Koncocoo

Best Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
#1 New York Times Bestseller Thug Kitchen started their wildly popular web site to inspire people to eat some Goddamn vegetables and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow ("This might be my favorite thing ever") and named Saveur 's Best New Food blog of 2013--with half a million Facebook fans and counting--Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Thug Kitchen lives in the real world. So, Thug Kitchen, good luck, and keep doing what you're doing.” ― Jamie Oliver The Thug Kitchen crew is an LA-based duo.
Reviews
"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"No reason to throw a cuss word after every word."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."
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But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It's Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over for Dinner
Blogger-author extraordinaire Kristy Turner deliciously refutes every excuse you’ve ever heard with 125 bursting-with-flavor vegan recipes for every meal of the day—including dessert! ” Not when you can make your own Homemade Seitan, Barbecue Sauce, Zesty Ranch Dressing, and Tofu Sour Cream. ” They will when they get a taste of Carrot Cashew Pâté, Portobello Carpaccio, and Gnocchi alla Vodka. You’ll find you can get enough protein, fit in at a potluck, learn to love cauliflower, and enjoy pizza, nachos, brownies, and more—without any animal products at all. One of Amazon’s Best Books of the Month in Cookbooks, Food & Wine “Charming.”— Washington Post. Beautiful photos illustrate almost every recipe, showing how appetizing these dishes are, and there are plenty of how-to photos.”— Oregonian. “Even to a committed carnivore, Turner’s whimsically seasoned tone is at once inviting and authoritative. If you have a dilemma, Kristy has the answer!”. — Angela Liddon, New York Times —bestselling author of The Oh She Glows Cookbook and creator of OhSheGlows.com. “With warmth, humor, and great recipes, Kristy Turner combats excuses people commonly use to defend their dietary status quo. Those who think they can’t be satisfied without eating beef, for example, will do well to get acquainted with her plant-based fajitas, sloppy Joes, tacos, and more. is guaranteed to change hearts and minds one meal at a time.”. — Gene Baur, president and cofounder of Farm Sanctuary, author of Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. If you’re considering switching over to a plant-based diet—or simply eating a few more vegetarian meals—Kristy’s spectacular recipes and practical guidance will give you all of the inspiration you need. Most of all, her gentle and witty voice will guide you through all of the inevitable anxieties, stumbling blocks, and mishaps that accompany a lifestyle change. This book is beautiful, creative, whimsical, and profoundly inspiring.”. — Gena Hamshaw, author of Choosing Raw ; www.choosingraw.com. It’s true, no life is complete without the occasional calzone—but stuff ’em with Kristy’s Buffalo Cauliflower and Cashew Blue Cheese and you can have calzones and be vegan too. “Kristy and Chris have taken everything I love about their blog and somehow upgraded it, putting together one helluva cookbook with tons of helpful information and crazy good recipes that are sure to please hard-core vegans, curious newbies, and dabbling omnivores alike.
Reviews
"The author, Kristy Turner, has resisted the trappings of recipes calling for manufactured ingredients like vegan cheese (such as Daiya) and fake meats, available in the "health" food stores and has taken a new, tasty, and healthful approach with her recipes…super refreshing in the world of plant based/vegan cookbooks. Her recipes can be served to anyone, omnivore or vegan."
"I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years; live in a house with folks that all eat meat and LOVE all things cheese so never made the transition to Vegan - Friday nights after a long week in work are just too perfect when finished with cheese, wine and olives! Today I made the broccoli chickpea soup as nutritional yeast is always on hand in my pantry, and it was delicious , warm and easy to make; the Creole Corn chowder is next on my list as well as some of the rather delicious looking desserts to serve friends and family over the holidays...only to announce after they were vegan ! Follow up: I seriously doubted I could give up cheese, or that vegan cheese would be that good but just tried making their cashew blue cheese and all I can say is why, I am a convert!"
"I have successfully substituted coconut oil for vegan butter in all of those recipes so far, for anyone who wants to eschew the premade stuff. I've made almost a dozen recipes: the homemade BBQ sauce; green pea guacamole with homemade tortilla chips; baked bean and cornbread casserole; flourless chocolate decadence cake; BBQ jackfruit fajitas; chickpea omelettes; BBQ baked tofu; sweet and sour cauliflower; loaded Mexican baked potatoes; rosemary lemon poundcake; and molasses-hazelnut chocolate mousse tart. Many of the recipes involve a lot of different steps and/or ingredients, especially because some recipe components are actually previous "base" recipes (e.g. the baked beans utilize the homemade BBQ sauce)."
"They want me to make it again ...I love how there is an image for basically every single recipe."
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Real Food/Fake Food: Why You Don't Know What You're Eating and What You Can Do About It
“Olmsted makes you insanely hungry and steaming mad--a must-read for anyone who cares deeply about the safety of our food and the welfare of our planet.” —Steven Raichlen, author of the Barbecue! In this entertaining and important book, Olmsted helps us fall in love with the real stuff and steer clear of the fraudsters.” —Kirk Kardashian, author of Milk Money: Cash, Cows, and the Death of the American Dairy Farm. A bona fide gourmand, he travels to the sources of the real stuff to help us recognize what to look for, eat, and savor: genuine Parmigiano-Reggiano from Italy, fresh-caught grouper from Florida, authentic port from Portugal. Eye-opening.”. — PEOPLE magazine “Olmsted boldly walks readers through a course in food authenticity that covers olive oil, cheese, Champagne, seafood, steak, coffee, and more. Readers will be inspired by his intensity and clarity, and floored by how far some counterfeiters go to fool consumers and some historic food institutions go to protect their products and their names. It’s unnerving that so many people don't know what authentic olive oil or port wine tastes like because they’ve been undersold on some off-shoot knock off and no one is raising a flag — until now.” —Ming Tsai, author, chef, and host of PBS’s Simply Ming “Larry Olmstead makes you insanely hungry and steaming mad in this provocative account of how fraud threatens not just the world’s great craft foods (think caviar, Kobe beef, and Parmigiano-Reggiano) but our everyday diet. A must-read for anyone who cares deeply about the safety of our food and the welfare our planet.” —Steven Raichlen, author of the Barbecue Bible cookbook series and host of Project Smoke and Primal Grill on PBS. In this entertaining and important book, Larry Olmsted helps us fall in love with the real stuff and steer clear of the fraudsters. Recommended for all consumers along with policymakers, those interested in food science, and marketing professionals.”. — Library Journal “Olmsted gives us the lay of this seedy landscape with momentum and aplomb. He demystifies the process by which fake ingredients end up in your shopping cart, explains why some of these deceitful foods could be a real threat to your health, and sheds a light on the government policies and shortsighted commercialism that landed them there.”. — Mother Jones. ”* “It's unnerving that so many people don't know what authentic olive oil or port wine tastes like because they've been undersold on some offshoot knockoff and no one is raising a flag--until now.” —Ming Tsai, author, chef, and host of PBS’s Simply Ming. “Larry Olmsted’s meticulously researched tour de force is chilling for what he uncovers about the food industry.” —Dan Dunn, author of American Wino: A Tale of Reds, Whites, and One Man’s Blues.
Reviews
"Our household is very careful about the food we buy, which is why I was quite interested in this book by Mr. Olmstead. So I was hopeful this book would not only provide a sort of guide map for selecting high quality foods, but would also either reassure me that the organic brand is worth while, or dissuade me from spending the extra cash on organic labeled products. I think this book speaks more to the food preferences of Mr. Olmstead than a more comprehensive treatment of the thousands of food products you'll find in a typical grocery store. His often long ramblings about regional culture, specific farms and villages, his travels and his food experiences tended to obscure what I was looking for based on the title of the book."
"He covers quite a few different food items, including beef, seafood, cheese, alcoholic drinks--even fruit juice. The frauds are especially concentrated in "special foods which for the first time in 2014 topped one hundred billion dollars in the United States. This category is rife with scams, including many foods viewed as healthier choices, as well as fancy cheeses, meats, oils, and other “gourmet” items." For example, he spends a lot of time documenting how "Parmesan" Cheese sold in the U.S. is so much different than the actual, original product. He notes how he made numerous efforts to try to get the FDA to pay attention--but they refused to even grant him an interview, despite their promises. "Federal regulations require (as in mandatory, not optional) the FDA to inspect less than 2 percent of imported seafood , hardly a rigorous analysis . Still, in 2013, inspectors managed to achieve barely a quarter of that incredibly low threshold—and their poor performance has been getting shoddier annually, down from the year before." For example, he notes that the "big box" retailers do a good job at removing fake products--simply because they have so much clout."
"This is a great read and very detailed."
"It’s disturbing, disgraceful, and demoralizing that consumers everywhere are not more protected, but especially Americans, who take such pride in our agencies such as the FDA who are supposed to act in our interests."
"Only problem now is that I no longer trust what it says on restaurant menus!"
"Great book--really opened my eyes to how bad and tainted our food supply here is."
"Fascinating and informative."
"This book is a real eye-opener about the food we eat and the products that are misrepresented."
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Best Baking

