East Bay Bookshelf

Book review by Kristina Sepetys     “When going out into the wild to find your own food, you may get wet or muddy or scratched or scared. Often, you will get tired. You may find nothing, or so much you can barely carry it home. But it’s in these dark hollows, amid bushwhacking or…

Book review by Kristina Sepetys     Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ & Soul Food By Toriano Gordon with Korsha Wilson (Ten Speed Press, 2024) Toriano Gordon is a passionate musician and rapper. He’s also the multi-talented chef behind the wildly popular Vegan Mob barbecue and soul food business. He grew up sharing food with his…

Kristina Sepetys reviews   Simply West African: Easy, Joyful Recipes for Every Kitchen by Pierre Thiam with Lisa Katayama (Potter, 2023). Teranga, a word from the Wolof language of Senegal, refers to the spirit of generosity, love, abundance, and warm hospitality that author Pierre Thiam shares throughout his new cookbook, Simply West African: Easy, Joyful…

Kristina Sepetys reviews Chími Nu’am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen by Sara Calvosa Olson.     Sara Calvosa Olson grew up on the Trinity River, about 250 miles northwest of the Bay Area, raised by a Karuk mother. The Karuks are one of the largest Indigenous tribes in California, with ancestral territories along the…

Book review by Kristina Sepetys Author Viola Buitoni will appear at Taste of Italy at Rockridge Market Hall on October 14, 2023. Read more about the event here.   Italy by Ingredient: Artisanal Foods/Modern Recipes By Viola Buitoni (Rizzoli 2023) Sit down with Viola Buitoni’s new cookbook, Italy by Ingredient, and you’re bound to learn…

Book Review by Mark Middlebrook   Meet the authors at Taste of Italy at Rockridge Market Hall, October 14, 2023, noon to 3pm. Event details here.   Italian Wine: The History, Regions, and Grapes of an Iconic Wine Country by Shelley Lindren and Kate Leahy Published Aug. 2023. Hardcover. 295 pages. $35. Ten Speed Press,…

Book review by Kristina Sepetys As poet Aimee Nezhukumatathil explains in her forward to Leaning Toward Light: Poems for gardens & the hands that tend them, the word anthology means “gathering of flowers,” and indeed, that is what the book’s editor, El Cerrito resident Tess Taylor, has done in a collection that celebrates the impulse…

It’s odd to be thankful for a positive covid test in the household, but scuddled travel plans meant extra time for our editor’s favorite solo activity, multitasking. “Yes, I love the magic of successfully doing two things at once,” says Cheryl Angelina Koehler, publisher and editor of Edible East Bay. “In this case, it was…

Tanya Holland’s New Cookbook Review by Kristina Sepetys Tanya Holland is justifiably famous for many reasons, including her much-loved (sadly, now closed) Brown Sugar Kitchen in West Oakland, where she cooked up delicious buttermilk fried chicken and waffles, bacon-cheddar-scallion biscuits, thick shrimp gumbo, rich macaroni and cheese, and other deeply satisfying soul food dishes. The…

Groundbakers cookbook offers new twists on favorite dishes plus thoughts and analysis about our food system Review by Rachel Trachten     GROUNDBAKERS 60 + Plant-Based Comfort Food Recipes and 16 Leaders Changing the Food System by Mackenzie and Kathy Feldman (Kulani Publishing, 2022)   Vegetable lovers can rejoice in Groundbakers, a new cookbook that…

  How this remarkable Oakland baker, restaurateur, and (now) author has grown her Bay Area community By Kristina Sepetys Reem Assil is committed to producing delicious food that honors her Palestinian-Syrian heritage as well as her Bay Area present. Fiercely passionate about promoting Arab hospitality, she brings equal focus to her pursuits in community building, social justice,…

  Kristina Sepetys reviews We Are What We Eat: A Slow Food Manifesto by Alice Waters with Bob Carrau and Cristina Mueller Penguin Press, June 2021, Buy Local Link.   We are all part of nature’s cycles and rhythms, so slow food values are already inside every one of us. If we cook and eat and…

A book review by Kristina Sepetys   Table with a View: The History & Recipes of Nick’s Cove By Dena Grunt (Cameron Books, 2021) As businesses start to reopen and people tiptoe out for perhaps the first time in a year, many will take the occasion to discover (or rediscover) gems in their own backyard.…

  Kristina’s Bookshelf   The Whole Smiths Real Food Every Day: Healthy Recipes to Keep Your Family Happy Throughout the Week By Michelle Smith (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2021) With two young children, Livermore food blogger Michelle Smith knows the challenges of finding tasty, balanced dishes she can prepare quickly on busy weeknights. In her second…

