New Spring Cookbook Inspiration!

Hello sweet friends!  

I thiiink I’ve uncovered the last of my boxes filled with cookbooks, but each time I think there can’t possibly be more in my collection, I run across another box, or a few stray books hastily bundled into a box of small kitchen appliances.  Three things are true: I’m a slow unpacker, I own too many cookbooks, and I’m showing no signs of slowing my cookbook collection growth.   

Some beautiful new books came out this Spring!  Cake magic, a trip to Rome, Padma telling us her truth (and hopefully beauty secrets), and food with (and for) friends.  These are my favorite:  

•  Layered by Tessa Huff who literally makes the most beautiful cakes on the Internet at Style Sweet CA.  This book is filled with cake creations that are the stuff of DREAMS…. but dreams that you can make come true in your own kitchen, like London Fog Cake (there’s Earl Grey involved) or this Riesling Rhubarb Crisp Cake on Hungry Girl Por Vida.

•  Eating in the Middle by Andie Mitchell is a book about balance on the plate.  Loads of healthful recipes from breakfast through dinner… plus butter laden desserts.  I’m looking forward to making the Cheddar Biscuit-Topped Barbecue Chicken Pie.  Those words!  Put them on my plate.  You may also know Andie as the New York Times bestselling author of  It Was Me All Along.  That is MAJOR!   

•  Tasting Rome by Katie Parla and Kristina Gill is a gorgeous, mouth-watering jaunt through Rome.  It’s a beautiful snippet of life and culture told through recipes.  I have so many recipes bookmarked in this book:  a savory pie with spinach, dandelion greens and ricotta, sweet buns with whipped cream, and a gin cocktail with elderflower.  Or… a plane ticket to Rome? 

•  Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking by Dana Shultz looks SUPREME because Dana has a very keen sense of how to make vegetarian, mostly vegan, mostly gluten-free food incredibly delicious.  I’m the #1 fan of her Gluten Free Dairy Free Pizza.  Yea… you heard me right. 

•  Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi  An honest and candid book… where someone opens their chest so you can see the shape of their heart.   I’m reading this now and it’s beautiful, colorful, delicious, and bittersweet.  It’s love, all sides. 

•  Good + Simple by Jasmine Hemsley and Melissa Hemsley.  I half expected this book to be on the Gwyneth Paltrow Goop spectrum of mostly unapproachable healthful living, but this book is packed with approachable recipes and so many variations and tips.  It’s fantastic!  There’s a Fish Curry with cilantro lime rice that I can’t wait to make.  (I’m on a savory kick.)

•  Sweeter Off The Vine by Yossy Arefi is fruit forward, bold in flavor, and approachable in feeling.  From the baker extraordinaire behind the beautiful blog Apt. 2B Baking.  

•  Whole Bowls by Allison Day is everything healthy and delicious we want in a bowl.  The perfect book to go with my extensive bowl collection.  

•  The Love & Lemons Cookbook by Jeanine Donofrio.  A book after the very beautiful blog, Love & Lemons.  The images are gorgeous and there’s a Quinoa Taco Salad in this book with my name all over it (I’m going to add a pound of cheese k thanks).  

•  Food With Friends by Leela Cyd celebrates the joy, playfulness, and delicious adventure of gathering with friends.  I made a Kale Pesto from this book that I’ll post next week.  Healthful, comforting, and fun recipes!    

•  The Cookies & Cups Cookbook by Shelly Jaronsky is written for the dessert fiend in all of us.  S’more Cake is added to the list of summer baking adventures.  

•  Little Flower Baking by Christine Moore is the baking companion to Little Flower, and if you’ve been to this sweet cafe in Pasadena California, you understand how incredible this food is! 

I hope you find some kitchen inspiration among this collection.   These books are little works of art.  

Happy Friday!

xo Joy