BookAwards.com
Award-Winning Books from Today's Best Authors
A Free Resource for Book Lovers, Authors, Agents, Publishers and Journalists
Recommend this book:
The Coo Coo Vegan
Simple And Delicious Vegan Recipes That Will Inspire You To Eat Healthier
Shayaa Muhammad
2025 Finalist
106 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite
Originally from Trinidad, Shayaa Muhammad embraces his family legacy and the culture of his Caribbean home. In The Coo Coo Vegan, he discusses recipes handed down from his talented great-grandmother and uncles and he adds his own flair to the dishes. Without using meat or animal products, readers will learn how to make breakfast foods, smoothies, main dishes, sweets, and baked goods. Muhammad also includes a section on milks, marinades, and dressings. The author provides a list of ingredients, detailed cutting styles, and all the kitchen tools you will need. The Coo Coo Vegan is both a tribute to the skilled chefs in his family and a gift to aspiring cooks who share his love for well-made vegan dishes.
By his own admission, Shayaa Muhammad stumbled during his conversion to a vegan diet, but you can benefit from the trial-and-error in his kitchen by producing delicious food every time you open The Coo Coo Vegan. From the first page, the beautiful food and Muhammad's experience with it will entice you. The recipes encouraged me to try foods I never thought I'd enjoy, and my children are excited about incorporating them into our meal plans. Full-color photos show every detail of the food and include examples of the tools and ingredients you will need. The recipes are easy to prepare, and the colorful dishes will entice your tastebuds, motivating you to eat healthier. With food, culture, and the family history that has inspired him, Muhammad passes his recipes on to his son and the world, hoping a new generation of people will share his ideas and food as they happily gather around their dinner tables.
Originally from Trinidad, Shayaa Muhammad embraces his family legacy and the culture of his Caribbean home. In The Coo Coo Vegan, he discusses recipes handed down from his talented great-grandmother and uncles and he adds his own flair to the dishes. Without using meat or animal products, readers will learn how to make breakfast foods, smoothies, main dishes, sweets, and baked goods. Muhammad also includes a section on milks, marinades, and dressings. The author provides a list of ingredients, detailed cutting styles, and all the kitchen tools you will need. The Coo Coo Vegan is both a tribute to the skilled chefs in his family and a gift to aspiring cooks who share his love for well-made vegan dishes.
By his own admission, Shayaa Muhammad stumbled during his conversion to a vegan diet, but you can benefit from the trial-and-error in his kitchen by producing delicious food every time you open The Coo Coo Vegan. From the first page, the beautiful food and Muhammad's experience with it will entice you. The recipes encouraged me to try foods I never thought I'd enjoy, and my children are excited about incorporating them into our meal plans. Full-color photos show every detail of the food and include examples of the tools and ingredients you will need. The recipes are easy to prepare, and the colorful dishes will entice your tastebuds, motivating you to eat healthier. With food, culture, and the family history that has inspired him, Muhammad passes his recipes on to his son and the world, hoping a new generation of people will share his ideas and food as they happily gather around their dinner tables.
Recommend this book:
Yvonne's Cookbook "Let's Eat!"
Authentic Neapolitan Recipes & World Travel Inspired Meals
Yvonne Hendricks CFN CPT
2025 Bronze Medal
262 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Astrid Iustulin for Readers' Favorite
Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! by Yvonne Hendricks is a book that will delight all those who love to cook and eat. In this book, the author shares her recipes and tips with readers, but in addition to this, she tells personal stories and introduces us to some family members. Richly illustrated, Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! includes appetizers, baked goods, entrees, homemade wine, and drinks. Hendricks also provides recipes for the most significant holidays —Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The recipes are inspired by the Polish and Italian traditions of the author's family and her travels worldwide.
I am not a great cook, but I always look for easy-to-prepare dishes, which I found in Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! I liked that Yvonne Hendricks has included dishes for all tastes, even indicating when they suit people with food intolerances. Besides the variety, I appreciated the quality of the recipes; some are delicious just by reading the ingredients. I also liked that the author shared stories of her family and explained when a dish is linked to a specific episode. This makes the book even more enjoyable to read (as if the many beautiful images were not enough!) and much more personal. I highly recommend Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! to those interested in cooking and who like to make their dishes from scratch. I am sure they will find something to their liking.
Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! by Yvonne Hendricks is a book that will delight all those who love to cook and eat. In this book, the author shares her recipes and tips with readers, but in addition to this, she tells personal stories and introduces us to some family members. Richly illustrated, Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! includes appetizers, baked goods, entrees, homemade wine, and drinks. Hendricks also provides recipes for the most significant holidays —Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving. The recipes are inspired by the Polish and Italian traditions of the author's family and her travels worldwide.
I am not a great cook, but I always look for easy-to-prepare dishes, which I found in Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! I liked that Yvonne Hendricks has included dishes for all tastes, even indicating when they suit people with food intolerances. Besides the variety, I appreciated the quality of the recipes; some are delicious just by reading the ingredients. I also liked that the author shared stories of her family and explained when a dish is linked to a specific episode. This makes the book even more enjoyable to read (as if the many beautiful images were not enough!) and much more personal. I highly recommend Yvonne's Cookbook Let's Eat! to those interested in cooking and who like to make their dishes from scratch. I am sure they will find something to their liking.
Recommend this book:
Invent Your Recipe Italian Cookbook
80 Italian-American Recipes Made Your Way
Thomas J Papia
2025 Silver Medal
168 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Scarlett Jensen for Readers' Favorite
Invent Your Recipe Italian Cookbook by Thomas Papia is based on Sicilian and Italian culinary traditions and Thomas’ passion for a cooking style reminiscent of his grandmother's. His approach is to invent, create, taste, and innovate. He gives you a basis to work from in his listed recipes, each itemized in the form of title, ingredients, instructions, preparation, and cooking time. The recipes were tried, tested, and approved by family and friends. He allows for specific categories like red meat, chicken, and fish. Each main dish or side dish is combined with a variety of ingredients or alternatives he recommends. He matches the products according to tradition but maintains flexibility. He elevates the dishes with variations of ingredients and explains how to serve each dish. There is a wonderful choice of sauces for pasta. He offers side dishes with a variety of combinations and brings them all together with versatile creations. Appropriately, he gives a background of a dish and elevates it with simple suggestions for preparing and sharing.
The purpose of this book is to make recommendations on how to vary ingredients to your taste. Invent Your Recipe Italian Cookbook expresses Thomas Papia’s passion for cooking. His techniques are tested through generations and his experimental approach helps to improve and innovate. He offers basic and simple recipes to try out while advising users to follow nutritional precautions for special dietary needs. At the back of the book, you will find a useful list in alphabetical order of ingredients and their matching alternatives. Thomas has created a simple, easy-to-read cookbook with the authentic stamp of a true Italian who is passionate about cooking. His innovative approach is a proven success. I am also Italian and found the recipes nostalgic, with tantalizing memories of food so familiar to me. Users will enjoy distinctive and unique well-balanced meals. Truly a wonderful cookbook to treasure and is highly recommended.
Invent Your Recipe Italian Cookbook by Thomas Papia is based on Sicilian and Italian culinary traditions and Thomas’ passion for a cooking style reminiscent of his grandmother's. His approach is to invent, create, taste, and innovate. He gives you a basis to work from in his listed recipes, each itemized in the form of title, ingredients, instructions, preparation, and cooking time. The recipes were tried, tested, and approved by family and friends. He allows for specific categories like red meat, chicken, and fish. Each main dish or side dish is combined with a variety of ingredients or alternatives he recommends. He matches the products according to tradition but maintains flexibility. He elevates the dishes with variations of ingredients and explains how to serve each dish. There is a wonderful choice of sauces for pasta. He offers side dishes with a variety of combinations and brings them all together with versatile creations. Appropriately, he gives a background of a dish and elevates it with simple suggestions for preparing and sharing.