 Kristina’s Bookshelf   This time of year, with lots of labor-intensive holiday meal preparation, I’m always happy to find collections of easy, satisfying meals that come together quickly and taste good even if I’m short an ingredient or don’t get the measurements quite right.   Sheet Pan Chicken: 50 Simple and Satisfying Ways to Cook…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Here are three new cookbooks filled with hearty, satisfying recipes sure to transport you through the long, dark days of the winter holidays and beyond.   Cool Beans: The Ultimate Guide to Cooking with the World’s Most Versatile Plant-Based Protein, with 125 Recipes By Joe Yonan (Ten Speed Press, 2020) You may be…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Review by Kristina Sepetys   Fruit Cake: Recipes for the Curious Baker By Jason Schreiber (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2020)  “Fruit cake” conjures images of the alcohol-soaked, dried fruit and nut–studded firm loaves popular around the holidays. In perusing the 75 recipes in Jason Schreiber’s new cookbook, I found that it gives a big nod…

Purchase this book 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More By Sarah Kieffer (Chronicle Books, 2020) Celebrate the start of a new school year or add some cheer to family game night or a Zoom celebration by whipping up a delicious batch of sweet treats! A…

Learn to make a variety of easy Asian pickles. Asian Pickles at Home: 75 Easy Recipes for Quick, Fermented, and Canned Pickles Paperback by Patricia Tanumihardja (Rockridge Press, Copyright © 2020 by Callisto Media) Pickles—quick, fermented, canned, fruity Indian chutneys or fiery chile-garlic pastes—are a staple with meals in many Asian cultures, and they’re always a welcome…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering Volume 2 by Joanna Gaines and Marah Stets (William Morrow Cookbooks, 2020)   For now, cooking for gatherings means preparing meals for families or other groups with whom we’re sheltering in place. Judging from sales data showing U.S. sales of cheese, eggs, milk all…

  Kristina’s Bookshelf   The Earth in Her Hands: 75 Extraordinary Women Working in the World of Plants By Jennifer Jewell (Timber Press, 2020) In The Earth in Her Hands, Jennifer Jewell—host of public radio’s award-winning program and podcast Cultivating Place—profiles 75 women working in botany, floral design, landscape architecture, farming, herbalism, and food justice. Among…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Start Simple: Eleven Everyday Ingredients for Countless Weeknight Meals By Lukas Volger Harper Wave, 2020   Finding a recipe, making a list of ingredients, then shopping for them doesn’t make a lot of sense right now when many people are trying to shelter in place. In his new vegetarian cookbook, Lukas Volger…

Kristina’s Bookshelf    Lands of the Curry Leaf: A vegetarian food journey from Sri Lanka to Nepal  By Peter Kuruvita  (Murdoch Books, 2019)  Despite the name, curry leaves taste nothing like those distinct-smelling, yellow-orange blends of turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, cardamom, chili peppers, and other spices we keep in our cupboards. The glossy green, resinous curry leaf…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Kawaii Sweet World By Rachel Fong (Potter, 2019) Here’s a whole cookbook of perfectly sweet Valentine’s Day baking projects to entertain kids—and even some adults! YouTube phenom, blogger, Stanford University senior, and self-taught baker Rachel Fong began creating charming confections at her home in Piedmont before she was in middle school. Kawaii means…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Half the Sugar, All the Love: 100 Easy, Low-Sugar Recipes for Every Meal of the Day By Jennifer Tyler Lee and Anisha Patel (Workman, 2019)   Looking to make something sticky, sweet, gooey, and yummy for your family for Valentine’s Day? Oh, and also trying to cut back on sugar and other…

Kristina’s Bookshelf 7 Day Vegan Challenge: Featuring Over 70 Tasty Recipes and Menu Plans By Bettina Campolucci Bordi (Hardie Grant Books, 2020) Maybe your new year’s resolutions include eating less meat or even going fully vegan. If you’re in the latter camp, The 7 Day Vegan Challenge cookbook is a great way to try a…

Kristina’s Bookshelf The California Date Cookbook A Collaboration Between Just Date Syrup and Rancho Meladuco Date Farm, 2019 Maybe you’ve noticed the squeeze bottles of Just Date Syrup alongside the sugar and cream at coffee and tea shops around town? The chocolate-brown liquid tastes just as you might imagine: all warm with dark sugar and…

  Weeknight Baking: Recipes to Fit Your Schedule by Michelle Lopez (Simon and Schuster, 2019) As holiday obligations come in fast and furious, most people feel there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Thanks to a new book by Michelle Lopez, we have some much-needed assistance in the baking department.…

  The Joy of Cooking: The Trusted Kitchen Classic for a New Generation of Joy By Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, John Becker, and Megan Scott (Simon & Schuster, 2019)   Review by Cheryl Angelina Koehler For generations of home cooks, Irma S. Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker’s Joy of Cooking has…