Cookie Indulgence: 150 Easy Cookie Recipes
Warm from the oven and just waiting to accompany a glass of cold milk or a cup of steaming cocoa, nothing smells better than the aroma of freshly baked cookies.
Reviews
"Title: Cookie Indulgence - 150 Cookie Recipes. Author: Bonnie Scott. Published: 9-13-2012. Publisher: Amazon Digital Services. Pages: 184. Genre: Cookbooks. Sub Genre: Baking Cookies, Desserts, Food& Wine. ISBN: 9781479382637. ASIN: B009AUC7ZM. Reviewer: DelAnne. Reviewed For: NetGalley. ."
"I am enjoying all the different cookies I have tried very much."
"Very good.... love the recipes!!"
"I love to try new treats and this book "Cookie Indulgence" is a great way to "indulge" in some new recipes."
"great ideas Bonnie has a good collection here."
"I realize after paging through this cook book...I may put on more than just a few pounds!"
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Best Canning & Preserving

Project Smoke: Seven Steps to Smoked Food Nirvana, Plus 100 Irresistible Recipes from Classic (Slam-Dunk Brisket) to Adventurous (Smoked Bacon-Bourbon Apple Crisp)
From America’s “master griller” ( Esquire ), a step-by-step guide to cold-smoking, hot-smoking, and smoke-roasting, and a collection of 100 innovative recipes for smoking every kind of food, from starters to desserts. As someone who has been smoking meat his whole life, even I found new ground covered in this smart, accessible book.”. --Myron Mixon, author and host of BBQ Pitmasters, Smoked, and BBQ Rules. “If your version of heaven has smoked meats waiting beyond the pearly gates, then Project Smoke is your bible.”. --Tom Colicchio, author, chef/owner Crafted hospitality, and host of Top Chef. Project Smoke is both an indispensible guidebook to mastering smoking techniques and a cookbook billowing with innovative recipes, from the usual suspects like appetizers and meats to the more surprising desserts, cocktails, and condiments.”— Taste of the South. There’s hot smoking and cold-smoking, smoke-braising, tea-smoking, “caveman” smoking direct on embers, and stovetop smoking. Bible® cookbook series, which includes the new Barbecue Sauces, Rubs, and Marinades; Project Smoke; The Barbecue Bible ; and How to Grill . His TV shows include the PBS series Steven Raichlen’s Project Smoke (currently in its 3rd season); Primal Grill; and Barbecue University , and the French language series Les Incontournables du BBQ and Le Maitre du Grill.
Reviews
"PS: Unlike some self-loving "I am the best, buy my books because they tell you how good I am" super BBQ champions, these two authors provide complete recipes and techniques that actually work and produce amazing results."
"I have been wanting to make smoked deviled eggs for a long time but couldn't think of a way to make it worth without overlooking the egg, and this book has the perfect solution."
"From the Martha Stewart of grilling comes Raichlen's new book which features recipes from his latest PBS series."
"I've made a few of the recipes in this book so far and everyone has complemented me on how delicious everything is."
"Really high quality pictures with easy to follow instructions."
"This guy has some great recipes."
"I like to try new things in my smoker."
"great addition to the back yard barbecue... Superbly written with tons of interesting side facts."
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Best Cooking by Ingredient