The purpose of this book is to make recommendations on how to vary ingredients to your taste. Invent Your Recipe Italian Cookbook expresses Thomas Papia’s passion for cooking. His techniques are tested through generations and his experimental approach helps to improve and innovate. He offers basic and simple recipes to try out while advising users to follow nutritional precautions for special dietary needs. At the back of the book, you will find a useful list in alphabetical order of ingredients and their matching alternatives. Thomas has created a simple, easy-to-read cookbook with the authentic stamp of a true Italian who is passionate about cooking. His innovative approach is a proven success. I am also Italian and found the recipes nostalgic, with tantalizing memories of food so familiar to me. Users will enjoy distinctive and unique well-balanced meals. Truly a wonderful cookbook to treasure and is highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Cooking with Judith
Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating
Judith Briles
2025 Gold Medal
104 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Alissa Deann for Readers' Favorite
Cooking with Judith: Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating by Judith Briles is an exciting cookbook full of tasty home meals and party dishes with detailed, step-by-step guides on how to make them using simple ingredients. Judith brings together a wide variety of easy recipes prepared with love and creativity. She organizes the book into sections for appetizers, soups, salads, sides, mains (like poultry, pork, seafood, and Mexican dishes), and desserts, with detailed guides on how to prepare each of her recipes and tips for freezing or preparing ahead of time. Judith shares her favorite dishes, personal stories, and kitchen shortcuts while also laying emphasis on the use of accessible ingredients and the joy of sharing meals with others. This cookbook is a reflection of Judith’s love for cooking, entertaining, and making people feel at home at the table.
One of the things I loved about this book was how Judith poured her heart into her writing. I felt as if she was talking directly to me. Judith wasn’t just giving instructions; she was sharing parts of her life. I loved the writing style—very friendly, conversational, and full of positive vibes. I discovered some new recipes that I would love to try out. The fact that I read Cooking with Judith without feeling pressured or less confident in my cooking skills was admirable. Judith showed a creative approach to cooking, which gave me the confidence to try out new recipes and pantry ingredients. The pictures are eye-catching and help to bring Judith’s recipes to life. I loved the little stories she shared about recipes, like how her foodie friends reacted when she served them or how guests once begged for leftovers to take to another party. Cooking is a passion, and this book made me realize that food made with love always tastes better. I recommend it to people who love tasty home-cooked meals and also to people who enjoy sharing food with family and friends. This is a cookbook that left me feeling both inspired and hungry.
Cooking with Judith: Comfort Foods Create WOW Eating by Judith Briles is an exciting cookbook full of tasty home meals and party dishes with detailed, step-by-step guides on how to make them using simple ingredients. Judith brings together a wide variety of easy recipes prepared with love and creativity. She organizes the book into sections for appetizers, soups, salads, sides, mains (like poultry, pork, seafood, and Mexican dishes), and desserts, with detailed guides on how to prepare each of her recipes and tips for freezing or preparing ahead of time. Judith shares her favorite dishes, personal stories, and kitchen shortcuts while also laying emphasis on the use of accessible ingredients and the joy of sharing meals with others. This cookbook is a reflection of Judith’s love for cooking, entertaining, and making people feel at home at the table.
One of the things I loved about this book was how Judith poured her heart into her writing. I felt as if she was talking directly to me. Judith wasn’t just giving instructions; she was sharing parts of her life. I loved the writing style—very friendly, conversational, and full of positive vibes. I discovered some new recipes that I would love to try out. The fact that I read Cooking with Judith without feeling pressured or less confident in my cooking skills was admirable. Judith showed a creative approach to cooking, which gave me the confidence to try out new recipes and pantry ingredients. The pictures are eye-catching and help to bring Judith’s recipes to life. I loved the little stories she shared about recipes, like how her foodie friends reacted when she served them or how guests once begged for leftovers to take to another party. Cooking is a passion, and this book made me realize that food made with love always tastes better. I recommend it to people who love tasty home-cooked meals and also to people who enjoy sharing food with family and friends. This is a cookbook that left me feeling both inspired and hungry.
Recommend this book:
![](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=/book-award/stop-screaming&media=https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41MBV-209iL._SL442_.jpg._AA200_.jpg&description=Benjamin M. Weilert thoroughly describes homemade ice cream making in Stop Screaming! A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Ice Cream. From equipment to bases and mix-ins to combinations, Weilert reveals his experience from eight years of home-based tests and his "Jul-Ice" Cream tradition. The author details the equipment you need to make ice cream and t...){kind=link}
Stop Screaming!
