Mary Berry Everyday

Berry, known to most Americans as the doyenne of sweets on The Great British Baking Show (which she hosted from 2010 to 2016), presents savory recipes for everyday cooking. The book itself is beautiful: all pastel colors and a charming country kitchen tableau of food. Berry’s goal has always been to make food appealing and simple, and this book succeeds well. There are recipes for canapés that look fancy, but are easy to prepare, such as Thai crab poppadom canapés; smoked salmon and red pepper and spinach bites; and an artichoke and garlic dip. Berry combines flavors from around the world with recipes that include Yuzu salmon with buttered leeks, and Panang chicken-and-rice stir-fry. There are British classics, all with a Berry twist, including herb-crusted lamb cutlets with creamy mint sauce; beef and ale stew with horseradish spiral dumplings; and very posh fish cakes. Naturally, there are irresistible desserts, such as peach sponge pudding, rhubarb and ginger ice cream, and lemon meringue and strawberry cupcakes. Readers may have problems with some British terms (swede for rutabaga, aubergine for eggplant, and tin for cake pan), British cake pan sizes, or calls for a pint of milk or ounces of butter. Berry emboldens home cooks in this cookbook perfect for serving family, as well as entertaining. (Apr.)