Food Network Stars finalist Patel (The Chutney Life) digs deep into Indian cuisine in this nutritious outing. Patel’s recipes showcase her inventiveness, as in idli made with rolled oats in place of the traditional fermented rice; her curiosity, demonstrated in a flavorful corn chowder based on a soup first tasted in Saudi Arabia; and her light touch in fusing different culinary traditions, as when she substitutes green apples for hard-to-find green mangos in the chundo chutney that features in a savory puff pastry tart. Organization, however, is less of a strong suit. Recipes are divided by “mood and emotion” into vague chapters such as “Joyful” or “Inviting,” with little explanation as to why, for example, a chopped salad with sprouted lentils falls under the nostalgic section and Beyond burgers seasoned to taste like seekh kebabs are classified as comfort food. Still, the book’s highlights, including the vegetarian “chicken” curry Patel made to win the Food Network show Beat Bobby Flay and a layered biryani with easy-to-follow instructions, outnumber its head-scratchers, like a recipe for an old fashioned cocktail and another for spiced popcorn, neither of which feel particularly on-theme. Patel’s breezy tone keeps the whole thing upbeat and appealing. There are plenty of gems here. (May)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

When Massih, founder and owner of Brooklyn restaurant Edy’s Grocer, emigrated as a child from Lebanon to Boston, food was one of the primary ways he remained connected to his homeland, he explains in this appetizing and authentic debut collection. Massih conceived the volume as a deeply personal tribute to overcoming the many challenges he faced in his new country as well as an homage to the women who influenced his career path and life’s journey. For those new to Middle Eastern cuisine, he offers a useful primer on techniques and ingredients and makes menu planning and portioning a cinch with a handy guide. There’s enough variety to satisfy just about every palate: appetizers, breakfast and lunch options, and quick weeknight meals headline a stellar lineup of recipes including a summery fattoush salad, lemony chicken orzo soup, and salmon with sumac and everything seasoning. Chapters on entertaining, Lebanese staples, desserts, and beverages showcase everything from herby falafel fit for a feast and traditional kibbeh prepared three ways to Turkish coffee tiramisu and spicy sumac margaritas. Massif’s no-nonsense approach makes it easy for home cooks to dabble with a dish or two or go all-in with a full menu. This versatile collection is as practical as it is heartfelt. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

This first-rate debut from gynecologist Tang details the causes, symptoms, risk factors, and treatment options for endometriosis, ovarian cysts, pelvic floor dysfunction, and other sexual and reproductive health conditions. For instance, Tang explains that fibroids—benign tumors that “form when cells in the muscular wall of the uterus start to multiply rapidly”—are more likely to occur in people with vitamin D deficiency, and are usually either surgically removed or treated with medications that suppress the hormones that stimulate fibroid growth. Tang debunks common misconceptions, as in the chapter on vulvovaginal conditions when she reports that contrary to the popular belief that panty liners should be used daily to absorb vaginal discharge, most doctors recommend against doing so because their overuse “can lead to irritation and infections.” The tone is compassionate throughout (“Anyone who isn’t satisfied deserves help in identifying and meeting personal sexual health goals, without fear or judgment,” Tang writes in a chapter on sexual dysfunction), and the in-depth coverage of gender-affirming care options distinguishes this from other health manuals that assume a cis readership. The result is a comprehensive resource for understanding gynecological health. (May)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

Crochet designer Lynch’s cheerful debut shows how to add some pizazz to a tote, backpack, or jacket with crochet appliqués of women’s faces. The detailed introduction to crocheting includes a list of budget-friendly yarns, step-by-step instructions for making increases and decreases, and an overview of how to read crochet patterns. The projects are all variations on a single design: a two-dimensional portrait of a woman’s face with cartoonishly small lips and no nose. The nine projects show how to modify that pattern and create crochet accessories to match various seasons or events. For instance, Lynch details how to crochet heart-shaped glasses and a bouquet of roses for the “Valentine’s Girl,” and how to craft a party hat and gift boxes for “Party Girl.” Some light embroidery is required to create the girls’ lips and certain accessories (for instance, the sprinkles on the ice cream cone of “Summer Girl”). The sewing-averse will appreciate that Lynch recommends a simple hot glue gun for attaching the crochet appliqués to sweatshirts, decorative baskets, or jute bags. Featuring straightforward projects and thorough instructions, this is a great guide for budding crocheters. (June)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

Family therapists Steele and Brown debut with an empathetic guide to supporting female athletes at the high school and college levels. Illustrating the psychological challenges athletes face on and off the field, the authors describe how a college soccer player became clinically depressed after tearing her hamstring and watching “her team grow and thrive without her.” Opining on how parents can help their daughters through such hardships, Steele and Brown recommend making it clear that one’s love is not contingent upon athletic performance and refraining from pushing children to continue a sport if they no longer enjoy it. Suggestions for coaches can feel obvious (don’t “use personal attacks, belittling, or degradation to ‘motivate’”; focus “on sport-specific corrections, avoiding critiques about personality or appearance”), but the anecdotes make clear that such abusive practices remain common. (A 2021 exposé on the University of Oregon track-and-field team revealed that one coach would measure body fat with calipers to shame runners into losing weight, leading some to develop eating disorders.) Such stories outrage, and the advice on how to do better by female athletes is well-considered. This should be required reading for parents and coaches. Agent: Susan Canavan, Waxman Literary. (June)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

