S.B.'s Reviews

Many of us have become much more familiar with pantry staples like beans during Covid-19 times. But just when you think you’ve maxed out on them, along comes this terrific book to reignite your love for legumes. Yonan showcases his passion for the humble bean in 125 delicious, modern, vegetarian recipes including Yellow Bean & Spinach Dosas and Harissa-Roasted Carrot & White Bean Dip. 

James Beard Award winner Alexander Smalls (Between Harlem and Heaven) is supremely talented. An opera singer, the cofounder of Harlem’s jazz bar Minton’s and steakhouse The Cecil, and a renowned host of fantastic dinner parties, Smalls marries two of his greatest passions—food and music—in his latest book, Meals, Music, and Muses. More than a cookbook, it takes readers on a journey through the South, and Smalls shares childhood memories of the Low Country as well as the music that is such a part of the region. Smalls has made it his life’s work to champion the artistic contributions of African Americans, and this is a poetic celebration of just that.

Punyaratabandhu’s grilling recipes for seafood, meat and vegetables cooked over charcoal is fantastic. With Filipino Roasted Pork Belly Rolls to Malaysian-Style Grilled Soy Sauce Chicken Wings to Chicken Satay with Coriander and Cinnamon and beyond, these recipes showcase the vibrant flavors of Asian-style barbecue that will definitely tempt you to move beyond burgers. 

This gorgeous book about the food, ingredients, and people of Palestine, is by the coauthors of Yotam Ottolenghi’s bestsellers Jerusalem, Ottolenghi (Sami Tamimi), and Ottolenghi Simple (Tara Wigley). It is a mouthwatering collection of over 120 recipes, from breakfast to dessert, that feature bright and bold flavors and spices like sumac and za’atar. “A cookbook should make you dream, it should invite you to an expanding table, and, more important, it should make you drop everything and head straight to the kitchen. This book does all that.” — Naz Deravian, author of Bottom of the Pot

This compact book is packed with super delicious vegetarian options for the grill. Charred will take you beyond familiar skewered vegetables, with options like Jerk-Spiced Plantains, Moroccan-Spiced Eggplant and Tomato, and Barbecued Carrot with Ricotta and Toasted Pecans. Even the burgers—including Herby Falafel Burgers with Hummus—are exciting! I especially like the inclusion of fritters and polenta cakes, which I had never thought about grilling (on a griddle pan). We are going to wear this book out this summer!

I tore through this absolutely engaging memoir by Dominique Crenn, whose highly acclaimed San Francisco restaurant, Atelier Crenn, is the recipient of three Michelin stars. Charming, talented, personable, and determined, Crenn found her way in the food world despite the lack of female chefs in chauvinistic France where she grew up. She yearned for America, where she believed anything was possible (except for a decent sandwich). When I started this book, I thought that I might not connect with the world of fine cuisine, but I ended up being mesmerized by Crenn’s descriptions of creating, plating, and serving her food, which engage all of the senses. Not only that, but a great deal of Rebel Chef deals with her family, identity, sexuality, and search for home. This memoir is as tender, bold, sweet, and gracious as the chef herself.

Beyond its title’s unexpected relevance, Always Home is the perfect book to curl up with in these times. Fanny Singer has written a warm, lovely memoir about growing up as the daughter of culinary icon Alice Waters, who raised her to appreciate beauty in the world and to be grateful for good food, family, and friends. Singer writes with humor and grace and an awareness of the privilege she enjoyed growing up at Chez Panisse and traveling the world on culinary adventures. Although she clearly adores her mother, she thankfully does not shy away from including her foibles—such as her insistence on highly curated spaces (leading to hiding clothing and items deemed too garish) and her complete lack of baking talent. This book is a total delight (the description of Fanny’s school lunches had me in stitches) and even includes recipes.

You don’t need to be a vegetarian to love Bryant Terry’s books. His food is personal, unpretentious, packed with flavor, and absolutely delicious. In Vegetable Kingdom, he continues to showcase plant-based recipes with roots in African food traditions and even pairs them with music. Terry, renowned for his activism to create a healthy, just, and sustainable food system, eschews meat substitutes, and instead showcases the tastiness of affordable ingredients like carrots, corn, and green beans. This is a joyful book where vegetables reign supreme.

This inspiring book celebrates the many ways women have contributed to the world of plants. With a format reminiscent of In the Company of Women, each farmer, florist, horticulturalist, landscape designer, nurserywoman, and plant pathologist in this collection is profiled with a photograph and essay. Topics as diverse as collaboration, community, race, enslavement, science, medicine, conservation, and food justice are part of the conversation. I loved the sense of common purpose these women have, despite their different roles, and was excited to see the inclusion of many Bay Area women, including seed expert Renee Shepherd of Felton. This is a beautiful and moving book. “Plants contain the world. The garden, better than any college education, gave the world to me.” —Jamaica Kincaid

This lovely book about container gardens is filled with advice and is great for gardeners of all levels, but will be especially helpful for beginners. Palmer has a fresh, modern approach to plant and color combinations, which I really loved. Each container garden project she features—from Summer Brights to Provencal Pastels to Ombré Herb Pots—includes plant lists and step-by-step instructions (sort of like a recipe) so it’s easy for anyone to create the same beautiful look.