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
New York Times Bestseller. Named one of the Best Books of 2017 by NPR, Buzzfeed, The. Atlantic , The. Washington Post , Chicago Tribune , Rachel Ray Every Day , San Francisco Chronicle , Vice Munchies, Elle.com, Glamour , Eater, Newsday, Minneapolis Star Tribune , The Seattle Times , Tampa Bay Times , Tasting Table, Modern Farmer , Publishers Weekly, and more. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes—and dozens of variations—to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs. "Just reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will make you a better cook, adept at seasoning, balancing, understanding what it really is you’re doing and why... Make room on the bedside table—and the countertop." (NPR.org). "My favorite metacookbook...[Nosrat] offers a beautifully simple checklist for ensuring a dish ends up in a good place...This is the book of cooking grammar that so many novices would benefit from... Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is written smoothly and casually, and kept breezy via charming watercolors by the perceptive Bay Area artist Wendy MacNaughton...Nosrat’s book would be of value both to people who don’t consider themselves cooks and to people actively striving to become better ones." Samin Nosrat just published “Salt Fat Acid Heat — Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” and I daresay this one is essential...That’s the fabulous thing about this book — it teaches readers about cooking, how to employ various techniques, and how to grasp that any subtle variations in technique can have significant impacts upon our end results. With a full understanding of how each element effects flavor and texture, a home cook can easily extrapolate and apply these principles to unfamiliar ingredients or dishes and still cook with confidence...The curious cook will eventually find her copy of this book stained and dog-eared, as she consults its essential kitchen wisdom for years to come." (Cooking Light ). "[This book] will be valuable for either a beginner or a seasoned cook. (Eater). "In the days after reading Samin Nosrat's new book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, eating felt like a new adventure...And when it came time to cook simple meals, the raw carrots and greens in my fridge looked less intimidating: I had new tools to tame them...Inspiring this sense of culinary liberation was precisely Nosrat's goal with her cookbook, which eschews formulaic recipes in favor of heartfelt stories, bits and pieces of science, and time-tested nuggets of kitchen wisdom (not to mention gorgeous and witty watercolors by the prolific Wendy MacNaughton)...boy, does Nosrat deliver." A recent batch of cookbooks...have turned this notion on its ear, aiming, instead, to better prepare home cooks to build weekly menus and avoid food waste...the best book to come out of this new trend is, to my mind, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by chef Samin Nosrat, with whimsical illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton. Nosrat, who's been called 'America's next great cooking teacher' by Alice Waters and taught Michael Pollan how to cook, is a more than trustworthy instructor." This is partly because Nosrat's method of teaching via the book's four main pillars (salt, fat, acid, and heat) is a rarity...But what makes Nosrat's method so effective was her insistence that the book be illustrated. It’s all there for the curious, determined cook.” (Milk Street Magazine). "In the Bay Area, writer and chef Samin Nosrat has cult followings both for her pop-up dinners at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco and her cooking classes, which friends swear have changed their time in the kitchen...This is a new kind of book. Just reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will make you a better cook, adept at seasoning, balancing, understanding what it really is you’re doing and why." This book is approachable and inspiring and lays a strong, strong foundation (Joy The Baker ). “Wonderfully illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton, author Samin Nosrat's exuberant-but-exacting cooking style comes through and is shared generously...It will instruct, cajole, delight, encourage, inspire, and motivate anyone who is even slightly interested in cooking. (Mic.com). "Nosrat’s lighthearted approach and whimsical illustrations in Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking will teach you how to make delicious food anywhere with any ingredients, even without a recipe." The entire first half of the book is Samin being Samin – an incredible teacher and guide, with infectious enthusiasm for food, good cooking, and good eating. (Fine Dining Lovers ). “This beautiful, approachable book not only teaches you how to cook, but captures how it should feel to cook: full of exploration, spontaneity and joy. Samin is one of the great teachers I know, and wins people over to cooking with real food—organic, seasonal, and alive—with her irrepressible enthusiasm and curiosity.” (Alice Waters, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Simple Food ). “Everyone was impressed when Michael Pollan managed to summarize the huge and complex subject of what we should be eating in just seven words: ‘Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.’ Samin Nosrat has managed to summarize the huge and complex subject of how we should be cooking in just four words: ‘Salt, fat, acid, heat.’ Everyone will be hugely impressed.” (Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times bestselling author of Jerusalem ). “ Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a must for anyone wanting to be a better cook. Samin Nosrat, along with Wendy MacNaughton’s fun illustrations, teaches the fundamentals of cooking and dives into the four elements that make food taste great. I promise you won’t regret it.” (April Bloomfield, James Beard award-winning chef and author of A Girl and Her Pig ). “Like the amazing meals that come out of Samin Nosrat’s kitchen, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is the perfect mixture of highest-quality ingredients: beautiful storytelling, clear science, an infectious love of food, and Wendy MacNaughton’s powerful art. Nosrat’s prose combined with MacNaughton’s beautiful illustrations are a perfect guide to employing the science of cooking for maximum deliciousness.” —Rebecca Skloot, New York Times bestselling authorof The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ). “ Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a very important book not because it contains many excellent recipes, although it does, or because it is written by a Chez Panisse alum, although it is. Ticking all the boxes for new and seasoned cooks alike, this book meets you wherever you are in the kitchen, in all the right ways.” (Heidi Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of Super Natural Cooking ). “In this excellent, accessible cookbook, Nosrat leads readers through the cooking process… MacNaughton’s whimsical illustrations, charts, and graphs add to the experience. Nosrat invites readers to learn what it takes to master these components and take their cooking from good to great...MacNaughton's illustrations add a touch of whimsy to the text, highlighting the techniques and skills presented in a clever manner. Success in the kitchen depends on just four elements: salt, fat, acid, and heat...Culinary students and serious home cooks can discover from both text and drawings how to succeed through fundamentals of their craft." In this vital book, Nosrat demystifies the kitchen, explaining in friendly, confident terms why and how salt and fat enhance and build flavor, respectively; the effect of acidity in balancing out a dish; and knowing how to control heat and thus, the finished dish. (Elle.com). "With Nosrat’s sharp insights and Wendy MacNaughton’s playful illustrations as a guide, the readers of this book will develop essential cooking instincts." Featuring 150 illustrations and infographics that reveal an atlas to the world of flavor by illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will be your compass in the kitchen."
Reviews
"Best text about cooking I've ever read."
"I've always loved the "why" in cooking and baking (like the Cooks Illustrated approach and The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science) - but I love that she narrows it down to four basic elements. But this books and others, like Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking are important because they give you the tools to innovate and recipes become starting points. I wish I had this book 20 years ago when I started seriously cooking."
"I love the fold out on p. 193 "what should I cook" that advises to go back and read the book through before you practice...a brilliant observation that the book is about "the journey, not the destination" as are so many things we pursue and experience."
"Not a collection of recipes, though the book does contain recipes, but a clear, thoughtful and good humored explanation of the major elements of cooking -- salt, fat, acid and heat."
"Colorful doodles keep you engaged and having fun while learning, as well as a helpful guide on what to always have stocked in terms of spices and bare necessity kitchen utensils."
"This is a "must have" book."
"I am enjoying new seasoning and cooking methods."
"Great sketches that are humorous and informative."
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Best Culinary Arts & Techniques

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body
From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist : a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself. “I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. An Amazon Best Book of June 2017: If you’re a woman in America, chances are, no matter your size, you probably have a somewhat fetishistic relationship with food. We obsess over having too much, too little (to a lesser degree); we use terms like stealing a bite and guilty pleasure--things that evoke shame, and are meant to keep our bodies in line. Clothes are designed to fit you, kale growers love you, and so does society. In her brutally honest and brave memoir Hunger , Gay recounts a childhood sexual assault that led her to purposely gain weight in order to be unseen and therefore “safe.” Gay warns at the beginning of the book that if you’re looking for a triumphant weight loss memoir, this is not it. And through Gay’s experience we learn one of lessons she eventually did, that “all of us have to be more considerate of the realities of the bodies of others,” and more accepting of our own. --Erin Kodicek, The Amazon Book Review “A work of staggering honesty . Poignantly told.” ( New Republic ). “The book’s short, sharp chapters come alive in vivid personal anecdotes. And on nearly every page, Gay’s raw, powerful prose plants a flag, facing down decades of shame and self-loathing by reclaiming the body she never should have had to lose.” ( Entertainment Weekly ). “Hunger,” like Ta-Nehisi Coates’ “Between the World and Me,” interrogates the fortunes of black bodies in public spaces. There is an incantatory element of repetition to “Hunger”: The very short chapters scallop over the reader like waves.” ( Newsday ). intellectually rigorous and deeply moving.” (The New York Times Book Review). “Her spare prose, written with a raw grace, heightens the emotional resonance of her story, making each observation sharper, each revelation more riveting. Repetitive and recursive, it propels the reader forward with unstoppable force.” (Associated Press). Anyone familiar with. Gay’s books or tweets knows she also wields a dagger-sharp wit.”. ( Boston Globe ). a memoir that’s so brave, so raw, it feels as if [Gay]’s entrusting you with her soul.” ( Seattle Times ).
Reviews
"Some quotes: "My warmth was hidden far from anything that could bring hurt because I knew I didn't have the inner scaffolding to endure anymore hurt in those protected places." "There is a price to be paid for visibility and there is even more of a price to be paid when you are hypervisible.""
"An excellent book, with a powerful voice."
"A very powerful book that shifts how you think about people and problems."
"Well written, poignant, and fascinating account of the writer's life and how her eating disorder evolved and affected her."
"Wonderful and insightful."
"This was an amazing book and it took so much courage to write."
"This is a special, powerful book."
"Great memoir."
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Best Drinks & Beverages

