This holiday season, our theme is “a taste of diversity.” Covering the basics like all things egg, to the magnificent flavors of Modern Vietnamese and the inspiration behind modernist Italian cuisine, this feature celebrates the homestyle, the modern, the fast and the prepared in advance. Try your hand at some of our featured recipes, and then share your authentic guacamole or perfectly baked French pastries at the next holiday party.
A. Charles Phan
This is my favorite cookbook of the year. Nineteen years ago, Charles Phan, in spite of humble beginnings as a refugee with no formal culinary training, opened The Slanted Door. His vision was to serve fresh, flavorful and simple homestyle Vietnamese cooking that showcases California’s fresh, local produce. Over the years, the... full article
B. Ina Garten
When I first heard about the new Barefoot Contessa cookbook, I could hardly contain my excitement. With Ina Garten’s easy way of cooking and her foolproof recipes, home entertaining is a breeze. She not only makes it look easy, she also teaches you the essential skills of stress-free entertaining, too. In that vein, her latest cookbook,... full article
C. Terry Golson
How do you like your eggs? Scrambled, poached, fried or hard-boiled? As an egg lover, I’d answer, “all of the above.” Alone, eggs offer a world of flavor and texture, but they are also the foundation for a good mayonnaise or a fluffy soufflé. And everything tastes better with a fried egg on top.
It’s no... full article
D. Massimo Bottura
Massimo Bottura, chef of the Michelin three-star restaurant Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy, shares his world-renowned innovative take on Italian cuisine in “Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef.” Like most books from Bottura’s peers, including Magnus Nilsson, Daniel Patterson and Andoni Luis Aduriz, I hesitate... full article
E. Mark Bittman
As I review cookbooks, I’m seeing a common theme…make it ahead, cook it fast. I can certainly relate to not having enough time to cook an elaborate meal during the week, which is why I’m loving Mark Bittman’s latest tome, “How to Cook Everything Fast.” With 2,000 recipes, he’s streamlined the cooking process... full article
F. Margarita Carrillo Arronte
The popularity of authentic Mexican food in the US is on the rise. As a cuisine, it’s lesser known for being diverse and sophisticated, but we finally recognize and celebrate its panoply of traditional flavors. Given my current obsession with Mexican dishes, I was thrilled to delve into “Mexico: The Cookbook.” Margarita Carrillo Arronte’s... full article
G. Dorie Greenspan
Despite its comforting name, my initial reaction to Dorie Greenspan’s “Baking Chez Moi” was a feeling of intimidation. Flipping through the recipes and photos of perfectly baked goods begged the question, is this cookbook really meant for home cooks? She reassures in the introduction when she writes that the recipes in the book were... full article
