Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

The only thing better than a great dessert is a spectacular cookbook that features many great dessert options, complete with gorgeous illustrations and thorough instructions. Imagine the signature piece and cover illustration of this fantastic cookbook, 70% Cacao Chocolate Cheesecake! And then there’s Eggnog Éclairs, Toasted Pistachio & Dark Chocolate Butter Crunch (just the title makes you want to bite right into it) and so many others. I have to admit, the chocolate recipes always capture my attention first, especially with such mouth-watering illustrations. My tastebuds water just perusing the selection.

Craig and Johanna Harlen’s Another Taste of Gorgeous is a cookbook collector’s dream book – a must-have for the complete cookbook connoisseur collection. The book follows Craig’s career as a pastry chef extraordinaire. Beginning with this introduction, the book also documents the goal of this book, which follows an earlier publication, A Taste of Gorgeous. There is a wide selection of mouth-watering recipes in this book, each one clearly detailed with ingredients listed in order of use and very thorough instructions. Each recipe is also accompanied by a spectacular photograph of the final product, both simple and elegant, presented as one would expect it to be delivered to your table at a classy restaurant. Interspersed between recipes are some useful cooking guides, including lists of appropriate, good quality kitchen utensils which are a must in any finely tuned food preparation. The book is definitely a cookbook, but it is also a treasure to savor and enjoy, a classic coffee table picture book. Beautifully and artfully presented.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

“Freestyle cooking is about simply being a little prepared and relaxing around the kitchen.” We don’t have to be highly trained gourmet chefs to make the picture-perfect, delicious, healthy meal. Mind you, picture-perfect isn’t necessarily always delicious and healthy and, vice versa, delicious and healthy isn’t always picture-perfect. The important thing is to enjoy your food, enjoy your food preparations and remember that food is a social activity, a great way to spend quality family time. What you make may not always turn out the way you think it should; it may be even better than the original intent. But remember some words of wisdom, like “there is no way to fail as long as you keep trying.” This reminds me of my great-grandmother’s words of wisdom (which would accompany anything that appeared to be less than perfect): “If there’s good stuff in it, then it must be good.”

Sean Barker’s cookbook, The Easy Eating Diet Cookbook: 150 Fit Food Recipes for Real Life, to Get Leaner, Lighter and Healthier, is as much a guidebook as it is a cookbook. It’s actually his recommendation that readers consider his book as a guidebook, to add or take away as they will, to mix and match ingredients. Each recipe, well organized and presented, is meant as a starting place to broaden the culinary experience and enjoy a wide range of possibilities. His introduction is full of sage advice, not just on cooking and eating healthily, but also on the best foods to choose: the best fats, the best herbs, and some tips to make life easier in the kitchen, like prepping prospective ingredients as soon as they’re brought home from the grocery store and freezing them in containers, ready to add to a given dish at any given time. This eases the stress and the fuss of the actual meal preparations when the time comes. The Easy Eating Diet Cookbook adds more fun and experimentation possibilities to the food preparation routine, making the foods we eat healthier and more interesting.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Who doesn’t like dessert? But does anyone consider that food, especially dessert food, has a character all of its own. Food character includes “the essence of flavors and the perception of tastes.” Desserts are more than just a sweet ending; it is a “symphony of flavors.” And there is a misconception that desserts have to be sinfully sweet. In reality, they can be healthy. There are ways to make the most sinful-looking, delicious concoctions with healthier sweeteners and alternate flours, among other things. The key is knowing how and when to make the substitutions; in other words, knowing what foods work well together.