The Big Book of Kombucha: Brewing, Flavoring, and Enjoying the Health Benefits of Fermented Tea
The book also includes information on the many health benefits of kombucha, fascinating details of the drink’s history, and recipes for delicious foods and drinks you can make with kombucha (including some irresistible cocktails! “Deep-rooted insight into the history, science, and how-to of this ancient brew ... a critical addition to the bookshelf of anyone interested in good food.”. — Jennifer McGruther, author of The Nourished Kitchen. “On top of walking you through the kombucha fermentation process, The Big Book also includes a whopping 286 flavor combinations along with the history of the drink, information on health benefits, and much more. Expert brewers Hannah Crum and Alex LaGory reveal how easy, inexpensive, and safe it is to make your own delicious kombucha, with instructions for batch and continuous brewing.
Reviews
"It is a good book in particular for those new to brewing and contains everything from the history of this delicious elixir, to brewing ingredients, tips, flavoring and using your Kombucha in cooking. In the past I have found the many books go too far one way -such as things to use your Kombucha in, or the other way -very basic tips, and do not strike the happy medium that allows the book to be an all around guide. The tea guide was also very detailed and useful -talking about types of blends you should and should not use, and acceptable quantities before they become too much for the balanced of the Kombucha, The sugar guide was equally as useful; as was the equipment guide, as I now know I should not have used that cheesecloth as a cover when in a pinch (allows contaminates to get in your brew). For me the advanced guide was so helpful -how to flavor, as we are currently experimenting with secondary fermentation using cascade hobs, and carbonation, as striking that right balance has been an admitted challenge; and other books have simply not been detailed enough, leaving me having to turn to good old Google -this book solves that! The remainder of this book is a guide to flavors one could experiment with, drinks one can use this in -such as cocktails and shrubs -both of which are hands down amazing with the addition of Kombucha! The book ends with more of the Kombucha story; but most usefully a very detailed guide to components of Kombucha, specific health concerns and how the consumption of Kombucha might help; further reading guides and a brew log, which is very useful for new brewers."
"This big (383 page), bold and beautiful book is full of a wealth of first-hand information on all aspects of Kombucha that Hannah and her partner Alex LaGory have curated over their years of involvement with the Kombucha sub-culture. From the history and science of Kombucha to straightforward guidelines on the many aspects of brewing, decanting and flavoring this healthful fermented tea, Hannah and Alex cram an awful lot of really useful information into this book."
"One thing missing from the book is best place to buy it, I found it though. First flavors I did were strawberry lemonade, blueberry lemonade and cherry lemonade."
"I read another review that had my exact mindset when I started brewing my own kombucha: There's plenty of information on the internet, why do I need a book?"
"My kombucha was pretty scary looking, scary enough that I could see other buyers thinking it was covered in mold, but after looking at the pictures in this book, I was able to figure out my kombucha was very yeasty and figure out it was probably due to using too many tea bags when brewing."
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Best Gastronomy

Kitchen Confidential
From Bourdain's first oyster in the Gironde, to his lowly position as dishwasher in a honky tonk fish restaurant in Provincetown (where he witnesses for the first time the real delights of being a chef); from the kitchen of the Rainbow Room atop Rockefeller Center, to drug dealers in the east village, from Tokyo to Paris and back to New York again, Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable. Most diners believe that their sublime sliver of seared foie gras, topped with an ethereal buckwheat blini and a drizzle of piquant huckleberry sauce, was created by a culinary artist of the highest order, a sensitive, highly refined executive chef. More likely, writes Anthony Bourdain in Kitchen Confidential , that elegant three-star concoction is the collaborative effort of a team of "wacked-out moral degenerates, dope fiends, refugees, a thuggish assortment of drunks, sneak thieves, sluts, and psychopaths," in all likelihood pierced or tattooed and incapable of uttering a sentence without an expletive or a foreign phrase. CIA-trained Bourdain, currently the executive chef of the celebrated Les Halles, wrote two culinary mysteries before his first (and infamous) New Yorker essay launched this frank confessional about the lusty and larcenous real lives of cooks and restaurateurs. His fast-lane personality and glee in recounting sophomoric kitchen pranks might be unbearable were it not for two things: Bourdain is as unsparingly acerbic with himself as he is with others, and he exhibits a sincere and profound love of good food.
Reviews
"An easy to read book written by professional chef."
"I liked that Bourdain shares his opinions based on his experiences but was happy to share that despite his encounters, there are "other ways" and other ideas as to how other chefs think and work."
"I worked in one for 8 years, but only part time for 6 of them so it wasn't my "world" and I knew I'd be out of it once college was over, so I only know some of what's in this book as a reality."
"Bathe yourself in the deliciously frank and X-rated attitude of a guy who knows better; not because he always knew better, but because he climbed up the ladder of culinary experience and success and blew it up his nose along the way. As always, Bourdain pays homage to the immigrant, hard working slave of the kitchen, and puts a finger up the escape hole of the industry, that is pretentious ridiculousness. Hilarious and truthful humor that might change the way you think about that secret room behind the restaurant facade."
"And on the more colorful side of things, he has a whole chapter dedicated to the somewhat complex and often vulgar language of the American restaurant kitchen. And this inevitably begs the question of just how accurate all of Bourdain's stories are - and clearly this was a deliberate effort on his part in order to impart a particular message for us. It's an inspiring book that shows you what perhaps some chefs out there face in the ever busy world of professional cooking."
"Maybe 30-somethings like it for all its behind the scenes drug and sex galore, that actually skyrocketed the author to great fame; but if you are a lover of fine cuisine and mature dining, this will turn you off big time."
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Best Meal Cooking

The Great Big Pressure Cooker Book: 500 Easy Recipes for Every Machine, Both Stovetop and Electric
The ultimate in pressure cooker books--with 500 recipes for breakfasts, soups, mains, grains, vegetables, and desserts--each adapted for stovetop or electric models, such as Instapot. chapter 1. Who digs a pressure cooker out of the cabinet on a busy Tuesday morning? Not ­us—­but we do get it out for a Saturday ­mid- morning breakfast or any time we have weekend guests in from New York City. A pressure cooker layers depths of flavor in breakfast casseroles and compotes, hashes, and even porridges, all without much effort. But they’re also done better: they not only take on the vaunted creaminess that ­long-­cooking affords but also pick up more flavor from the surrounding liquid and dried fruit. Retaining a bit of firmness underneath the velvety luxury, they end up with better texture and a more intense flavor. You may also be surprised at how pressure cooks eggs: the whites stay creamy and delicate; the yolks, set to your preference. Of course, there’s a “but” or two: pay attention to the stated release in these recipes and follow the instructions carefully. Others need a bit of time under a natural release so they can absorb moisture and get tender without going gummy. Many of these dishes ­aren’t forgiving: bread puddings can get dry; eggs can turn tough. So make the coffee, set the table, and prepare the breakfast recipe as the last task in the list. Given that we stumble around half blind before our second cup of coffee, we sometimes think melting butter in the morning qualifies as heroic. So here are some fine hot cereals, breakfast bread puddings, potato hashes, and fruit compotes. We’ve even got a fine and fast sausage gravy, a sweet breakfast version of polenta, and an innovative ­top-­of-­the-­morning risotto for a special treat. STOVETOP: Set the pot off the heat and let its pressure return to normal, about 10 minutes. ­Steel-­cut oats are the whole groats (bran, germ, and endosperm), cut into smaller pieces. You can substitute chopped dried pears, nectarines, peaches, or apricots for the apples. Warm some milk, ­half-­and-­half, or cream in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave for a couple of minutes on high (but do not boil). STOVETOP: Set the pot off the heat and let its pressure fall to normal naturally, about 10 minutes. Don’t double the amount of oats in any of these porridges: the grains are stocked with a sticky starch that will rise up and clog the pressure release valve. For the best flavor, the bananas should be quite ripe, their skins mottled with plenty of brown spots. Because of the way bulgur absorbs water, there may be a little liquid left in the cereal after ­cooking—­a good thing, since it can scorch otherwise. That said, if you open the pot and find the porridge has a consistency to your liking, there’s no need for that extra work in step 4. Any grind will work here, although fine (sometimes labeled “instant”) is probably the least successful, more like Cream of Wheat. Maple syrup is sold by grades, with some packagers using letters and others using numbers: A or 1 is the lighter in flavor. 1 cup finely grated Cheddar cheese, preferably white (about 4 ounces). Make an aluminum foil sling (see page 19) and set a ­2-­quart, ­high-­sided, round baking or soufflé dish on it. Mix the grits, butter, and salt with 21/2 cups water in the baking dish until smooth. Set aside for 5 minutes, then use the ­quick-­release method to drop the pot’s pressure back to normal. Lift the baking dish out of the cooker with its sling, steadying it as necessary to get it to a cutting board. The intense cooking environment forces just the right amount of moisture into the bits of corn, and even without stirring, it’s perfect every time. 1 medium tart green apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and chopped. 4 medium scallions, green and white parts, trimmed and sliced into thin bits. Add the apple, scallions, and thyme; cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly. Make a foil sling (see page 19) and set a ­2-­quart, ­high-­sided, round baking or soufflé dish on top of it. Uncover, cool a couple of minutes, and spoon the casserole onto individual plates to serve. Here’s the perfect brunch dish: a creamy, cheesy casserole with big flavors. BRUCE WEINSTEIN and MARK SCARBROUGH are the creators of TheGreat American Slow Cooker Book as well as the bestselling Ultimate Cookbook series (on subjects as diverse as pizza, ham, candy, shrimp, and peanut butter), Goat: Meat, Milk, Cheese, and Grain Mains. They were nominated for a James Beard Award in 2011 and are regular contributors to WeightWatchers.com and Eating Well, Cooking Light, and the Washington Post.
Reviews
"I've also recommended this book on the Amazon reviews for the Power Pressure Cooker. I also love the fact that not only are the ingredients pretty common, they also give you options if you want to change up an ingredient, and they also provide times for both stove top and electric pressure cookers. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are new to the world of pressure cooking."
"Edit: I had to come back and say that I tried the cheesecake recipe - I was pretty skeptical that a pressure-cooked cheesecake would work, and even more skeptical that it would work if left uncovered. I have no idea what voodoo happens that makes it work, but it does."
"The first half includes an introduction on what a pressure cooker is, the different models that are available, and fantastic advice on making sure to read the instruction manual that comes with your pressure cooker because every model is different. Overall, a very thorough and practical book on using what should become a main staple kitchen tool."
"There is a short introduction explaining how to use a pressure cooker followed by over 400 pages of recipes for all different kinds of palates. Each of the recipes follows an extremely effective template which starts with a category of effort (Not Much, A Little, or A Lot), the type of pressure cooking required and the time to make."
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Best Natural Foods

