Cooking

I’m always excited to see a new issue of Cherry Bombe, the magazine that celebrates women and food, on the stands. Cherry Bombe skillfully blends fresh faces (Molly Yeh, Jessica Koslow) with culinary royalty (Leah Chase, Martha Stewart) to provide a beautifully designed, well-written look at women in the food world. Cherry Bombe’s cool new cookbook is as hard to resist as its magazine. It showcases awesome recipes from a wide range of cooks, including San Francisco’s Elizabeth Prueitt (Tartine) and Oakland’s Tanya Holland (Brown Sugar Kitchen). - S.B.

More than 800 recipes are included in this celebration of the diversity of American food, organized state by state. Terrific contributors abound, including Jonathan Gold and Alice Waters, representing California; Edward Lee (Kentucky); Naomi Pomeroy (Oregon); and Michael Twitty (Virginia). The menus and chefs chosen to represent each state make this book endlessly interesting (and worthy of debate), and the bounty of iconic recipes—from Cobb Salad to Tortilla Soup to Cherry Pie—will make you feel grateful for the incredible range of food we call American. - S.B.

This is a beautiful cookbook! With yogurt, saffron, tahini, and a few sweet additions (like sweet spices, orange zest, and pomegranate seeds) you can pretty much make anything in this book with things already found in a typical American kitchen. The Turkish Eggs with Spinach, Chili and Yoghurt Cream is fantastic, and the Potato Salad with Peas and Persian Spices is excellent and so easy to make. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to expand their palate without having to spend too much time or money doing so. - Ashley

In Autentico’s foreword, Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa), writes about Rolando Beramendi’s incredible enthusiasm for Italian food and for life. That joy and vibrancy certainly come through on every page of this beautiful book, which is equally a pleasure to read and cook from. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself, as I did, becoming more enamored with anchovies and olive oil than you ever thought possible. - S.B.

This is an excellent book, perfect for people who love wine but don’t yet have the vocabulary to talk about it. I had a great time drinking my way through it and found myself making more informed and less stressful purchases. It covers the basics—like how to pour and serve, how to store a bottle at home, and what to do with leftovers—and it also includes tons of technical information and terminology for those who want to be nerdy about it. And most important, it is quick and easy to reference, even when you’re already a few glasses in. Cheers! - Ashley

As a lover of Indian food, I am so excited about this new cookbook written by Top Chef alum Preeti Mistry. It’s like getting the secret codes to the mind-blowing flavors and dishes she serves at her Oakland restaurant. Mistry’s “no rules” approach to southern Indian cuisine is an adventure in food that I’m ready to take on. First up will be the Manchurian Cauliflower with masala! - Jenny

Unforgettable tells the story of culinary legend and author of nine award-winning cookbooks, Paula Wolfert (Couscous and Other Good Food From Morocco), who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2013. This biographical cookbook, written by Emily Kaiser Thelin, shares more than 50 of Wolfert’s most iconic dishes and explores the relationship between food and memory. “The amount of love, through food, Paula has given so many over the years makes this biography-cum-cookbook a truly wonderful project.” —Yotam Ottolenghi

This cookbook met my criteria: vegetarian, worldly, and somewhere in between easy and experimental. All the recipes I’ve tried so far, including salads, entrees, and drinks, have been remarkably simple and delicious. - Natalie

I'm 25, frugal, and I generally can't distinguish much about a wine beyond whether it's red or white, but Bianca Bosker really drew me in to the wine world with her funny, straightforward approach. Follow her journey from civilian to sommelier as she tries to discern what makes a good wine, and why. - Jade

I’m super late to the party with this one, but this book is hilarious! I’m a huge fan of Bourdain’s TV shows and his voice comes out  into his writing. When he’s not busy being a smartass, Bourdain also has lots of interesting and useful tips for navigating the restaurant world. - Jade