A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Ice Cream
Benjamin M. Weilert
2024 Honorable Mention
104 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Courtnee Turner Hoyle for Readers' Favorite
Benjamin M. Weilert thoroughly describes homemade ice cream making in Stop Screaming! A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Ice Cream. From equipment to bases and mix-ins to combinations, Weilert reveals his experience from eight years of home-based tests and his "Jul-Ice" Cream tradition. The author details the equipment you need to make ice cream and the benefits of certain kitchen tools for the recipes. He discusses the successes and failures he has experienced and provides readers with bases for ice cream, sherbet, and sorbet. He includes a section about mix-ins, covering the temperature needed for certain ingredients for a more desirable consistency, and finishes the book with the combinations that have worked best for his wife and him.
After making and sampling over seventy different recipes, Benjamin M. Weilert understands flavor and consistency! With a dose of nostalgia, the author reawakens childhood memories of ice cream as he guides readers conversationally through the experiences he and his wife have shared while testing their skills at making this homemade sweet treat. If you're ready to flip straight to the delicious recipes and start creating a mouth-watering dessert, the author has made it easy for you; however, if you wish to understand some of the possible pitfalls in the process, Weilert has included information that may help you in your quest for the creamiest result in the "Here's the Scoop" section. Readers who are ready to learn the process of making more palate-pleasing ice cream, sherbet, and sorbet will enjoy Stop Screaming!
Benjamin M. Weilert thoroughly describes homemade ice cream making in Stop Screaming! A Beginner's Guide to Homemade Ice Cream. From equipment to bases and mix-ins to combinations, Weilert reveals his experience from eight years of home-based tests and his "Jul-Ice" Cream tradition. The author details the equipment you need to make ice cream and the benefits of certain kitchen tools for the recipes. He discusses the successes and failures he has experienced and provides readers with bases for ice cream, sherbet, and sorbet. He includes a section about mix-ins, covering the temperature needed for certain ingredients for a more desirable consistency, and finishes the book with the combinations that have worked best for his wife and him.
After making and sampling over seventy different recipes, Benjamin M. Weilert understands flavor and consistency! With a dose of nostalgia, the author reawakens childhood memories of ice cream as he guides readers conversationally through the experiences he and his wife have shared while testing their skills at making this homemade sweet treat. If you're ready to flip straight to the delicious recipes and start creating a mouth-watering dessert, the author has made it easy for you; however, if you wish to understand some of the possible pitfalls in the process, Weilert has included information that may help you in your quest for the creamiest result in the "Here's the Scoop" section. Readers who are ready to learn the process of making more palate-pleasing ice cream, sherbet, and sorbet will enjoy Stop Screaming!
Recommend this book:
Eating Together Being Together
Recipes, Activities, and Advice from a Chef Dad and Psychologist Mom
Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers
2024 Bronze Medal
256 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Philip Van Heusen for Readers' Favorite
Eating Together Being Together by Julian and Caroline Clauss-Ehlers is packed full of helpful information concerning both cooking and parenting. Combining these two categories is a natural fit when considering how much time goes into food preparation and family time spent eating together. Each section includes ideas for family time, eating mindfulness, fun facts, parenting hints, recipes, and nutrition information. Some of the many suggestions deal with enabling children to make healthy choices and eat nutritious food. Children tend to open up while helping prepare meals and snacks. Julian and Caroline also include many family activities centered on food. The hints on managing, arranging, and filling a kitchen for maximum use are excellent. This book will appeal to readers on many levels. I have never seen a book combining parenting and culinary skills, but this book does. Julian and Caroline have hit a home run, and I hope they have started a new trend.
What do you get when you pair a professionally trained chef with a psychotherapist to write a book? Working together, Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers combine their separate fields to produce an amazing book that is part cookbook and part parenting book. Their two areas of expertise combine seamlessly, creating a book that is a pure delight to read. Caroline gives ideas to get your children to eat foods that are good for them. Julian takes away the concerns attached to cooking new foods. Their writing style makes the reader feel comfortable, even in areas that have produced anxiety in the past. The importance of modeling is taught, as well as eating mindfulness. The model HAVEN is introduced to support listening skills. I highly recommend this book and hope more like it are published soon.
