his book, VEGETABLE SIMPLE, Eric assures us that when he says “simple” he means it. Trust him. You don’t need special skills or even a special pantry to work from Eric’s book, but you must be able to get impeccable fish. Because I can (thank you Star Fish Market in Guilford, CT and Viot in Paris), I’ll be making Gravlax and Blinis (page 29); Provençal Fish Stew (page 113); and Smoked Salmon “Croque Monsieur” (page 177).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
START HERE by Sohla El-Waylly
START HERE is jam-packed! If you’ve got a cooking or baking question that Sohla hasn’t answered in this book, then you probably haven’t read carefully enough. She covers everything. Everything. From three ways to scramble eggs to explaining what sugar is. From “How to Braise Big Hunks & Stew Little Dudes,” to poaching a chicken breast (which she promises is good!). I haven’t bookmarked three recipes — my plan is to “Start Here” on page 1 and read.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
VEG-TABLE by Nik Sharma
If you’ve cooked from Nik’s previous books or subscribe to his Substack, then you know that his recipes deliver big flavor and a little science, too. This time out, Nik concentrates on vegetable-focused meals and, as always, his photos are gorgeous. I’m looking forward to cooking Carrot, Apple + Harissa Soup (page 312) — soup weather is here; Eggplant in Tomato Curry (page 273) — I want it over rice; and Shallot + Spicy Mushroom Pasta (page 45).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon.com
A Couple of Cocktail Books
EVERY COCKTAIL HAS A TWIST by Carey Jones and John McCarthy
Such a clever title for this very clever book that teaches you 25 classic drinks and then tens of variations. From Aperol Spritzes to Mules, Stormies & Bucks, there are drinks to stir and shake and muddle and even grill — The Vibe Shift (page 159) is a mojito made with Thai lime leaves and grilled pineapple.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
HOLIDAY COUPETAILS by Brian Hart Hoffman and Brooke Bell
You probably know my friends Brian and Brooke from Bake From Scratch — the magazine, the cookbooks, the baking classes, the baking retreats and the BakeFeed. But they are also cocktail connoisseurs and fans of the coupe — the saucer-shaped cocktail glasses, old fashioned and glamorous. And because they’re bakers, the book includes a wonderful selection of light go-alongs including Parmesan and Chive Gougères (page 110) and Cheddar Pecan Crackers (page 129).
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
Some Out-of-the-Kitchen-and-Onto-the-Couch Books
THE CORE OF AN ONION by Mark Kurlansky
Mark Kurlansky is the master of culinary deep dives. Having written COD, SALT, SALMON and MILK! Kurlansky turns his attention — and ours — to the onion. The slim volume, with lovely drawings by the author, skips across the planet, digs into historical recipes (there are 100 of them!) and dips into the onion’s place in medicine, literature, art and agriculture. It’s delightful and, unlike its subject, tear-free.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
INVITATION TO A BANQUET by Fuchsia Dunlop
If you didn’t already know Fuchsia Dunlop’s formidable work, you’d only have to read Dwight Garner’s NY Times review of her newest book, INVITATION TO A BANQUET (I’ve removed the paywall for you), to want to jump into it immediately. The book is truly a tour de force, an exciting study of all aspects of Chinese cuisine told with grace, charm, wit and tremendous intelligence through a banquet of 30 dishes. A book to savor and learn from.
Get at Bookshop.org | Amazon
THE PARISIAN ABCs by Emily Gaudichon and Sarah Vesperini
A delight from, yes, A to Z. Witty and charming, too. You may know Emily from her Substack, A Week in Paris/The Real Emily in Paris, and if you do, you know that she’s a keen, funny and sympathetic observer of Parisian life. In the ABCs, everything’s simmered down to a line and a whimsical drawing, and everything’s spot-on. And amusing. Put this on the list for all your Paris-loving friends and buy it in America from French Wink.
📚 You can find more recipes in my latest book, BAKING WITH DORIE.
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Oh, Dorie........Thank you for this posting. I was just quite consciously missing my Aunt Martha (actually, my father's first cousin, who died at age 87, just this past year).
I was raised in what most folks these days would regard as an overly formal household, and one of my earliest memories is of Aunt Martha's (she couldn't have been more than 25 at the time) whisking me out of my great aunt's/her mother's house....to go to her APARTMENT (!!!!!!!). It was 1968. Aunt Martha had NOT married, and she had a job at the MEDICAL SCHOOL, and she painted watercolors, and she owned a volkswagen of her very own, and she was regarded as distressingly "wild". We became fast friends (quite aside from our rather overbearing and utterly homogenous family) by the time I was ten. By the time I was 40 and she was sixty, I would introduce her, only half=jokingly, as "the other black sheep in the family"..........."We both forgot to get married...."
That said?.......I distinctly recall her taking me to her apartment (no single women had apartments back then, except for Mary Tyler Moore on television), where she had laid out all the cookie-molds and decorative candy-things ("non-pareils"?), powdered sugars, etcetera......for making and decorating sugar cookies. We started out from scratch (nothing special, I suppose....just "Joy of Cooking" recipe; women in my family don't cook and certainly don't bake).
And, no.....she didn't let me "just be creative". She made me learn how to do it
nicely". I was beyond thrilled. It may have been the first time anyone took the time to SHOW me how to make something and do it right....and, yes, I was (for perhaps the first time) very proud of the outcome/product. I felt very grown-up and, more importantly, competent.
Well, enough of this........best wishes to you and your family, and thank you for an obviously evocative posting.
sincerely, david terry
Another phenomenal compendium of so many great cookbooks that I don’t know where to start. I have enjoyed cooking from SNACKING CAKES, so might start with Yossey’s latest book. I bought the ABC’s of PARIS to give to my tenants once the baby arrives. I’ll be on my couch and in my kitchen this winter trying some others on the list, too. Thank you! (And thanks for sharing the photos of Gemma and VV: they remind me of our Emma at that age.❤️)