Book Review Stone Edge Farm Kitchen Larder Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes for Pantry and Table By John McReynolds, Fiorella Butron, and Mike Emanuel Photographed by © Leslie Sophia Lindell Rizzoli (2019) This splendid cookbook will be treasured by any cook who respects the gifts that nature—by way of the gardener—offers for our table. Arranged by the…

  Book Signing, Conversation, and Tasting with Catherine Fallis, author of Ten Grapes to Know: The Ten & Done Wine Guide Saturday December 7, 2–4pm Paul Marcus Wines, Rockridge Market Hall 5655 College Ave, Oakland   Want to boost your wine savvy? As part of the Rockridge Market Hall Holiday Fair, Paul Marcus Wines welcomes…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Fire Cider! 101 Zesty Recipes for Health-Boosting Remedies Made with Apple Cider Vinegar by Rosemary Gladstar and friends (Storey Publishing, 2019)  Mixtures combining vinegar with sweet and spicy additions have long been used to aid digestion, boost immunity, and treat a variety of ailments, including leg cramps. In the late 1970s, Rosemary Gladstar,…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Poilâne: The Secrets of the World-Famous Bread Bakery By Apollonia Poilâne (Houghton Mifflin, 2019) As the seasons change, so too do the fresh foods filling market bins. Fall brings a dozen different kinds of apples; bright orange persimmons; corrugated, thick-skinned delicata squash; and the new, unfiltered olive oil called olio nuovo, which…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Apple: Recipes from the Orchard By James Rich (Hardie Grant Books, 2019) It’s that time of year when shiny red, yellow, and green apples turn up at markets all over town. Author James Rich has written a perfect and perfectly timely cookbook filled with 90 of his best-loved recipes for cooking with…

Kristina’s Book shelf   No Crumbs Left: Recipes for Everyday Food Made Marvelous by Teri Turner (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019) In No Crumbs Left, food and lifestyle blogger Teri Turner shares dozens of easy-to-prepare meat and seafood-focused recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner that are mostly low-carb and gluten-free. I used ingredients from Monterey Market…

Kristina’s Bookshelf     Milk & Cardamom: Spectacular Cakes, Custards and More, Inspired by the Flavors of India By Hetal Vasavada (Page Street, 2019)   San Francisco blogger Hetal Vasavada’s wonderfully inventive new cookbook is chock-full of spiced sweets and drinks. The recipes are inspired by her Indian-American heritage, and she creatively combines the best…

Kristina’s Bookshelf     Ottolenghi Simple By Yotam Ottolenghi (Ten Speed Press, 2019) Israeli-born London chef Yotam Ottolenghi and his flavorful, herb-intensive Middle Eastern dishes need no introduction. The author of more than half a dozen cookbooks, Ottolenghi is well-known and much loved for his restaurants and cooking style. His latest cookbook includes 130 recipes…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   The Zero Waste Cookbook: 100 Recipes for Cooking Without Waste By Giovanna Torrico and Amelia Wasiliev (Hardie Grant, 2019)   According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 30 to 40 percent of the United States food supply gets wasted: a sobering statistic, considering the cost of food production and consumption and the…

Kristina’s Bookshelf     Well + Good: 100 Healthy Recipes + Expert Advice for Better Living By Alexia Brue and Melisse Gelula (Clarkson Potter, 2019)   A new cookbook by authors of the popular Well+Good website invites readers to try 100 recipes contributed by wellness advocates from various professions. Each entry is labeled with eating…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Happiness is Baking: Favorite Desserts from the Queen of Cake By Maida Heatter (Little Brown and Company, 2019) “Whenever someone tells me they want to start baking, I tell them to turn to Maida Heatter.” That advice comes from baking guru Dorie Greenspan, written in her forward to Heatter’s new all-things-sweet cookbook. At…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   The Italian Table: Creating festive meals for family and friends by Elizabeth Minchilli (Rizzoli, 2019)   Author Elizabeth Minchilli divides her time between Rome and Umbria, blogs about eating in Rome, and manages a phone app called Eat Italy. She also organizes and leads local food tours in Italy.    The author of…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Milk Street: Tuesday Nights By Christopher Kimball (Little, Brown and Company, 2018) In the Introduction to his first cookbook, Christopher Kimball, the man behind the much-loved cooking school, bimonthly magazine, and television and radio programs called Milk Street, says “flavor is built with ingredients, not time.” This promise of tasty, quick-to-cook meals…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchen by Yasmin Khan (W.W. Norton, 2019) Yasmin Khan describes herself as an adventurous eater. She’s also a human rights activist whose work took her to Palestine, where she explored the food and agriculture of the region and visited the kitchens of Palestinian cooks. She describes…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Vietnamese Food Any Day: Simple Recipes for True, Fresh Flavors Andrea Nguyen (Ten Speed Press, 2019)   Bay Area food writer and cookbook author Andrea Nguyen (Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, The Banh Mi Handbook, The Pho Cookbook, Asian Dumplings, and Asian Tofu) was born in Vietnam and came to the United States from Saigon as a…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Christmas holidays are filled with delicious foods like cheeses, roast beasts, grilled fishes, and desserts rich with butter. In short, typically not a lot of vegan fare. Three new books are stuffed full of delightful, creative vegan dishes to keep you covered for both big festive meals and casual at-home cooking.  …