Love Real Food: More Than 100 Feel-Good Vegetarian Favorites to Delight the Senses and Nourish the Body
With Love Real Food, she offers over 100 approachable and outrageously delicious meatless recipes complete with substitutions to make meals special diet-friendly (gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free) whenever possible. You'll find make-your-own instant oatmeal mix and fluffy, naturally sweetened, whole-grain blueberry muffins, hearty green salads and warming soups, pineapple pico de gallo, healthier homemade pizzas, and even a few favorites from the blog. “Kathryne's debut cookbook is packed with all the wholesomeness, approachability, and charm that fans of her blog, Cookie and Kate, have come to love. Featuring flavorful recipes made from simple, whole foods, a ton of helpful tips, and many heartwarming cameos from Taylor’s canine sidekick, Cookie, Love Real Food is sure to become an everyday staple in kitchens everywhere―mine included!” ―Angela Liddon, founder of Oh She Glows. “I just love Kathryne’s approach to real food!
Reviews
"Well it did and I've recently vowed to not write a review until I've tried recipes out of the books I'm purchasing. Pictures are expensive, so kudos to Kathryne for producing a wonderful book full of what her recipes should look like. Some other stand outs: Nice intro on how she got interested in whole foods and their importance. Lastly, I appreciate that her ingredient lists use common, basic staples found in supermarkets across America. It's smoky spicy subtle heat with the hint of sweetness from the maple syrup is perfection. (Side Note: every kitchen should have two things - a great food processor and a high powered blender. Invest in these and you won't regret it) My bananas were frozen solid - hence the vitamix and super sweet. Don't forget to roast the pecans and add the scant salt - doing this will really enhance the flavor of the shake. This is a basic guacamole recipe with a twist of toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers. The onions, bell pepper and black beans take a back seat but really add a nice mouth feel when you take a bite. I did add one secret ingredient that I thought really brought out the smoky, zing of the "chili" flavor and that was about 2TB of maple syrup. It doesn't make the soup sweet, it just really enhances the flavor all the spice from the adobo and chili powder. Did not make my own chips and of course added the avocado, cilantro and squeeze of lime. I used roasted pumpkin seeds instead of pistachios, feta instead of goat cheese, and dark raisins instead of golden.... all okayed by Kathryne in the recipe. Since the carrots are the star of this recipe, make sure you buy really high quality organic. UPDATE: 7/8/2017 Okay I've owned this book for a little over two month and I'm still loving cooking out of it."
"Her recipes are thorough and she always provides alternate substitutions to accommodate different diets -- my son is allergic to tree nuts so this is especially helpful. But if you are still unsure about the book, check out her Healthy Apple Muffins or her Veggie Black Bean Enchiladas on her Cookie and Kate blog as test recipes. The instructions are incredibly easy to follow and includes advance steps, noting things like, you'll want to measure these ingredients before you begin because the recipe comes together fast. I felt a bit sheepish to learn my tomato based sauces were eating away at my newly seasoned cast iron pan."
"Kate makes eating healthy so much more enjoyable without using extreme groceries that are either hard to find or are expensive."
"Why endless web options are great sometimes, a book like this is nice because you've got a smaller set of great choices to choose from."
"I have made the cauliflower soup, chana masala, fried rice, sweet potato and black bean enchiladas, lasagna, cauliflower and kale spaghetti, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and enjoyed them all!"
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Best Outdoor Cooking

Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
Today, Franklin Barbecue has grown into the most popular, critically lauded, and obsessed-over barbecue joint in the country (if not the world)—and Franklin is the winner of every major barbecue award there is. “I used to think Aaron Franklin was a genius: There was his rise from backyard dabbler to king of Texas pitmasters; his mind-altering brisket that made normally rational people (myself included) wait hours for the chance to eat it; and his insistence that game-changing barbecue doesn’t come from miracles but rather elbow grease. He’s not a genius anymore; he’s a god.” — Andrew Knowlton, restaurant and drinks editor, Bon Appétit “The most refreshing barbecue book to come along yet. In it, he exposes the sacred insights of a top pitmaster—information that can otherwise only be learned from long nights spent staring at a fire, shovel in hand, constantly prodding and pinching your meat to figure out that ‘just perfect’ point of doneness. JORDAN MACKAY is the wine and spirits critic for San Francisco magazine, and the coauthor of the James Beard Award-winning Secrets of the Sommeliers .
Reviews
"He had a passion, he tinkered, he produced some really bad BBQ but persevered, he paid attention to the details, tweaked some to experiment, found out what worked and what didn't and then, over time, became an expert with a well-developed sense of intuition. The truth is that formula has worked for hundreds of people, great writers, radio hosts, businessmen, programmers and other professionals uses that exact same set of steps to become masters, read their biographies and listen to their interviews, it's the same story. It's hard work, it's not because Aaron uses pickle juice blessed by a New Orleans witch doctor during an eclipse as an injection precisely 14.373581 hours before it goes on the grill. You won't buy this book and then suddenly be able to cook the best BBQ on the planet, but you'll have a deeper understanding of the craft and you'll know where you should experiment and where you should learn from his mistakes."
"It is a great book on how Aaron Franklin does his BBQ, his history and the path of an individual to obtain goals."
"Not a ton of recipes but so much information on technique, philosophy, food prep, seasoning, equipment and smoke it will make your head spin."
"I have followed his instruction for brisket to the letter and even though I've never eaten at Franklin Barbecue (yet), it was the best brisket I had ever eaten."
"I bought this as a gift for my BBQ smoker friend."
"Giving the reasons to why makes it a truly helpful book for learning the art of BBQ."
"If you want to try something totally simple, yet totally awesome, try cooking beef ribs first if anything else -- it's simple and just pain good."
"I live in Austin, have eaten at Franklin BBQ, and grew up in Central Texas with a father who builds his own BBQ pits. This book is fantastic."
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Best Professional Cooking