Eating Together Being Together by Julian and Caroline Clauss-Ehlers is packed full of helpful information concerning both cooking and parenting. Combining these two categories is a natural fit when considering how much time goes into food preparation and family time spent eating together. Each section includes ideas for family time, eating mindfulness, fun facts, parenting hints, recipes, and nutrition information. Some of the many suggestions deal with enabling children to make healthy choices and eat nutritious food. Children tend to open up while helping prepare meals and snacks. Julian and Caroline also include many family activities centered on food. The hints on managing, arranging, and filling a kitchen for maximum use are excellent. This book will appeal to readers on many levels. I have never seen a book combining parenting and culinary skills, but this book does. Julian and Caroline have hit a home run, and I hope they have started a new trend.
What do you get when you pair a professionally trained chef with a psychotherapist to write a book? Working together, Julian C.E. Clauss-Ehlers and Caroline S. Clauss-Ehlers combine their separate fields to produce an amazing book that is part cookbook and part parenting book. Their two areas of expertise combine seamlessly, creating a book that is a pure delight to read. Caroline gives ideas to get your children to eat foods that are good for them. Julian takes away the concerns attached to cooking new foods. Their writing style makes the reader feel comfortable, even in areas that have produced anxiety in the past. The importance of modeling is taught, as well as eating mindfulness. The model HAVEN is introduced to support listening skills. I highly recommend this book and hope more like it are published soon.
Recommend this book:
How to Be a BAD Cook
The Ultimate Quick Guide (Home Guide)
Ruth H Finnegan, Jose Sépi
2024 Silver Medal
110 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Ever since humans discovered fire, cooking has been an intrinsic part of humanity, with different cultures having distinct palates that have turned cooking into an art form. However, modern living doesn't provide everyone with the time and resources to delve into the art of cooking. With How to Be a BAD Cook, Ruth H. Finnegan offers readers a practical cooking guide to help those who lack the know-how to prepare a meal. The book contains the knowledge to create some of the most accessible dishes with ingredients widely available to most of the general populace. After finishing the book, you will have learned to cook potatoes, make soup, roast chicken with a slice of apple or orange, casseroles, fish and other seafood, traditional hot family puddings, the various ways to use eggs, cheese, sauces, spices, seasonings, and more.
How to Be a BAD Cook is a must-read for anyone who has never cooked or is a beginner cook wanting to learn the fundamentals of cooking. This book is an absolute godsend for someone like me, who is usually intimidated by the recipes for most dishes. Ruth H. Finnegan forgoes the recipes of time and resource-consuming exotic dishes. Instead, the author focuses on healthy and easy-to-make homecooked meals whose ingredients can be found almost anywhere in the world. Every item and dish is complemented by a brief snippet about its origins and history. The cartoon illustrations by Jose Sépi add a light-hearted tone, which I found very amusing. With hectic schedules and the rising costs of dining out, cookbooks like these have become more relevant than ever. Highly recommended.
Ever since humans discovered fire, cooking has been an intrinsic part of humanity, with different cultures having distinct palates that have turned cooking into an art form. However, modern living doesn't provide everyone with the time and resources to delve into the art of cooking. With How to Be a BAD Cook, Ruth H. Finnegan offers readers a practical cooking guide to help those who lack the know-how to prepare a meal. The book contains the knowledge to create some of the most accessible dishes with ingredients widely available to most of the general populace. After finishing the book, you will have learned to cook potatoes, make soup, roast chicken with a slice of apple or orange, casseroles, fish and other seafood, traditional hot family puddings, the various ways to use eggs, cheese, sauces, spices, seasonings, and more.