Kristina’s Bookshelf Almonds, Anchovies, and Pancetta: A Vegetarian Cookbook, Kind Of by Cal Peternell (William Morrow, 2018)   Looking for a charming little gift book or ideas for simple meals during the holidays? The latest release by Chez Panisse chef and devoted home cook Cal Peternell has 60 recipes that rely on three ingredients: almonds,…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   Earth to Table Every Day: Cooking with Good Ingredients Through the Seasons By Jeff Crump and Bettina Schormann (Penguin Random House, 2018)   Quick Bite: Slow Food advocates and chefs share 140 basic, seasonal recipes for everyday cooking that rely on easily-available produce.   What Looks Good: Apple and Walnut Salad with Radicchio;…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Ciderhouse Cookbook: 127 Recipes That Celebrate the Sweet, Tart, Tangy Flavors of Apple Cider By Jonathan Carr, Nicole Blum and Andrea Blum (Storey Publishing, 2018) Inside: A family of cider makers shares 127 recipes for dishes that incorporate cider in creative ways. Pantry basics like cider syrup, molasses, quick pickles, and vinegar add flavor…

Feast: Food of the Islamic World by Anissa Helou (Ecco, 2018)   Anissa Helou has lived and traveled extensively throughout the Mediterranean region and the Middle East, and she has written several cookbooks on cuisine from the area. Her latest effort, more than 500 pages, is perhaps the most extensive yet. It features breads, rice…

  Rose’s Baking Basics: 100 Essential Recipes, with more than 600 Step-by-Step Photos by Rose Levy Beranbaum (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, September 2018) Anyone with a sweet tooth, take note! Rose Levy Beranbaum, who has been baking for nearly 40 years and teaching others along the way, has a new cookbook that’s an excellent everything-you-need-to-know baking…

  Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories By Naz Deravian (Flatiron Books, September 2018) In Bottom of the Pot, Naz Deravian, a Los Angeles-based writer and home cook, shares her world of saffron, rose petals, pistachios, dried limes, tamarind, memories, music, and poetry to introduce over 100 recipes. She describes the book as “a…

  SOUL: A Chef’s Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes By Todd Richards (Oxmoor House, May 2018) Soul, a terrific new cookbook by self-taught James Beard Award–nominated Chef Todd Richards, is great inspiration for making use of the colorful abundance of late summer and early fall produce in markets right now. Richards’ mantra is that chefs…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Sticky Fingers, Green Thumb: Baked Sweets that Taste of Nature By Hayley McKee (Hardie Grant Books, 2018) I love earthy recipes that let you pick your ingredients directly from the garden. Flowers, herbs, and edible plants abound in Hayley McKee’s cookbook, looking like they were just brought in from the yard (as they probably…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Earlier this summer, I joined my friend Victoria for her annual pilgrimage to Wolfe Ranch in Brentwood, where she goes for Blenheim apricots. Located 40 minutes from Berkeley down a winding country road and across a small bridge, this family-owned orchard sells apricots, cherries, peaches, plums, and other fruits. The sunny morning we visited the quiet, bucolic…

Buzz: The Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor Hanson (Basic Books, 2018) Bees provide honey, contribute to the beauty of flowers, and supply as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. But they’re also at risk of disappearing. This is the topic of concern that Dr. Thor Hanson, a Guggenheim Fellow, Switzer Environmental Fellow, and award-winning…

Kristina’s Bookshelf New Favorites for New Cooks: 50 Delicious Recipes for Kids to Make By Carolyn Federman (Ten Speed Press, 2018) A new cookbook by Berkeley native Carolyn Federman might provide just the support you need to get your children busy in the kitchen. Federman has had a long tenure in food education, consulting on…

Afro-Vegan: Farm-Fresh African, Caribbean & Southern Flavors Remixed by Bryant Terry (Ten Speed Press, 2014). The chef, food justice activist and author of Vegan Soul Kitchen and The Inspired Vegan reworks and remixes some favorite ingredients and classic dishes of the African Diaspora to present more than 100 delicious new recipes. Notes include Terry’s insights…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Last December, chef and writer Tunde Wey published an essay in the San Francisco Chronicle titled “Black Women Are the Future of the Food Industry.” The piece generated a lot of conversation and inspired the upcoming event, “Black Women, Food, and Publishing.” Oakland resident and vegan chef/ author Bryant Terry will moderate a…