Mastering Pasta: The Art and Practice of Handmade Pasta, Gnocchi, and Risotto
Now, the respected master of Italian cuisine finally shares his vast knowledge of pasta, gnocchi, and risotto in this inspiring, informative primer featuring expert tips and techniques, and more than 100 recipes. Vetri’s personal stories of travel and culinary discovery in Italy appear alongside his easy-to-follow, detailed explanations of how to make and enjoy fresh handmade pasta. — Mario Batali , chef, restaurateur, and author. “In my mind, Marc Vetri is one of the best pasta chefs on the planet. I have said it for years that if there is one chef that could cook my last meal it would be Marc, and although I adore all his food, I think I would ask for ten courses of pasta because it is just that transcendent. I'm sure Marc is not only proud of this masterpiece but also happy that chefs from around the globe will stop calling, texting, and emailing him for his fantastic recipes, techniques, and insight on all things pasta, since he put all the secrets right in this book!”. — Michael Symon , chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. “Early on in Mastering Pasta , Chef Vetri tells us that recipes need cooks. Marc Vetri is the chef and founder of Philadelphia’s Vetri Family of Restaurants, which operates a collection of the country’s most critically acclaimed Italian restaurants: Vetri, Osteria (Philadelphia and Moorestown, NJ), Amis, Alla Spina, Pizzeria Vetri, and Lo Spiedo. He is a member of Food & Wine magazine’s 1999 “Best New Chefs” class and the 2005 winner of the James Beard Award for “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.” He is also the author of two cookbooks, Il Viaggio di Vetri and Rustic Italian Food .
Reviews
"Unfortunately, that beginning gives way to a set of recipes that would challenge the home cook's pantry: 'Talleggio (that's a cheese) Ravioli with Radicchio, Honey and Walnuts,' 'Pea Agnolotti with Lardo,' 'Fig and Onion Caramella with Gorgonzola Fonduta...' Doppio Ravioli with Lamb and Polenta takes many steps and a good bit of time to prepare--assuming you have lamb and polenta on hand. Other enticing recipes call for foie gras terrine, octopus, scorpion fish, morel mushrooms, peekytoe crab--you get the idea. For sure, the book has beautiful pictures, is written intelligently and can provide 'inspiration'...but my inspiration was to find a high-end Italian restaurant and make a reservation! Purists may cringe when James Beard--responding to what his reader's pantries would have on hand, says 'all-purpose flour' works best in America. (He also includes recipes using pasta flour blends of white and whole wheat, buckwheat...even yeasted noodles courtesy of Barbra Kafka."
"Marc Vetri is one of America’s best Italian chefs, and the Philly native’s latest book is a technique-driven walk through the process of making all kinds of pasta and gnocchi. Even though Vetri’s a chef and many of his recipes are derived from his restaurants, the book is firmly grounded as an instructional guide for the home cook. I especially like the decision to show that homemade pasta is by nature a bit erratic: Not every strand of hand-cut tagliatelle will be the same width, and there will be little creases where you’d folded the dough over. Vetri’s recipes can get a bit esoteric, but he’s very good about offering alternatives if you can’t find sweetbreads or fresh porcini or snails."
"The book was useful but probably not a good choice if you're only going to read one book. It contains several inaccuracies and cooking myths that avid cooks will probably know but the casual beginner won't recognize and will take to heart as fact. The approach for knife-cut pasta, sheets for ravioli, hand shaped, and extruded noodles are worth an entire chapter if you're going to "master pasta". So what do you do after your cut your pasta? I also felt that a more thorough discussion on pasta shapes would've been warranted for a book proclaiming to master pasta."
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Best Quick & Easy Cooking

The Shredded Chef: 120 Recipes for Building Muscle, Getting Lean, and Staying Healthy (The Muscle for Life Series Book 3)
In short, what if I told you that proper dieting--whether you want to maximize fat loss or muscle growth--is much simpler and more enjoyable than you’ve been led to believe? Imagine…eating delicious, filling meals every day...never feeling starved or stuffed...having great energy levels and workouts...and watching your body respond exactly as you desire, dropping fat or adding muscle each and every week. When you know how to diet properly--and this doesn’t mean learning to eat boiled chicken and raw broccoli six times per day--getting lean and muscular becomes simple, convenient, and dare I say...enjoyable. 13 delicious and easy-to-make breakfast recipes, like “BLT” Eggs Benedict, Heuvos Rancheros, High-Protein Banana Oatcakes, Spice Caribbean Oatmeal with Yogurt Swirl, and more. With this book you'll also get two free eBooks (one for men and one for women) that teach you the fundamentals of strength training and muscle building and give you tried-and-true weightlifting programs that will change your body in just 8 weeks. You’ll also get 10 meal plans (5 for men and 5 for women) that show you how to put flexible dieting principles into practice and make them work for you.
Reviews
"I went thru it and highlighted the best-looking recipes with the shortest prep time."
"Then, I realized that the recipe leaves out the quantity of matcha and protein powder that are supposed to be added."
"It explains thing such as: why you crave protein or carbs. why you need both and when. which fats are good, which are bad, and why you need both. which protein takes the longest to burn. what you need to eat before bed if you're hungry. what you need to eat when you first wake up. Basic and simple explanations for what to eat, when and why. The last 3/4s of the book contains recipes for eating getting lean or getting big."
"Awesome recipes the type of stuff I like to eat not grass and gribble and typical diet junk."
"Great book."
"Mike Matthews always has good content."
"Such an excellent book!"
"You want Michael Matthews' other book, Bigger Leaner Stronger (or if you're a woman, you presumably want his female-geared book Thinner Leaner Stronger, which I of course have not read). It's supposed to be a cookbook that goes along with BLS...but the recipes are pretty much completely useless for that purpose. I bought some other cookbook and Amazon popped this up as a suggestion, and I thought what the heck. It's a scientific, evidence-based method for losing fat and building muscle, which immediately appealed to me. BLS contains both of those things, whereas this book only contains the diet part and in less detail. If you want to change your body and you're willing to work really hard to make it happen, grab Bigger Leaner Stronger. But nobody reads 3 star reviews, and in any case I'm telling you not to buy the book."
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Best Cooking, Food & Wine Reference

