This whimsical manual by paper artist Tsukimoto (Pop-Up Paper Spheres) shows how to create spherical pop-up cards, or three-dimensional scenes made out of interlocking circular paper cutouts. Each project involves copying designs onto craft paper, cutting out the pieces (each constituting a layer or cross-section of the sphere), then assembling them (each ring has notches that interlock with other rings; no glue required). Many of the projects take inspiration from fantasy, including ones featuring Cinderella in front of a castle, a fairy assembling a Christmas wreath, and a mermaid swimming amongst various sea creatures. Others are geared toward special occasions, such as the “Happy Wedding” scene depicting a couple at the altar and “Happy New Baby” featuring an infant playing under a mobile. Project difficulty varies based on the number of pieces involved, and Tsukimoto includes easier and harder variations for each project; for example, the “true novice” version of the Alice in Wonderland–inspired card is made out of four rings, while the expert version is made out of 23. The step-by-step photographs of how to assemble the rings are helpful, though less experienced crafters might wish that Tsukimoto elaborated on preferred paper types. Still, crafters of all levels will be inspired. (June)

Reviewed on 03/31/2023 | Details & Permalink

This lighthearted outing by horticulturist Cameron (Environmental Horticulture) enumerates ways that readers can use plants to improve their lives. “We need green spaces to relax and feel fulfilled, to experience the joy and wonder nature can bring,” he writes. In his exploration of how to boost one’s mood and health with flora, he touts the benefits of a plant-heavy diet and recommends growing cabbage because of its anti-inflammatory properties and such herbs as parsley and thyme because they have antioxidants that protect against cell damage. He provides tips for growing flowers, noting that “lilies like a rich, free-draining soil” and that larger tulip bulbs are more likely to flower sooner than smaller ones. Some entries are light on specifics, as when he suggests that working with soil exposes gardeners to diverse bacteria that benefit the gut’s microbiome but doesn’t specify how. Additionally, not all the claims check out, as when Cameron suggests that because plants “talk” to each other via chemical signals, it’s somehow “good for you and good for them” when humans speak to their plants. Still, playful suggestions to climb a tree, listen to birdsongs, and collect plant specimens spark a sense of childlike joy. There’s not much in the way of substance or science, but readers looking for ways to get in touch with nature will find some fun ideas. (May)

Reviewed on 03/31/2023 | Details & Permalink

Debut author Riley brings together a star-studded but lackluster anthology of 40 essays and recipes responding to the prompt, “Can you name a low point, of any size and shape, and the food memory you associate with surviving it?” The responses tend to be fairly mild—only notable because famous people are relaying them—and the recipes themselves range wildly from the low-effort (writer Sam Irby’s “Rejection Chicken,” a casual curry which includes “unfollow your ex on social media” as one of its instructions) to the rather involved (restaurateurs Hannah Black and Carla Perez-Gallardo’s squid ink paella, which they served on a memorable New Year’s Eve to a party they later realized were tripping on mushrooms). Other contributors include comedian Chelsea Peretti, who delivers a pesto to cut through depression; record producer Bob Power, who recounts the high-end meal he enjoyed while waiting for the 2016 election results and then offers an unrelated cauliflower recipe; actor Bowen Yang, who expounds on his childhood love of dry mapo tofu; and writer Laurie Woolever, who relays a moving story of eating scrambled eggs while mourning her mentor, Anthony Bourdain, but then includes an unremarkable scrambled egg recipe. The essays just aren’t strong enough to bolster the recipes—and vice versa. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

The stylish and appetizing debut from the creative minds behind London’s Bao restaurants is part cookbook and part manifesto. Each chapter centers on a different Bao location, detailing the inspiration behind the restaurant and offering insight into the chefs’ upbringings in Taiwan and London. The result is an engaging mix of food and culture, enhanced by concept artwork from Chang and a host of tantalizing photos. Dishes are wide-ranging and include sweet potato chips with pickled plum ketchup from the flagship Soho location, half-roasted chili chicken with aged white soy in the bar-style Bao Fitz, glazed tofu and Taiwanese pickles at the grill house Bao Borough, fried prawn rolls from the Taiwanese café Bao King’s Cross, and Kelp soup noodles with aubergine tempura at Bao Noodle Shop. The authors also showcase myriad varieties of bao, the steamed buns that give the restaurants their name. Unctuous braised or confit pork belly, black cod, short ribs, fried chicken, and even ice cream become drool-worthy bao fillings. A tasty array of drinks round things out. This impressive outing perfectly encapsulates Bao’s ethos. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

Nigerian British culinary instructor and TV personality Umah-Shaylor debuts with an irresistible introduction to pan-African fusion fare. Shakshuka, originally Tunisian, becomes a “marriage of North and West African flavors” by adding chunks of fried plantains to the pot of simmering tomatoes, onion, peppers, and egg. Umah-Shaylor also gives the meaty South African casserole bobotie a vegan makeover with lentils, mushrooms, spices, and dried fruits, and streamlines the process of making injera bread with a shortcut involving vinegar and a brief ferment. A comprehensive guide to the “African pantry” primes readers on ingredients such as selim pepper, Calabash nutmeg, and baobab powder. Umah-Shaylor makes an impressive case for the versatility of these ingredients: hibiscus syrup, for example, is delicious in salad dressings, on glazed popcorn, and as a topper for chocolate-orange cake. Home cooks with an appetite for food heritage and kitchen adventure will appreciate this passionate and welcoming exploration of tastes from across Africa. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