Kristina’s Bookshelf In the world of book publishing, small presses provide a valuable alternative to large corporate publishing houses. With less overhead, small presses can introduce and take chances on new authors and publish smaller runs on books that may not, at least at first, have a large audience or generate a lot of revenue.…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Sharp: The Definitive Guide to Knives, Knife Care, and Cutting Techniques, with Recipes from Great Chefs By Josh Donald (with Molly Gore), photography by Molly DeCoudreaux Chronicle Books, 2018 Experienced cooks will tell you that good knives are fundamental to good cooking, and that’s certainly a message at Bernal Cutlery, a much-loved shop in…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Eating My Way Through Italy: Heading Off the Main Roads to Discover the Hidden Treasures of the Italian Table By Elizabeth Minchilli (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2018) Elizabeth Minchilli’s new book, Eating My Way Through Italy, brings to mind the best qualities of the Lonely Planet guidebooks, which many of us discovered in the mid…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Peppers of the Americas: The Remarkable Capsicums that Forever Changed Flavor By Maricel El Presilla (Ten Speed Press, 2017)  When I’m shopping at Mi Tierra Foods or Monterey Market, I’m always intrigued by the assortment of El Guapo and El Mexicano brands of dried, whole peppers in cellophane bags with green, red, and…

Kristina’s Bookshelf A Little Taste of San Francisco: Recipes for Classic Dishes By Stephanie Rosenbaum Klassen with Illustrations by Courtney Jentzen (Blue Streak Books, 2018) Readers may recognize cookbook author Stephanie Rosenbaum Klassen as a frequent contributor to Bay Area food publications, including Edible East Bay. Her latest book is a charming little volume celebrating…

Kristina’s Bookshelf The Berkeley Bowl Cookbook: Recipes Inspired by the Extraordinary Produce of California’s Most Iconic Market by Laura McLively with photos by Erin Scott (Parallax Press, 2018) Oakland resident and registered dietitian Laura McLively, an avid home cook, is also a devoted shopper at Berkeley Bowl, the green market known and revered in the…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Grow What You Love: 12 Food Plant Families to Change Your Life by Emily Murphy (Firefly Books, 2018) Emily Murphy’s new book is a simple guide to finding success as a gardener by growing vegetables and herbs that you love to eat. The “12 Food Plant Families” refer to the following: tender herbs;…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Several years ago, Food52, the online crowd-sourced food community and recipe hub, came down from the ether to make some old-fashioned hard copy cookbooks. Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, former New York Times columnists, originally founded the website as a space where cooks could come together to exchange recipes, offer one another support,…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Maybe it’s the time of year and the cold, rainy weather, but roasted chicken recipes are sounding awfully good these days. Whole chickens are easy to cook and offer the added benefit of leftover bones that can be used to make stock for soup. Poulets & Legumes: My Favorite Chicken & Vegetable Recipes…

Kristina’s Bookshelf A Couple Cooks: Pretty Simple Cooking by Sonja and Alex Overhiser (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2018) Popular husband-and-wife bloggers and podcasters Sonja and Alex Overhiser share 100 whole-food vegetarian recipes with 75 vegan and 90 gluten-free options. Dishes include combinations like Cherry Almond Breakfast Cereal; Chickpea Shawarma Flatbread; White Cheddar Leek and Greens Millet…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Chocolate may be the surest way to a loved one’s heart. If that special someone is vegan, intolerant to dairy or gluten, or just enjoys creative chocolate confections made with natural sweeteners, you’ll want to check out some of these new books. Bliss Bites: Vegan, Gluten- & Dairy-Free Treats from the Kenko Kitchen…

Author and McSweeney’s founder Dave Eggers takes to the road for the launch of his new book, The Monk of Mokha. But this is no ordinary book tour: Dave will be traveling alongside Mokhtar Alkhanshali, the subject of the book, and their conveyance will be a San Francisco Public Library bookmobile, which they’ll park in front of five…

How did organic staples like sprouts, tofu, yogurt, brown rice, and whole-grain bread become commonplace in our grocery stores and homes? Food journalist and former line cook Jonathan Kauffman talks about funky food history and cultural change in his new book Hippie Food: How Back-to-the-Landers, Longhairs, and Revolutionaries Changed the Way We Eat. Hear him…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Cold, rainy days call for something warming and filling in a bowl: think soups, stews, salads, and vegetable combinations. In the words of Molly Watson, author of Bowls! Recipes and Inspirations for Healthful One-Dish Meals, “bowls represent everything you want in a meal: easy to make, tasty to eat, and, more often than…