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
New York Times Bestseller. Named one of the Best Books of 2017 by NPR, Buzzfeed, The. Atlantic , The. Washington Post , Chicago Tribune , Rachel Ray Every Day , San Francisco Chronicle , Vice Munchies, Elle.com, Glamour , Eater, Newsday, Minneapolis Star Tribune , The Seattle Times , Tampa Bay Times , Tasting Table, Modern Farmer , Publishers Weekly, and more. Refer to the canon of 100 essential recipes—and dozens of variations—to put the lessons into practice and make bright, balanced vinaigrettes, perfectly caramelized roast vegetables, tender braised meats, and light, flaky pastry doughs. "Just reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will make you a better cook, adept at seasoning, balancing, understanding what it really is you’re doing and why... Make room on the bedside table—and the countertop." (NPR.org). "My favorite metacookbook...[Nosrat] offers a beautifully simple checklist for ensuring a dish ends up in a good place...This is the book of cooking grammar that so many novices would benefit from... Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is written smoothly and casually, and kept breezy via charming watercolors by the perceptive Bay Area artist Wendy MacNaughton...Nosrat’s book would be of value both to people who don’t consider themselves cooks and to people actively striving to become better ones." Samin Nosrat just published “Salt Fat Acid Heat — Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking” and I daresay this one is essential...That’s the fabulous thing about this book — it teaches readers about cooking, how to employ various techniques, and how to grasp that any subtle variations in technique can have significant impacts upon our end results. With a full understanding of how each element effects flavor and texture, a home cook can easily extrapolate and apply these principles to unfamiliar ingredients or dishes and still cook with confidence...The curious cook will eventually find her copy of this book stained and dog-eared, as she consults its essential kitchen wisdom for years to come." (Cooking Light ). "[This book] will be valuable for either a beginner or a seasoned cook. (Eater). "In the days after reading Samin Nosrat's new book, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, eating felt like a new adventure...And when it came time to cook simple meals, the raw carrots and greens in my fridge looked less intimidating: I had new tools to tame them...Inspiring this sense of culinary liberation was precisely Nosrat's goal with her cookbook, which eschews formulaic recipes in favor of heartfelt stories, bits and pieces of science, and time-tested nuggets of kitchen wisdom (not to mention gorgeous and witty watercolors by the prolific Wendy MacNaughton)...boy, does Nosrat deliver." A recent batch of cookbooks...have turned this notion on its ear, aiming, instead, to better prepare home cooks to build weekly menus and avoid food waste...the best book to come out of this new trend is, to my mind, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by chef Samin Nosrat, with whimsical illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton. Nosrat, who's been called 'America's next great cooking teacher' by Alice Waters and taught Michael Pollan how to cook, is a more than trustworthy instructor." This is partly because Nosrat's method of teaching via the book's four main pillars (salt, fat, acid, and heat) is a rarity...But what makes Nosrat's method so effective was her insistence that the book be illustrated. It’s all there for the curious, determined cook.” (Milk Street Magazine). "In the Bay Area, writer and chef Samin Nosrat has cult followings both for her pop-up dinners at Tartine Bakery in San Francisco and her cooking classes, which friends swear have changed their time in the kitchen...This is a new kind of book. Just reading Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will make you a better cook, adept at seasoning, balancing, understanding what it really is you’re doing and why." This book is approachable and inspiring and lays a strong, strong foundation (Joy The Baker ). “Wonderfully illustrated by Wendy MacNaughton, author Samin Nosrat's exuberant-but-exacting cooking style comes through and is shared generously...It will instruct, cajole, delight, encourage, inspire, and motivate anyone who is even slightly interested in cooking. (Mic.com). "Nosrat’s lighthearted approach and whimsical illustrations in Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking will teach you how to make delicious food anywhere with any ingredients, even without a recipe." The entire first half of the book is Samin being Samin – an incredible teacher and guide, with infectious enthusiasm for food, good cooking, and good eating. (Fine Dining Lovers ). “This beautiful, approachable book not only teaches you how to cook, but captures how it should feel to cook: full of exploration, spontaneity and joy. Samin is one of the great teachers I know, and wins people over to cooking with real food—organic, seasonal, and alive—with her irrepressible enthusiasm and curiosity.” (Alice Waters, New York Times bestselling author of The Art of Simple Food ). “Everyone was impressed when Michael Pollan managed to summarize the huge and complex subject of what we should be eating in just seven words: ‘Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.’ Samin Nosrat has managed to summarize the huge and complex subject of how we should be cooking in just four words: ‘Salt, fat, acid, heat.’ Everyone will be hugely impressed.” (Yotam Ottolenghi, New York Times bestselling author of Jerusalem ). “ Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a must for anyone wanting to be a better cook. Samin Nosrat, along with Wendy MacNaughton’s fun illustrations, teaches the fundamentals of cooking and dives into the four elements that make food taste great. I promise you won’t regret it.” (April Bloomfield, James Beard award-winning chef and author of A Girl and Her Pig ). “Like the amazing meals that come out of Samin Nosrat’s kitchen, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is the perfect mixture of highest-quality ingredients: beautiful storytelling, clear science, an infectious love of food, and Wendy MacNaughton’s powerful art. Nosrat’s prose combined with MacNaughton’s beautiful illustrations are a perfect guide to employing the science of cooking for maximum deliciousness.” —Rebecca Skloot, New York Times bestselling authorof The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (Rebecca Skloot, New York Times bestselling author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks ). “ Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is a very important book not because it contains many excellent recipes, although it does, or because it is written by a Chez Panisse alum, although it is. Ticking all the boxes for new and seasoned cooks alike, this book meets you wherever you are in the kitchen, in all the right ways.” (Heidi Swanson, New York Times bestselling author of Super Natural Cooking ). “In this excellent, accessible cookbook, Nosrat leads readers through the cooking process… MacNaughton’s whimsical illustrations, charts, and graphs add to the experience. Nosrat invites readers to learn what it takes to master these components and take their cooking from good to great...MacNaughton's illustrations add a touch of whimsy to the text, highlighting the techniques and skills presented in a clever manner. Success in the kitchen depends on just four elements: salt, fat, acid, and heat...Culinary students and serious home cooks can discover from both text and drawings how to succeed through fundamentals of their craft." In this vital book, Nosrat demystifies the kitchen, explaining in friendly, confident terms why and how salt and fat enhance and build flavor, respectively; the effect of acidity in balancing out a dish; and knowing how to control heat and thus, the finished dish. (Elle.com). "With Nosrat’s sharp insights and Wendy MacNaughton’s playful illustrations as a guide, the readers of this book will develop essential cooking instincts." Featuring 150 illustrations and infographics that reveal an atlas to the world of flavor by illustrator Wendy MacNaughton, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat will be your compass in the kitchen."
Reviews
"Best text about cooking I've ever read."
"I've always loved the "why" in cooking and baking (like the Cooks Illustrated approach and The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science) - but I love that she narrows it down to four basic elements. But this books and others, like Ratio: The Simple Codes Behind the Craft of Everyday Cooking are important because they give you the tools to innovate and recipes become starting points. I wish I had this book 20 years ago when I started seriously cooking."
"I love the fold out on p. 193 "what should I cook" that advises to go back and read the book through before you practice...a brilliant observation that the book is about "the journey, not the destination" as are so many things we pursue and experience."
"Not a collection of recipes, though the book does contain recipes, but a clear, thoughtful and good humored explanation of the major elements of cooking -- salt, fat, acid and heat."
"Colorful doodles keep you engaged and having fun while learning, as well as a helpful guide on what to always have stocked in terms of spices and bare necessity kitchen utensils."
"This is a "must have" book."
"I am enjoying new seasoning and cooking methods."
"Great sketches that are humorous and informative."
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Best Regional & International Cooking