“Recovery is a process, not always a destination,” contend physicians Jobson and Morgan in their comprehensive program for managing a prolonged illness. The authors detail how to build a care team and manage symptoms for a variety of “rheumatologic, autoimmune, neurologic, and inflammatory” conditions; outline the four types of pain doctors consider when planning treatment (nociceptive pain arises from tissue damage, while complaints of pins and needles imply neuropathic pain, or nerve damage); and cover the gamut of possible remedies, including low-tech (deep breathing and meditation), therapeutic (acupuncture, physical therapy), and pharmacological (methadone and tricyclic antidepressants). Chronic fatigue, they note, can be caused by such factors as hormone imbalance or autoimmune dysfunction, and they recommend cognitive behavioral therapy or getting tested for a common genetic mutation that makes it difficult for the body to draw energy from vitamin B. The authors also offer advice on managing one’s medical team and provide a script for what readers might say to practitioners if they’re not feeling heard. Though the chapters on depression and anxiety feel meager, Jobson and Morgan otherwise succeed in addressing the broad scope of possible conditions while offering specific, useful suggestions. Those dealing with long-term illness will be grateful for the practical advice. (May)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

Bunting and Facer, cofounders of the Edible Flower catering company and supper club, debut with a graceful collection of gardening tips (from Facer) and recipes (from Bunting). After a primer on gardening best practices, each plant variety is treated to an encyclopedia-style listing with instructions for growing and harvesting, as well as each plant’s flowering season, dos and don’ts, and a brief on flavor, followed by recipes using the blossoms, and occasionally other plant parts as well. (Nasturtium seeds, for instance, are pickled into “flavor bombs” that can sub in for capers.) The aesthetics are charming: zucchini blossoms brighten a zucchini and cream cheese puff-pastry tart, and marigold petals transform ribbons of pasta into works of art. Hearty flavors balance the dreamy look: Vietnamese-style spring rolls incorporate pork and shrimp under delicate purple blossoms, and spicy Thai beef is served in tulip petals. Sweets including a Pavlova with rose petals, lilac panna cotta, and a four-layer cake adorned with pressed flowers are highlights. Handy sidebars on subjects such as drying flowers and collecting the seeds of annuals are a thoughtful inclusion and add real utility. Cooking (and especially baking) with flowers is increasingly trendy, and this is a solid introduction to the topic. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

James Beard Award winner Adler presents an impressive encyclopedia of recipes for elevated but frugal and environmentally friendly eating. Building on her 2012 essay collection An Everlasting Meal, she offers more than 1,500 recipes intended to reduce food waste by giving new life to everything from wilted cucumbers and old garlic to leftover escargot. For Adler, unused ingredients and remainders are an opportunity, and her philosophy proves infectious. Cores and leaves of cabbages and cauliflowers, for example, are not to be squandered; instead prepare an “any vegetable” sabzi or minestra. Cube leftover Halloumi and fry with olives, chili flakes, and herbs. Rewarm fried oysters and add them to a Remoulade-sauced omelet. What to do with leftover guanciale ends? Make classic pasta All’Amatriciana. And for something sweet, stale cookie crumbles get a chocolate-covered makeover as “cookie clusters.” Recipes run the gamut in international flavor profiles, techniques, and sophistication, occasionally requiring some harder-to-source ingredients (fenugreek, eel, pokeberries). There are also plenty of practical, family-friendly options, and it’s this range that really sets the book apart. Adler’s thorough guide will inspire all levels of cooks to say goodbye to waste and embrace the ABCs of leftovers. Agent: Kari Stuart, CAA. (Mar.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

“Wellness culture is a trap, keeping us stuck in a narrow view of what it means to be well and exposing us to much that is harmful,” contends nutritionist Harrison (Anti-Diet) in this incisive takedown. She surveys the dangers posed by the alternative medicine industry, including the largely unregulated vitamin and supplement market, restrictive diets that can induce disordered eating, and Western practitioners’ superficial commodification of such traditional Eastern healing disciplines as yoga or Ayurveda. Harrison situates contemporary wellness purveyors in the tradition of 19th-century snake oil salesmen and posits that both exploit medical uncertainties to lure desperate patients into buying products that don’t work. Proposing smart and wide-ranging solutions, she advocates for legislation to ameliorate the social determinants of ill health and calls on readers to evaluate potential misinformation by following the SIFT formula: stop, investigate the source, find better coverage, and trace claims to their original source. The historical perspective elevates Harrison’s analysis, and her empathy for those who fall for disinformation yields illuminating insight (getting into wellness culture, she writes, “starts with feeling disappointed, unheard, or excluded by the Western medical system”). This is an ideal companion for those disillusioned by the medical establishment. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink

Textile designer Fassett (Kaffe Fassett in the Studio) delivers a vibrant if advanced manual for making quilts. Exploring the inspirations behind fabrics he’s designed, Fassett describes how his striped boro pattern draws on the indigo patches that Japanese farmers once used to mend their thinning clothing, and he credits the flower arrangements in English gardens as “a great instructor on the power of color” for his floral designs. The author explains how to incorporate his fabrics into bed covers, suggesting that readers get “as many leafy prints as you can” to make his “Salad Days” quilt, which uses pastel-hued textiles featuring various kinds of plants and leaves. Standouts include a quilt made from concentric rectangles with beach balls, oranges, and poppies on them; the psychedelic “sunrise” quilt composed of dozens of small diamond-shaped patches; and the “organic seahorses” quilt made out of triangular pieces arranged into a shape loosely resembling a seahorse. The instructions are straightforward but assume the reader has a solid background in sewing, and though the intricate projects dazzle, they’ll likely challenge novice and even some intermediate quilters. Rewarding if demanding, the eye-popping designs are hard to beat. (Apr.)

Reviewed on 03/17/2023 | Details & Permalink