Kristina’s Bookshelf New Year’s resolutions are frequently about mixing things up and exploring different places and new ways of doing things. I enjoy food books from overseas publishing houses, especially those that feature a locale’s chefs, restaurants, produce, and food products. They can provide inspiration for new ways of cooking and an introduction to other…

Ottolenghi Cooks Sweet My daughter Charlotte and I were in England last summer, exploring London and the northern countryside, and discovering the revival of good cooking now in full swing there. Even the traditional foods like bangers and mash, fish and chips, and Cornish pasties were tasty and well-prepared. A highlight was taking the Underground…

Six Americans in Paris Create Culinary History The Gourmands’ Way: Six Americans in Paris and the Birth of a New Gastronomy By Justin Spring Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017 If you don’t know how a gourmand differs from a gourmet, this is a good book to read just for that bit of information, but it…

Kristina’s Bookshelf   It’s the Little Things that Count Autentico: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way By Rolando Beramendi St. Martin’s Press, 2017 Rolando Beramendi, enthusiastic cook and founder of Oakland-based Italian food importer Manicaretti, has published a very good cookbook that’s about much more than pasta. Drawing on his experience as a trusted purveyor of…

Market Cooking: Recipes and Revelations Ingredient by Ingredient by David Tanis (Artisan, 2017) David Tanis built his reputation during 25 years at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, but this highly regarded chef is perhaps most passionate about cooking at home. Fans of his New York Times column or his cookbooks, A Platter of Figs, Heart of…

L’appart: The Delights and Disasters of Making my Paris Home by David Lebovitz (Crown, 2017) East Bay residents may know David Lebovitz as a former chef at Chez Panisse, author of much-loved cookbooks My Paris Kitchen, The Perfect Scoop, The Sweet Life in Paris, and three others, and creator of a popular food and living blog at…

Spice Up Your Celebrations with Mexican Tastes for Halloween and Día de Los Muertos The end of October and start of November bring Halloween and Day of the Dead celebrations. A passel of new books provide dozens of recipes for Mexican and Mexican-inspired dishes that can be prepared quickly and easily to feed those hungry…

Robin Sloan Reads from Sourdough on October 12 in Berkeley Berkeley-based author Robin Sloan is well known for his novel Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore. On October 12, Sloan’s East Bay fans have a chance to hear him read from his new novel, Sourdough, at Mrs. Dalloway’s Bookstore in Berkeley. Buy a copy to reserve your seat by…

Eat Your Way to Good Health I’ve read many books in which someone evangelizes about their experience sliding into a terrible health crisis and turning around all their problems by radically changing their diet to remove sugar, carbs, gluten, and any number of other products. Accordingly, I was a little ho-hum when I received yet…

Review by Kristina Sepetys Cheese & Beer By Janet Fletcher (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2017) The same hearty, flavorful qualities that make beer and cheese a popular combination can also make for challenges when pairing the two. Janet Fletcher is the publisher of the Planet Cheese blog, former San Francisco Chronicle columnist, and author of more than…

The Endlessly Versatile Sweet Potato Sweet Potatoes: Roasted, Loaded, Fried, and Made into Pie By Mary-Frances Heck (Clarkson Potter, 2017) Sweet potatoes are a staple food in many cultures for good reason: They’re loaded with vitamin A as well as a good amount of vitamins B, C, and fiber. And they’re lower on the glycemic…

On the Road through the Sierra Nevada Touring the Sierra Nevada by Cheryl Angelina Koehler (University of Nevada Press, 2007) It’s been out for a decade, but it’s still my favorite guidebook to the Sierra Nevada, that iconic mountain range rising to the east of San Francisco. By Cheryl Angelina Koehler, editor/publisher of Edible East Bay, this…

Fighting for Real Cheese Reinventing the Wheel: Milk, Microbes, and the Fight for Real Cheese by Bronwen Percival and Francis Percival (University of California Press, 2017 ) Cheesemaking was once a simple, earnest craft. Farmers, homemakers, food crafters, and others used fresh milk from healthy, pasture-grazed animals to make flavorful cheeses without chemicals or additives.…

Equal Opportunity Cooking and Eating I learned to cook my first dish—an egg fried in butter—when I was in second or third grade. Decades later, I still remember the satisfaction of that newfound independence. I’d heat the stove, cut a hunk of butter and drop it onto the small frying pan, watch it sizzle and…

  When doesn’t a baked, bread-y offering—sweet or savory—seem appealing? We’re all spoiled by those really well-made and tasty items found at coffee and tea houses around town. Some shops bake their own, but many get them from local artisan bakers like Berkeley-based Third Culture Bakery, where the creative Taiwanese and Indonesian duo of Wenter…