How to Be a BAD Cook is a must-read for anyone who has never cooked or is a beginner cook wanting to learn the fundamentals of cooking. This book is an absolute godsend for someone like me, who is usually intimidated by the recipes for most dishes. Ruth H. Finnegan forgoes the recipes of time and resource-consuming exotic dishes. Instead, the author focuses on healthy and easy-to-make homecooked meals whose ingredients can be found almost anywhere in the world. Every item and dish is complemented by a brief snippet about its origins and history. The cartoon illustrations by Jose Sépi add a light-hearted tone, which I found very amusing. With hectic schedules and the rising costs of dining out, cookbooks like these have become more relevant than ever. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
My Southern Table
Recipes from a Georgia Kitchen
Lana Taylor Stuart
2024 Gold Medal
346 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite
“Food is more than sustenance, it’s a shared language of love, history, and community.” I love these opening lines in the Introduction to Lana Taylor Stuart’s My Southern Table. Food is much more than what we eat to survive: it defines who we are and the heritage we carry with us throughout our lives. Food is meant to be savored and enjoyed with family, friends, and community. This is particularly evident in the culture of the southern states of the United States. From Corn Dodgers to Chicken Jallop and from Angel Biscuits to Polly’s Pink Stuff and so much more, southern food speaks of history, community, traditions, and love.
Lana Taylor Stuart’s cookbook, My Southern Table: Recipes from a Georgia Kitchen, is a testimony to the charm and beauty, the distinct flavors and history of southern cuisine. The author declares: “Each recipe in this book carries a piece of my heart and tells a story from my life.” Indeed food speaks to all of us and countless stories are often shared with good food, stories about the food itself as well as stories of special moments when the food was served. The book is well organized into sections from Appetizers to Desserts and more. Each recipe is accompanied by a sumptuous color photograph of the finished dish. The recipes have a footnote story and some key points to help make the dish. The ingredients are listed with care and the instructions are easy to follow. This is a real gem of a cookbook that will inspire many food connoisseurs as well as those who just enjoy perusing a good recipe book.
“Food is more than sustenance, it’s a shared language of love, history, and community.” I love these opening lines in the Introduction to Lana Taylor Stuart’s My Southern Table. Food is much more than what we eat to survive: it defines who we are and the heritage we carry with us throughout our lives. Food is meant to be savored and enjoyed with family, friends, and community. This is particularly evident in the culture of the southern states of the United States. From Corn Dodgers to Chicken Jallop and from Angel Biscuits to Polly’s Pink Stuff and so much more, southern food speaks of history, community, traditions, and love.
Lana Taylor Stuart’s cookbook, My Southern Table: Recipes from a Georgia Kitchen, is a testimony to the charm and beauty, the distinct flavors and history of southern cuisine. The author declares: “Each recipe in this book carries a piece of my heart and tells a story from my life.” Indeed food speaks to all of us and countless stories are often shared with good food, stories about the food itself as well as stories of special moments when the food was served. The book is well organized into sections from Appetizers to Desserts and more. Each recipe is accompanied by a sumptuous color photograph of the finished dish. The recipes have a footnote story and some key points to help make the dish. The ingredients are listed with care and the instructions are easy to follow. This is a real gem of a cookbook that will inspire many food connoisseurs as well as those who just enjoy perusing a good recipe book.
Recommend this book:
Irresistibly Vegan
Gourmet Dining
Elvira Rodriguez Alonso
2023 Finalist
Kindle Edition
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Irresistibly Vegan: Gourmet Dining by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso is a full-color cookbook with a wealth of recipes. The book offers a virtual encyclopedia of incredible eats that are vegan but will genuinely appeal to a broad audience given its diversity of choice and exceptional offerings. The layout of the cookbook is as to be expected, with an introduction to the chef, a bit of backstory, some helpful tips and tricks, and recipes broken down by traditional categories: appetizers, mains and sides, and desserts. The author also provides complete three-course menus for optimal pairings and notations on recipes that are gluten-free or accommodate similar food intolerances.
I remember a dinner at my father-in-law's house where two of his daughters had returned from college and told him that they were now vegan. His response? “You never think it will happen in your own family.” Fast forward ten years and he is a vegan too, which is why Irresistibly Vegan by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso piqued my curiosity. The recipes are incredible and the full-color, full-page spread photography enhances the reading experience and, mercifully, shows us how the result should look. The standouts to me were the Broiled Asparagus with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Lemony Rice Bread Crumbs, and Tarragon Butter, and the Moroccan Orange-Cardamom Cake. I have made both with rave reviews from even the pickiest little eater in my home. This is the vegan cookbook for everyone and will no doubt have pride of place on the most respectable countertops. Highly recommended.