Nikos Ligidakis is an award-winning chef who has studied in great depth the wonders of food creations. He is known for his exotic creations, for his fresh, stunning works of culinary art. He is also known as an author who shares his knowledge of food with great pride and an accumulation of years of study. In other words, he knows his food. His recent book, My Collection of Original Desserts: The Art of Creative Baking, is a passionate look at sweet endings. The book begins with a background on the author and his aim of baking excellence. It then progresses into a concise sharing of his culinary knowledge: a list of ingredients and ingredient alternatives, how each ingredient works with other ingredients, culinary do’s and don’ts, a fascinating account on what he terms “The Chocolate Addiction,” and so much more. Then come the recipes, complete with mouth-watering images of the finished creations. The recipes are well laid out with concise and thorough instructions. This chef/ author obviously uses his imagination and his expertise to create some of the most exquisite sweet delights. This book is a must-have for any cookbook collector or anyone adventurous enough to make the ultimate dessert.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

indieBRAG Eat, Read & Dream Cookbook is a nonfiction cooking/food book written by Geraldine J. Clouston and Susan Weintrob. The authors present a decidedly different cookbook with this offering. They’ve paired BRAG Medallion Honoree Books with recipes inspired by those works designed by Weintraub, who is a food blogger. Clouston is the president and CEO of indieBrag, LLC. The books are organized by genre and are presented with a full-color image of each cover, a descriptive blurb and link to the author’s website, quotes from the work, and/or an introduction to the relevant recipe or style of cooking. A recipe follows with a full-color photograph, list of ingredients, and directions. Often, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and sugar-free options are suggested. For the middle-school book, Little Miss History Travels to Mount Vernon by Barbara Ann Mojica, the authors discuss how stews were a familiar supper item and indicate that stew pans are part of the historical exhibit at Mount Vernon. The paired recipe for this selection is Colonial Southern Stew, made with stewing beef, vegetables, red wine, and spices. After sauteeing, the dish is baked for several hours at low heat. Alternative times and directions are offered for those who use crockpots.

indieBRAG Eat, Read & Dream Cookbook is a marvelous and original blending of literature and culinary arts that will thrill anyone who loves to read and cook. I’m figuring there are a lot of us out there who appreciate both, as well as those who’ll somehow figure out how to get the cooks in their lives to prepare the mouth-watering dishes introduced in this text. This is a gorgeous book, filled with arresting images, eye-catching book covers, and food that will torment anyone on a diet. I was fascinated by this book. I loved learning about the books presented and made note of several I’ll be looking forward to reading in the future, and the recipes included often seem designed for even newbies to have fun with. The ingredients are relatively easy to come by, and the directions are well-presented and a breeze to follow.

I enjoyed reading up on some new spins to put on my tomato sauce as seen in the recipe accompanying Connie Goyette Crawley’s Tilly and Torg Out to Eat. The Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe includes “Expandthetable Suggestions” that allow the chef to fine-tune the dish to taste. And the Dutch Apple Tart recipe that accompanies Jennifer Alderson’s The Lover’s Portrait: An Art Mystery is a perfect selection considering the fall season and current new crop of apples. One of the real perks of this book is the fact that recipes are not organized as one normally sees in cookbooks. Reading about the books and finding recipes for dishes I’ve always wanted to make made this book a series of literary and culinary adventures like no other. The authors’ selections of books and recipes are inspired, and the accompanying images are a visual treat. While I loved the eclectic arrangement of recipes, those who crave more order can peruse the recipes in traditional order in the index. I had a grand time reading indieBRAG Eat, Read & Dream Cookbook. It’s most highly recommended.

Reviewed by Christian Sia for Readers' Favorite

The Mediterranean Functional Lifestyle: Creative Recipes for Healthy Diets by Nikos Ligidakis is a gift for anyone who wants to eat and stay healthy. This book brilliantly showcases the old adage that “we are what we eat.” The author shares more than 250 original recipes for healthy dieting, designed for people who are focused on elimination diets, gluten-free diets, vegetarian, vegan, and many more. The author shares information about and provides a cooking philosophy and diet mostly shaped by what the earth provides. It was not about one particular food with unique benefits but rather eating mostly plant-based, nutrient-dense foods and limited amounts of meats. Insights into the Early Hippocratic doctors establish a strong connection between their eating habits, their diet, and the Mediterranean diet. In the preface, Helene, the wife of the author, starts by telling readers their experience with the elimination diet and how they eliminated sugar, alcohol, dairy, eggs, corn, and gluten for three weeks. By the end of the third week, they lost weight and had much more energy. This book contains their secrets.