But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It's Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over for Dinner
Blogger-author extraordinaire Kristy Turner deliciously refutes every excuse you’ve ever heard with 125 bursting-with-flavor vegan recipes for every meal of the day—including dessert! ” Not when you can make your own Homemade Seitan, Barbecue Sauce, Zesty Ranch Dressing, and Tofu Sour Cream. ” They will when they get a taste of Carrot Cashew Pâté, Portobello Carpaccio, and Gnocchi alla Vodka. You’ll find you can get enough protein, fit in at a potluck, learn to love cauliflower, and enjoy pizza, nachos, brownies, and more—without any animal products at all. One of Amazon’s Best Books of the Month in Cookbooks, Food & Wine “Charming.”— Washington Post. Beautiful photos illustrate almost every recipe, showing how appetizing these dishes are, and there are plenty of how-to photos.”— Oregonian. “Even to a committed carnivore, Turner’s whimsically seasoned tone is at once inviting and authoritative. If you have a dilemma, Kristy has the answer!”. — Angela Liddon, New York Times —bestselling author of The Oh She Glows Cookbook and creator of OhSheGlows.com. “With warmth, humor, and great recipes, Kristy Turner combats excuses people commonly use to defend their dietary status quo. Those who think they can’t be satisfied without eating beef, for example, will do well to get acquainted with her plant-based fajitas, sloppy Joes, tacos, and more. is guaranteed to change hearts and minds one meal at a time.”. — Gene Baur, president and cofounder of Farm Sanctuary, author of Farm Sanctuary: Changing Hearts and Minds About Animals and Food. If you’re considering switching over to a plant-based diet—or simply eating a few more vegetarian meals—Kristy’s spectacular recipes and practical guidance will give you all of the inspiration you need. Most of all, her gentle and witty voice will guide you through all of the inevitable anxieties, stumbling blocks, and mishaps that accompany a lifestyle change. This book is beautiful, creative, whimsical, and profoundly inspiring.”. — Gena Hamshaw, author of Choosing Raw ; www.choosingraw.com. It’s true, no life is complete without the occasional calzone—but stuff ’em with Kristy’s Buffalo Cauliflower and Cashew Blue Cheese and you can have calzones and be vegan too. “Kristy and Chris have taken everything I love about their blog and somehow upgraded it, putting together one helluva cookbook with tons of helpful information and crazy good recipes that are sure to please hard-core vegans, curious newbies, and dabbling omnivores alike.
Reviews
"The author, Kristy Turner, has resisted the trappings of recipes calling for manufactured ingredients like vegan cheese (such as Daiya) and fake meats, available in the "health" food stores and has taken a new, tasty, and healthful approach with her recipes…super refreshing in the world of plant based/vegan cookbooks. Her recipes can be served to anyone, omnivore or vegan."
"I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years; live in a house with folks that all eat meat and LOVE all things cheese so never made the transition to Vegan - Friday nights after a long week in work are just too perfect when finished with cheese, wine and olives! Today I made the broccoli chickpea soup as nutritional yeast is always on hand in my pantry, and it was delicious , warm and easy to make; the Creole Corn chowder is next on my list as well as some of the rather delicious looking desserts to serve friends and family over the holidays...only to announce after they were vegan ! Follow up: I seriously doubted I could give up cheese, or that vegan cheese would be that good but just tried making their cashew blue cheese and all I can say is why, I am a convert!"
"I have successfully substituted coconut oil for vegan butter in all of those recipes so far, for anyone who wants to eschew the premade stuff. I've made almost a dozen recipes: the homemade BBQ sauce; green pea guacamole with homemade tortilla chips; baked bean and cornbread casserole; flourless chocolate decadence cake; BBQ jackfruit fajitas; chickpea omelettes; BBQ baked tofu; sweet and sour cauliflower; loaded Mexican baked potatoes; rosemary lemon poundcake; and molasses-hazelnut chocolate mousse tart. Many of the recipes involve a lot of different steps and/or ingredients, especially because some recipe components are actually previous "base" recipes (e.g. the baked beans utilize the homemade BBQ sauce)."
"They want me to make it again ...I love how there is an image for basically every single recipe."
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Best Special Cooking Appliances

Instant Pot Cookbook: 500 Most Delicious Recipe Collection Anyone Can Cook
You will learn how to make the best dishes in the world in the easiest way possible: using an instant pot. Your success in the kitchen is guaranteed with just 2 simple tools: this great cookbook and an instant pot!
Reviews
"I’m a new user of the Instant Pot and after having tried a few online recipes that didn’t turn out well, I though I would opt for a cookbook."
"Preparation time, Cooking time, Servings, ingredients, Directions, Nutritions. These are the six terms the author included with every 500 recipes of this book and the average preparation time of all the recipes included in this book is i think not more than 30 min and the recipes are prepared by a wide range of ingredients."
"This book has a good variety of recipes."
"Anyone can follow these instructions and be on their way to amazing food in just minutes."
"Just made our first meal tonight."
"This cookbook is amazing it has recipes for all kinds of meals."
"I was searching for a book with recipes fro an instant pot and I decided to get this one."
"Recipes are ok- but no photos."
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Best Special Diet Cooking

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
#1 New York Times Bestseller Thug Kitchen started their wildly popular web site to inspire people to eat some Goddamn vegetables and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow ("This might be my favorite thing ever") and named Saveur 's Best New Food blog of 2013--with half a million Facebook fans and counting--Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Thug Kitchen lives in the real world. So, Thug Kitchen, good luck, and keep doing what you're doing.” ― Jamie Oliver The Thug Kitchen crew is an LA-based duo.
Reviews
"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"If you are not offended by a little (okay, a lot) of cussing, and you like vegan food, this book is for you!"
"I live in a pretty remote area, so I've had a bit of trouble finding some of the ingredients in groceries stores, but if you plan accordingly and just order them online, it's not a problem."
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Best Special Occasion Cooking

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
#1 New York Times Bestseller Thug Kitchen started their wildly popular web site to inspire people to eat some Goddamn vegetables and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow ("This might be my favorite thing ever") and named Saveur 's Best New Food blog of 2013--with half a million Facebook fans and counting--Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Thug Kitchen lives in the real world. So, Thug Kitchen, good luck, and keep doing what you're doing.” ― Jamie Oliver The Thug Kitchen crew is an LA-based duo.
Reviews
"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"No reason to throw a cuss word after every word."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."
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Best Vegan & Vegetarian Cooking

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook: Eat Like You Give a F*ck
#1 New York Times Bestseller Thug Kitchen started their wildly popular web site to inspire people to eat some Goddamn vegetables and adopt a healthier lifestyle. Beloved by Gwyneth Paltrow ("This might be my favorite thing ever") and named Saveur 's Best New Food blog of 2013--with half a million Facebook fans and counting--Thug Kitchen wants to show everyone how to take charge of their plates and cook up some real f*cking food. Thug Kitchen lives in the real world. So, Thug Kitchen, good luck, and keep doing what you're doing.” ― Jamie Oliver The Thug Kitchen crew is an LA-based duo.
Reviews
"I live in Portland, the mecca of all things vegan, and my non-vegan friends have been clawing at my door to eat these recipes instead of eating out. I wish they had prep and cook times listed for recipes, but I have to read the recipe and make an educated guess. The food is delicious, the tone is funny, and I have been talking it up to my friends."
"Most of the reviews ive read before purchasing this book are mostly people complaining about the cursing, that they didn't know it was vegan and that the ingredients are too "fancy". UHM, it isn't literally them supporting thugs.. its like a metaphor.. they are thugs in the kitchen, they toughen you up and motivate you in almost a boot camp sort of way. therefore they're they thugs in the kitchen telling you how to get that sh*t right.. Now as for the fancy ingredient complain.. one guy said smoked paprika was too fancy and hard to find... which is not.. at all.. it should be a staple in any cooks spice rack.. Aminos might be hard to find but i seen those even in low level market places and farmers markets or nurserys or co-ops.. health stores, nutritionists or a damn WHOLE FOODS! with all the gmo and crazy processes they're doing lately its surprising people aren't paying attention to minor details like that and then they complain about it like if the author set them up...*sigh*. Now for my honest review; first Id like to say im Hispanic and raised with ethnic foods. I'm trying to establish a routine where the most used items are already cutup and stored somehow for easy access.. perhaps when i do a week food prep. you don't miss the meat at all... i do wish there were more recipes and more versatile breakfast ideas with more fruit but its still a good way to kick-start a detox or life style.. it weans you and really does motivate you if you don't mind the potty mouth. Their sweet potatoes fried rice is also yummy and they have this peanut dipping sauce yum! Some recipes i feel are missing something but maybe thats just my habits and culture that are used to different sides a big slab of meat."
"Love love love this cook book."
"It's worth every penny if you follow a plant based diet, are thinking about following a plant based diet, or just want a fun, delicious cookbook to add variety to you meals. I've been plant based for about one year now, and I don't crave cheese or any animal products, but every now and then I do like to experiment with some old favorites, like lasagna. Really, mad props to all your hard work, it has made my life a whole lot easier and tastier..."
"They include tons of extra info besides recipes, like what these ingredients you may never have heard of before going Vegan are, and where at in the store you can find them."
Find Best Price at Amazon
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