Irresistibly Vegan: Gourmet Dining by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso is a full-color cookbook with a wealth of recipes. The book offers a virtual encyclopedia of incredible eats that are vegan but will genuinely appeal to a broad audience given its diversity of choice and exceptional offerings. The layout of the cookbook is as to be expected, with an introduction to the chef, a bit of backstory, some helpful tips and tricks, and recipes broken down by traditional categories: appetizers, mains and sides, and desserts. The author also provides complete three-course menus for optimal pairings and notations on recipes that are gluten-free or accommodate similar food intolerances.
I remember a dinner at my father-in-law's house where two of his daughters had returned from college and told him that they were now vegan. His response? “You never think it will happen in your own family.” Fast forward ten years and he is a vegan too, which is why Irresistibly Vegan by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso piqued my curiosity. The recipes are incredible and the full-color, full-page spread photography enhances the reading experience and, mercifully, shows us how the result should look. The standouts to me were the Broiled Asparagus with Slow-Roasted Tomatoes, Lemony Rice Bread Crumbs, and Tarragon Butter, and the Moroccan Orange-Cardamom Cake. I have made both with rave reviews from even the pickiest little eater in my home. This is the vegan cookbook for everyone and will no doubt have pride of place on the most respectable countertops. Highly recommended.
Recommend this book:
Seafood
Johanna Harlen
2023 Honorable Mention
245 Pages
Check current price
Non-Fiction - Cooking/Food
Reviewed by Asher Syed for Readers' Favorite
Seafood by Johanna Harlen is a full-color cookbook that zeroes in on the delights of the sea, complete with crisp and glossy photography by both the author and her son, Chef Craig. The cookbook begins with an overview of Harlen's inspiration and how the composition came to be. Readers and aspiring seafood home chefs are then given a spectacularly detailed recipe collection that is broken down into several parts and includes items most might not anticipate in a seafood cookbook, such as cocktails, alongside a bounty of dishes as wide-ranging as the sea itself. These include recipes such as conch fritters and fish pies, lemon coconut squares, and mojitos.
I feel like I hit the cookbook lottery with Seafood by Johanna Harlen for a couple of reasons. The first is that I live in the British Isles and seafood is not only one of the most plentiful proteins available but also because I am South Asian and was wonderfully surprised to find dishes that tasted like home to me. The first thing I made, before I'd even gone through Seafood in its entirety, was Paratha. For those who do not know, it is a pastry-like flaky 'tortilla' that we use as a 'scooper', as my wife likes to say. The recipe is simple but the execution has always eluded me, and Harlen made my heart and belly happy when I finally made my first homemade Paratha! Another we quickly whipped up was the Mauritian fish samosas, perfectly seasoned exactly as the recipe called for and so good that we made them two nights in a row. The recipes are perfect. The writing is exceptional. The photography is smart and, overall, this is a cookbook worthy of pride of place on any countertop.
Seafood by Johanna Harlen is a full-color cookbook that zeroes in on the delights of the sea, complete with crisp and glossy photography by both the author and her son, Chef Craig. The cookbook begins with an overview of Harlen's inspiration and how the composition came to be. Readers and aspiring seafood home chefs are then given a spectacularly detailed recipe collection that is broken down into several parts and includes items most might not anticipate in a seafood cookbook, such as cocktails, alongside a bounty of dishes as wide-ranging as the sea itself. These include recipes such as conch fritters and fish pies, lemon coconut squares, and mojitos.
I feel like I hit the cookbook lottery with Seafood by Johanna Harlen for a couple of reasons. The first is that I live in the British Isles and seafood is not only one of the most plentiful proteins available but also because I am South Asian and was wonderfully surprised to find dishes that tasted like home to me. The first thing I made, before I'd even gone through Seafood in its entirety, was Paratha. For those who do not know, it is a pastry-like flaky 'tortilla' that we use as a 'scooper', as my wife likes to say. The recipe is simple but the execution has always eluded me, and Harlen made my heart and belly happy when I finally made my first homemade Paratha! Another we quickly whipped up was the Mauritian fish samosas, perfectly seasoned exactly as the recipe called for and so good that we made them two nights in a row. The recipes are perfect. The writing is exceptional. The photography is smart and, overall, this is a cookbook worthy of pride of place on any countertop.
Contact Author -