I have read many cookbooks and have consulted them when I badly needed to cook, but The Mediterranean Functional Lifestyle is a treasure trove that doesn’t just teach readers how to cook, but also how to create healthy meals. Readers will understand the nutritional value of fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices and herbs that are presented in this book. Nikos Ligidakis shares his creative ways of cooking and presents recipes that are clearly described and with easy steps to prepare them. These recipes include healthy foods like arugula, artichokes, beets, broccoli, cabbage, capers, carrots, cucumber, mushrooms, and many others. This book will not only keep those who use it healthy, but it will increase their strength levels and overall wellness. I enjoyed the creativity when it comes to the recipes, the fluidity in expression, and the strength of the writing. I also loved that while the recipes are easy to prepare, the author has done a great job of researching the biological and health properties of the spices and the foods. A gem of a book that is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Quarantine Cookbook is a nonfiction cooking/food guide written by Beth Carter. The author’s comic muse has been hiding from her lately and making writing her typical literary fare, humorous women’s fiction, and romantic comedy rather more difficult to pen. And since she’s been actively cooking and posting her recipes and pictures online, Carter decided that the best thing she could do to help others get through the pandemic was to share her favorite recipes, many of which were handed down to her from family members. Most of them are perfect for those evenings when the pantry is somewhat barer than it could be, in fact, a number of them need only 5 ingredients or less -- and the ingredients are often staples most can find lurking in the pantry or freezer. Carter offers recipes for everything: appetizers, breads (that are easy to make!), salads, sides, soups, entrees, desserts, and even snacks. In her appendix, she includes Non-Stir Crazy Activities, Six-Word Memoirs on Quarantine Life, and an assortment of entertaining quotes on food.

I am always intrigued when a new cookbook comes my way and was particularly eager to read Beth Carter’s The Quarantine Cookbook. As she promises, her recipes are delightfully free of long lists of arcane and hard-to-get ingredients, and most of them are not involved and arduous undertakings. Her savory recipes are brimful of bright, healthy vegetables, and her desserts likewise feature generous helpings of fruit. Lest this scare away some readers, don’t let the thought of peppers, bananas, and berries cause you undue concern; this collection features generations’ worth of comfort food. Her Sausage Balls sound incredible and are incredibly easy to make. Beth’s Famous Baked Beans artfully creates a masterpiece one might expect to have taken hours on a hot stove, and Taco Lasagna is not only intriguing but again simple to prepare. While many have their own favorites and handed-down recipes for comfort food, Beth Carter has something for everyone in her cookbook. The ingredients are clearly and simply specified and the instructions are easy to follow and delightfully brief. The Quarantine Cookbook is highly recommended.

Reviewed by Emily-Jane Hills Orford for Readers' Favorite

Making and serving good, wholesome food is an art form. You can use the least expensive ingredients possible. You can substitute one ingredient for another. You can decide to ignore the instructions carefully written out in the method of preparation. But you might not be satisfied with the end result. If you really want to create that work of art, that delicious recipe you remember enjoying at a friend’s house, or something special Mom used to make, you need to use precisely the same ingredients and follow the directions. However, as in many family recipe collections, we might find that instructions are sparse to non-existent, so, if it’s a family recipe you’re following, write down the directions as you recall and make a note of the precise ingredients you remember being used back in the day. Food availability and cooking technology have changed, but the bottom line is to use fresh and real ingredients. If at all possible, don’t substitute. It’s not worth it to save some money on the expense. If you want quality, then use quality – not necessarily the most expensive ingredient, but the best quality ingredient.

I love the title of Kenneth M. Horwitz’s cookbook, Deep Flavors: A Celebration of Recipes for Foodies in a Kosher Style. Deep flavors certainly suggest a thorough presentation of food, recipes, and the art of creating exemplary food art – to be enjoyed and savored. The author has done just that. His concise book includes fully organized recipes, each one with detailed instructions and background on the recipe: its source, its ingredients, and the reasons behind how to prepare it. As he writes in his opening chapter, which outlines his philosophy on food and food preparation, “Cooking is worth some effort and attention to detail. The positive reactions from family or guests, as well as your own enjoyment, will make it worthwhile. Of course, producing delectable food is more than just process – high-quality (and this does not necessarily mean rare or expensive) and fresh ingredients are essential.” I was particularly interested in his chapter on breads and sourdough breads as I begin my own experiments with a sourdough starter, all of which I found informative and useful. This is an essential addition to any cookbook fanatic's collection and to anyone who believes in spending the time and effort to make the ‘food’ experience a real work of art, one with many deep flavors.