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme Herbs have been used for cooking and healing for centuries. They’re one of the easiest things to grow in a garden and use to flavor foods. Recipes from the Herbalist’s Kitchen: Delicious, Nourishing Food for Lifelong Health and Well-Being by Brittany Wood Nickerson (Storey, 2017) Herbalist Brittany Wood Nickerson subscribes…

Sweet, Cold Cream  Local favorite I-Scream on Upper Solano in Berkeley scoops flavors that taste like the farm-fresh ingredients they’re made from. Popular flavors include creamy, buttery rich Salted Caramel (or even better, the Burnt Caramel, when it’s available). Daily offerings change and might include Strawberry (always made with ripe berries), Honey Lavender, or Wild…

Living the French Country Dream For many readers, award-winning cookbook author, journalist, and entrepreneur Georgeanne Brennan needs no introduction. Brennan, who lives with her family in Northern California, is well known for spreading the gospel of French food in the United States. Brennan has a special appreciation for French dishes that are made from a…

  It’s burger season! What makes the burger especially appealing is that it’s easy and intuitive: a seasoned patty on a bun with whatever additions and condiments strike one’s fancy, no recipe required. But with local markets overflowing with summer produce, it’s the perfect time to experiment with different additions and special flavors, and to…

Lamingtons & Lemon Tart: Best-Ever Cakes, Desserts & Treats from a Modern Sweets Maestro By Darren Purchese (Hardie Grant Books, 2017) A lamington is an Australian sponge cake that’s draped in chocolate and rolled in coconut. Australian pastry chef Darren Purchese, who makes a particularly good lamington, is known throughout his native Australia for his…

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking By Samin Nosrat with illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton (Simon & Schuster, 2017) Chef, writer, food visionary, Chez Panisse alum, and Berkeley resident Samin Nosrat says it up front in her new book: “As you can probably tell, this isn’t your typical cookbook.” And she’s right.…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Taste of Honey: The Definitive Guide to Tasting and Cooking with 40 Varietals By Marie Simmons Andrews McMeel Universal, 2013 This book came out several years ago, but it’s still a good resource for anyone looking for recipes that use honey. Veteran cookbook author Marie Simmons helps readers to understand things like how…

Dinner: Changing the Game by Melissa Clark (Clarkson Potter, 2017) Melissa Clark is a staff writer at The New York Times, where she writes the food section’s column “A Good Appetite.” The recipient of both IACP and James Beard awards, Clark appears frequently on “Today” and on public radio. With her new cookbook, Clark wants to make…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Unforgettable: The Bold Flavors of Paula Wolfert’s Renegade Life by Emily Kaiser Thelin, photography by Eric Wolfinger (Copyright 2017 ©. Published by M & P.) Berkeley resident and two-time James Beard finalist Emily Thelin has long earned my admiration as a reporter who brings detailed, colorful perspective to her writing and knows how…

Kristina’s Bookshelf It used to be that a cookbook featuring recipes for dishes without gluten was something of a specialty item, intended for a small contingent of people who need to avoid that protein in wheat, rye, barley, and other cereal grains which gives dough its elasticity. But that small niche market is evolving. Even people…

Kristina’s Bookshelf I love tacos. I’m a fan of all the traditional versions, especially when prepared by experts. I would go out of my way for al pastor (a flavorful pork slow-cooked in adobo and pineapple) at Berkeley’s Casa Latina; de pescado (freshly caught fish with mayonnaise made from just-laid eggs) from a beach vendor in the…

  Kritina’s Bookshelf Whether it’s sauerkraut delivering probiotics to the gut or bone broths providing vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, some doctors and health practitioners are looking to food, rather than pharmaceuticals or even vitamin supplements, to address patients’ health issues. Two new books tackle eating to prevent and control fatty liver disease and osteoporosis.  Skinny…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Can Gluten-Free Mean More, Not Less? Many desserts and other confections described simply as “gluten-free” get sold short. Baked goods made with a gluten-free flour can offer much, much more than simply being free of the protein that gives dough its elastic texture. Depending upon the ingredients— specifically the flours used—they can be…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Captivating Flowers, Perfumed Herbs, Curved Branches: Love’s Truest Language Celebrate Valentine’s Day with beautiful and delicious things beyond the traditional chocolate! For inspiration, look no further than your own garden or the out-of-doors around your house. Flowers, branches, petals, leaves, roots, and seeds can make striking arrangements, flavor food and drink, and mix…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Many years ago I lived for a time in Taiwan and Hong Kong and traveled extensively throughout China. The food I discovered was remarkable: almost always fresh, locally sourced, flavorful, and characterized by a special regional ingredient or preparation method. Every place seemed to have a special dish tied to some historical event…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Meet Michael Ableman, Author and Transformative Farmer Michael Ableman is coming to town! This is a great opportunity to meet an engaging early visionary from the urban agriculture movement. Home for Michael Ableman is Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. That’s where he grows food on the 120 acres he calls Foxglove Farm. A cofounder of…

