Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/724773
1 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook After a trip to the Holy Land last year, my interest in Israeli food was awakened by the spice stalls in Israeli marketplaces called shuks and vendors selling juicy chunks of shawarma wrapped in fluffy pita. The vibrant, zesty flavors that are the foundation of Israeli cooking are found in spades in Israeli-born Solomonov's cookbook, Zahav, the namesake of his acclaimed restaurant in Philly. There are eight different hummus recipes—because you can never have enough hummus— and other classics like tabbouleh and halva. But it's not just about tradition; as Solomonov explains in the book's introduction, "Israel is only 60 years old, a barely melted pot of cultures from all over the world…what connects them, what makes them Israeli, is an approach to dining and hospitality that is shaped by a shared experience." So use this cookbook to bring friends and family together with dishes like Persian rice (deliciously crispy, crunchy, turmeric-tinged rice) or one of my favorite dishes ever, shakshouka, poached eggs in a spicy tomato stew. Cúrate: Authentic Spanish Food from an American Kitchen by Katie Button with Genevieve Ko This month's cover star Chef Katie Button's cookbook doesn't come out until October, but I was lucky to get a sneak peek of the upcoming book and I can't wait to explore more! Button's restaurant Cúrate may be located in Asheville, North Carolina, but she draws on her experience from working with famed chefs José Andrés and Ferran Adrià. The dishes she makes for her family at home create a lovely and delicious ode to Spanish tapas, while embracing "Southern simplicity and hospitality." Button's style of cooking features simple but tasty dishes that let the ingredients and flavors shine, as evidenced by recipes like a classic Spanish potato, onion and egg tortilla, sautéed shrimp with garlic or lamp chops with black olive and rosemary crumble. Fresh seafood reci- pes abound, and there are even cocktail recipes courtesy of Button's husband and business partner, Félix Meana. With suggested wine pairings for every meal and gorgeous photographs, it's easy imagining using this book to cook a meal and transport yourself to a Spanish beachside. 1 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Clever Pantry Whether you're a newbie cook or a well-seasoned professional, an arsenal of cookbooks is always useful no matter your skill level. Here are some of my favorites from the past year! by Jesse Hom-Dawson The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt For years, The Joy of Cook- ing has been a bible of sorts for home cooks. It taught you the basics, from pancakes and cookies to steak and roasted chicken. It was always the first book I bought for friends and family just learning how to cook. And then, The Food Lab came along. Based on López-Alt's work on the website Seri- ous Eats, the cookbook is a compendium of the various science-cum-culinary experiments he's conducted over the years. Whether it's the best way to cook a steak (You can turn it more than once!), or the timing for a per- fectly soft-boiled egg, everything is carefully explained, backed by science and accompanied by helpful photos. It's a handbook for modern cooking—and I've already bought four copies as presents. Afternoon Tea at Home: Delicious Indulgent Reci- pes for Sandwiches, Savories, Scones, Cakes and Other Fancies by Will Torrent I may have been watching just a little too much of The Great British Baking Show, but there's something so indul- gent and wonderful about afternoon tea: Whether it's the vibrant flavors of a delicate macaron, the luxurious- ness—and admitted wasteful- ness—of a tiny sandwich that's had the crusts cut off or a rich scone slathered in clotted cream, it's a decadent afternoon meal that not nearly enough of us Americans enjoy. But unless you're ready to drop beaucoup bucks at The Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons for tea time, it's often hard to find. That's why Afternoon Tea at Home is so much fun. It has all the classics like jams and jellies, lemon curd and dainty cucumber sandwiches, but also goodies with decidedly un-upper crust flavors like lime and yuzu curd or mango and coconut millefeuilles. So whip up some tiny strawberry and Champagne tarts, brew some Earl Grey tea and put your pinkies up! Hog: Proper Pork Recipes from the Snout to the Squeak by Richard H. Turner I love pork. If it's not apparent from the tattoo of a pig with the butcher's cuts on my foot, or the nickname of "Swine Princess", bestowed upon me at the tender age of ten by beloved Sonoma County sausage maker Franco Dunn, it could be the piles of porcine cookbooks lining my shelves. The newest addition to the collection, Hog, is written by Chef Richard H. Turner, former chef of London's Pitt Cue Co. and overseer of the Meatopia festival in the U.K. and, as such, a man after my own heart. You can be ambitious with his whole roast suckling pig, or go Southern with pulled pork. Although Turner is British, obvi- ous in the number of sausage and blood pudding cottage pie recipes, international culinary genres are present, from Korean-style lettuce wraps to one of my favorite dishes, a croque madame— cheese, ham, egg and béchamel; what's not to love? Butchering a pig, knowing the different cuts of the animal and the making of lardo or bacon are all covered in the book as well, making it an essential on the shelf for any meat lover. ■cr