Chef and debut author Villasuso’s love for her native Mexico shines through in this collection of flavor-packed and accessible recipes meant to be shared with loved ones. Alongside classic dishes like chicken tinga with roasted potatoes, tres leches cake with mascarpone honey frosting, and pork belly and pinto beans in salsa verde, are recipes inspired by Villasuso’s childhood, including chorizo quesadillas made with chipotle and roasted sweet potatoes tortillas, mango and passion fruit no-churn ice cream, and refried chickpea open-face sandwiches. Noteworthy fresh takes include eggplant with guajillo yogurt sauce, roasted pineapple mezcal popsicles, and heirloom tomato pico de gallo salad. Whether for a quick, weeknight dinner like spicy pinto bean and lemon soup or a more elaborate dish like three-chile barbecued beef, Villasuso’s instructions are easy to follow, and most ingredients can be easily sourced. Villasuso paints a vivid picture of Mexican food culture, explaining, for example, the difference between corn tortillas and tostadas, and pointing out that the traditional barbacoa method of slow-cooking meat in a hole in the ground dates to pre-Hispanic times. This celebratory collection will have foodies’ mouths watering. Agent: Becky Thomas, Lewinsohn Literary. (May)

Reviewed on 05/17/2024 | Details & Permalink

Schrijver, the TikTok creator behind @TheSaladLab, showcases her structured approach to salads in her debut collection of 109 recipes that encourage both organization and creativity. Schrijver’s recipes all follow the same three steps: “Start Out,” in which one assembles and preps ingredients; “Whisk,” in which one makes the dressing; and “Toss,” the final assembly stage. Classics, including Greek salad and tabbouleh, are followed by originals organized by theme. Seasonal options include a summer wedding salad featuring roasted vegetables, and Michelle Obama’s spring pea salad features in a short chapter of recipes taken from celebrities. Salads inspired by locations include an Arizona chopped salad in which smoked salmon, cranberries, and corn mimic the colors of an Arizona sunset. The playful “Everything Is a Salad” section features a lox and bagel salad with bagel croutons and a fish taco salad with cheesy tortilla croutons. Schrijver’s format is appealing but sometimes deceptively simple, with extra steps like chopping, dicing, peeling, and occasionally even cooking hiding out in the ingredients list. The Winter Wedge iceberg salad, for example, references four additional recipes that must be made in advance. Still, Schrijver provides plenty of useful tips (for example, readers can crisp salad greens by soaking them in ice water), variations, and ideas for substitutions throughout. Those looking to expand their salad options will find both a useful methodology and plenty of inspiration. (June)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

Banks, who teaches art at community centers across the U.S., debuts with a charming guide to carving small wooden figurines in the minimalist Scandinavian style, which favors flat planes over rounded edges and results in boxy, cartoon-like finished products. Writing for beginners, Banks shows how to make basic cuts, strop knives, and choose the right wood (he recommends basswood for its tight grain and notes that butternut “holds its shape well as it dries”). He walks through how to create a slouching old man figurine as well as an old woman with a headscarf, and then describes how to create variations on those designs. For instance, he covers how to carve a cane, hat, jacket, pipe, and sweater, as well as various nose and mouth shapes. There are photos of other figurines—including a man in a bowler hat, a stocky “Nordic fisherman,” and a bearded sea captain—but readers will have to figure out how to make them on their own, since instructions aren’t included. The expressive figurines evoke a coastal rusticism, and Banks provides plenty of practical tips for beginners, as when he explains that it’s easier to get proportions right if the body is carved before the head. Novice whittlers will appreciate this wonderful introduction to the craft. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

This quirky guide from Lapp (Crochet Impkins) shows how to crochet customizable fantasy creatures. As in her previous outings, Lapp presents instructions on how to make various body shapes, limbs, tails, and horns and leaves crafters to decide how to mix and match these parts to create their own amigurumi monsters. For instance, readers might sew bugle-shaped ears and a forked tongue on a “blob body” reminiscent of a Pac-Man ghost, or attach gangling arms and spiral horns to a body that consists of one large eyeball. Many of the parts are drawn from nature, such as the spider legs, axolotl head flaps, rabbit ears, and walrus tusks. Others nod to the world of fantasy, including a dragon tail and bulbous clawed limbs that call to mind Maurice Sendak’s wild things. Lapp assumes readers will have some familiarity with crocheting; she provides a glossary that briefly describes some of the lesser-known techniques but otherwise skips instruction on the basics. The monster designs are uniformly cute, featuring oversize plastic eyes or tiny tongues protruding from jutted-out lower lips, and the ability to choose which pieces to combine will appeal to readers who like to personalize their crafts. Amigurumi crocheters will eat this up. Agent: Christi Cardenas, The Plains Agency. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink

In this middling coffee table book, interior designer Weir (New Rural) takes readers inside beachside homes in the United States and her native Australia. Weir focuses as much on the homeowners as on their abodes, discussing how each found their way to the coast. For instance, she shares how Daimon Downey, the former vocalist for the band Sneaky Sound System, became burned out from touring and decided to settle in New South Wales, where he bought an apartment that he painted in pastel blues and pinks to match the “sorbet tones” of the neighborhood’s art deco buildings. Weir also reports on the character of the coastal communities featured, as when she describes the tensions in Montauk, N.Y., between longtime bohemian residents and finance industry newcomers and observes that “nature feels very close” there. Unfortunately, Weir offers little commentary on the homeowners’ design choices, and what remarks she does include are vague (“There is something of an extra radiance to its beauty,” she writes about one western Australia bungalow). The human focus provides a welcome change of pace from standard interior design outings, but it comes at the cost of substantive discussion of the homes themselves. The result is a mixed bag. (July)

Reviewed on 05/03/2024 | Details & Permalink