Book reviews by Kristina Sepetys Clean Soups: Simple, Nourishing Recipes for Health and Vitality by Rebecca Katz (Ten Speed Press, 2016) Nothing sounds more appealing in this chilly weather than a steaming bowl of soup. Chef and author Rebecca Katz shares 60 recipes for flavorful, cleansing soups made from wholesome stocks to help you detox…

The Sea Forager’s Guide to the Northern California Coast by Kirk Lombard with illustrations by Leighton Kelly (Heyday Books, 2016) Author and fisherman Kirk Lombard shares fish-filled tales at the Berkeley Public Library: Saturday January 7, 2–3:30pm 3rd Floor Community Meeting Room 2090 Kittredge St, Berkeley Event info: here Book review by Kristina Sepetys Moss…

Book reviews by Kristina Sepetys A raft of new titles provides loads of inspiration for mixing up intriguing and tasty cocktails to ring in the new year! Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, with Cocktails, Recipes and Formulas by Brad Thomas Parsons (Ten Speed Press, 2016) Brad Thomas Parsons, author of the James…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Reviews by Kristina Sepetys It’s the rare cook who isn’t delighted to receive a book full of recipes and photographs. Here are some of the latest titles to raise your game in the kitchen. Perfect for the holidays! Taste & Technique: Recipes to Elevate Your Home Cooking by Naomi Pomeroy (Ten Speed Press,…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Book reviews by Kristina Sepetys Good quality salts, fresh spices, and a grinder are essential parts of any kitchen. They also make wonderful host or holiday gifts, and one of the following books would be a great guide to choosing and using these items. If you are near Lake Merritt in Oakland, take…

Kristina’s Bookshelf Best Food Writing 2016 edited by Holly Hughes (Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016) Book review by Kristina Sepetys For anyone who enjoys food writing, this 300-page paperback is one of the leading publications of the year. For 17 years, Holly Hughes has compiled an annual best-of, a robust mix of top pieces from the…

Kritina’s Bookshelf The Adventures of Fat Rice: Recipes from the Chicago Restaurant Inspired by Macau by Abraham Conlon, Adrienne Lo, and Hugh Amano (Ten Speed Press, 2016) Abraham Conlon and Adrienne Lo are the chefs and co-owners of the cult favorite and very popular Chicago restaurant Fat Rice. Hugh Amano is a writer and former…

Review by Kristina Sepetys Dorie’s Cookies  by Dorie Greenspan (Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016) Dorie Greenspan has created more than 300 cookie recipes, many of which are included in her latest 500+ page book, which features cookies for all occasions. Greenspan is the author of many acclaimed cookbooks including Around My French Table, a New…

Book reviews by Kristina Sepetys Grilled Cheese Kitchen by Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak (Chronicle Books, 2016) Wife-and-husband duo Heidi Gibson and Nate Pollak own the popular American Grilled Cheese Kitchen based in San Francisco, where melted cheese between slices of toasted bread—the ultimate comfort food—reigns supreme. Their new cookbook features 39 grilled cheese recipes…

Book review by Kristina Sepetys The Flavors of Home: A Guide to Wild Edible Plants of the San Francisco Bay Area by Margit Roos-Collins (Heyday Books, 2016) Berkeley forager, writer, and attorney Margit Roos-Collins first published this much-loved foraging guide more than 20 years ago. The new, updated edition introduces readers to the Bay Area’s…

Book review by Kristina Sepetys Devoured: from Chicken Wings to Kale Smoothies— How What We Eat Defines Who We Are by Sophie Egan (William Morrow, 2016) Sophie Egan is the director of programs and culinary nutrition for the Strategic Initiatives Group at The Culinary Institute of America. Based in San Francisco, Egan writes about food…

Book reviews by Kristina Sepetys Labor Day always brings a flurry of barbecues and other outdoor gatherings with friends. Four great new books offer recipes for delicious seafood and meat dishes and celebratory desserts.   Around the Fire: Recipes for Inspired Grilling and Seasonal Feasting from Ox Restaurant by Greg Denton, Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton with…

Good Food, Great Business: How to Take Your Artisan Food Idea from Concept to Marketplace by Susie Wyshak (Chronicle Books, 2014) Review by Kristina Sepetys Home cooks are often told their homemade sweet or savory specialty item is so amazingly delicious they should consider selling it. For those who let their imaginations travel down that…