Reviewed by Vincent Dublado for Readers' Favorite

A mother and son tandem with a mutual gustatory delight set out to explore a profound travelogue of recipes spun from the thread of wanderlust and close family ties. Johanna and Craig Harlen offer a take on an international food adventure with Have Food Will Travel. Johanna Harlen focuses on a biographical approach that traces the roots of her wanderlust and culinary skills through a chosen selection of recipes. However, these recipes function like succulent visual chapters in the life of Johanna, as they originate from countries where she left her footprints. Her son and co-author, Craig, a photographer and pastry chef in his own right, provides the hunger-inducing photographs. From South Africa to North America, every food in this artistic cookbook reflects the diversity and the episodes of a mother and son traveling together.

Throughout this book, Johanna Harlen’s writing is up-close and personal, as if she is talking to her reader over a cup of coffee. This is effective in conveying an atmosphere for a book that appeals to our gastronomic senses. She delivers her personal story with meticulous attention to detail, but saying only what she feels is necessary. The recipes, along with their arresting photographs, tell a considerable portion about her globetrotting. The selection of food in Have Food Will Travel is appealing not only in taste but also in preparation. Whether you aspire to be a chef or a home-based cook, there is something to appreciate in this selection of international recipes. Every dish is a travel adventure without leaving home. Your taste buds will transport you to foreign locales.

Reviewed by Ruffina Oserio for Readers' Favorite

Cooking for Cancer: A Book with Purpose by Johanna Harlen is a ground-breaking book that provides readers with the right tools to fight cancer without running any risks. Written by a Holistic Nutrition Practitioner who has experienced cancer in her own family, this book provides information that cancer patients and those taking care of them need to know and how what they eat can determine the quality of their health. In this book, readers not only find great recipes for a healthy life but tips on how to get empowered, with advice on taking charge of their wellness journey, being focused, thinking their decisions through, giving informed consent when it comes to treatment, adapting the right nutritional strategy, and a lot more.

This is a gem, a book that everyone with cancer or anyone taking care of a cancer patient should read. The author shows readers how they can use their brains and healthy habits to beat cancer. Johanna Harlen provides recipes for thirty days and explains how each element in nutrition can contribute to a healthy life. The writing is sprinkled with real-life examples from the author’s own life, medical information that readers need to know, and the motivation they need to keep fighting on. It is written in a strong and commanding voice, and the confidence in the writing comes out in the simplicity in style and clarity in expression. Cooking for Cancer: A Book with Purpose is one of those books to have at home, especially for readers who enjoy cooking and a healthy lifestyle.

Reviewed by Gisela Dixon for Readers' Favorite

James Laughren's 50 Ways To Love Wine More is a fun, light and entertaining book all about wine. James Laughren offers an introduction to the finer details of wine drinking and exploration. The book is divided into 50 short chapters where each one addresses a different facet of how to enjoy wine, explores the various types of wines, and also touches on a few aspects of the industry of wine making itself. Some of the chapters include the recommendation of using a sommelier to enhance the experience, finding your favorites, introducing a beer drinker to wine, exploring sweet wines and dessert wines, young versus old vintage wines, chocolate and wine, travel, rose and orange wines, entertaining and making friends over wine, taking wine tasting classes, philosophy, and more.

For anyone who is a wine drinker or simply just wants to learn more about wine in general, this is a great little book that forms an ideal introduction to wine for both the beginner and the expert. The short chapters make this an easy read. The writing style is equally light and engaging and the author's passion and knowledge of wines comes through. There are a number of photographs spread throughout the book and I especially liked the historical photographs related to wine making and the wine industry of the past. Overall, I found 50 Ways To Love Wine More by James Laughren to be both informative and entertaining, and I would recommend it to others for reading or even as a gift for someone who enjoys wine.