This approachable and exciting guide offers up simple Mediterranean dishes that use five ingredients or fewer (excluding salt, pepper, cooking fat, and water). It’s an expansive collection that celebrates the versatility of the Mediterranean diet. From Southern Europe, there is Provencal herb tapenade, Spanish cream of asparagus soup, and sizzling rosemary shrimp over polenta, a “staple in Italy since the sixteenth century.” Selections from North Africa include Moroccan-style grilled tuna, baked chicken with a nutty dukkah crust from Egypt, and spice-dusted sweet potatoes. There are also dishes from the Middle East, including Turkish poached eggs in garlicky yogurt served for breakfast or as a mezze, homemade labneh, and a Lebanese-style green salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, and lemon-mint vinaigrette. Highlights in the desserts chapter include baked apples with cream and amaretti, and poached vanilla-scented pears and figs. Interspersed throughout are nutritional trivia (“Phytonutrients in grapes are believed to contribute to longevity,” the editors note) and fascinating cultural tidbits about Mediterranean cuisine (“Whole-wheat pita bread dates back to the 20th century BCE in ancient Egypt”). A majority of the recipes can be completed in less than an hour, and most ingredients are readily available at local supermarkets. Busy home cooks would do well to check this out. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

La Piña en la Cocina blogger Mendez shares her enthusiasm for Mexican salsas in this colorful collection. After an overview of different types of chiles, a section on fresh salsas includes the classic pico de gallo, pineapple habanero, a “restaurant-style” tomato and jalapeño salsa, and another made with chile piquin, a pepper that packs eight times the heat of a jalapeño, suitably paired with beef taquitos. A chapter on cooked salsas covers a tomatillo-based version that gets a smoky flavor from toasting chile de arbol and salsa borracha, in which Mexican beer adds a subtle note. Adobos and sauces include red and green hot sauces and a slow-simmering mole that cooks for over three hours. Mendez offers pairing suggestions (Salsa de Cacahuate, “aka peanut salsa,” for example, makes a spicy sauce to braise chicken thighs) and a few meal ideas before rounding things out with recipes for taco fillings, sides (guacamole, pickled onions), and homemade tortillas. It’s not quite as comprehensive as Rick Martinez’s Salsa Daddy, but readers looking to expand their sauce options will find this a helpful and cheery guide. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

A love letter to Japanese street food, the comprehensive and appealing English language debut from Tokyo native Kié serves triple duty as a recipe collection, travel guide, and cultural history. Kié offers classic takes and regional variations on street food staples, including ramen, onigiri (rice balls), and takoyaki (octopus dumplings). Detailed instructions for several styles of sushi are accompanied by a guide to buying the best tuna in Tokyo, including a stop at Tsukiji Market’s daily auction. Recipes often reference each other, necessitating a fair bit of page-flipping. To make the katsu sandwich, for example, one must first make tonkatsu, breaded and fried pork cutlet, instructions for which appear four pages later. But this is only a minor inconvenience, because vibrant photography and charming illustrations make paging through the collection a joy. Kié recommends restaurants across Japan and hosts a whirlwind tour of the country’s culinary quirks, with sidebars on depachika, or luxury food halls in department store basements; vending machines, including the one atop Mt. Fuji; and the history of cup noodles. Desserts and drinks round things out, including a melon-shaped brioche and a matcha highball, the likes of which, Kié notes, might be enjoyed at a tachinomi, or tapas-style standing bar. Japanophiles—especially those planning a trip—will be thrilled. (Dec.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Textile designer Baldelli (Blackwork Embroidery) delivers a creative how-to for crocheting borders inspired by different cities around the world. The designs, which include lacework, scalloped edges, and geometric patterns, are inspired by 24 cities, including Paris, London, Shanghai, New York City, and Dubai. In the Paris section, crafters learn to make a row of Eiffel Towers connected by tiny pink flowers. For the coastal city of Brighton, England, there’s a pattern for a string of red and white life preservers. While some patterns’ city inspirations are intuitive, others feel arbitrary and lack explanation, like the pine cone motifs featured in the section of Dubai-inspired designs. Among the easier projects is a green and brown Dublin-inspired border made up of several rows of single crochet stitches before a final row of picots. A intermediate design influenced by Shanghai involves crocheting a base of rings and attaching tassels to each. Experienced crocheters will want to try the lacy, Chicago-inspired border whose pattern resembles pineapple stitches. While readers can choose to follow the written instructions or the stitch diagrams, beginners should note that Baldelli does not provide a review of basic crochet stitches and techniques. Still, experienced crocheters will find plenty of inspiration. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

This practical, research-based guide from Maizes (Be Fruitful), executive director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, demonstrates how the body’s built-in “recovery reflex” can be strengthened to heal more quickly from everyday illness, chronic disease, and surgery. Drawing on conventional and alternative treatments, Maizes takes patients’ physical symptoms, mental health, and lifestyle into account and prioritizes natural interventions. She first addresses short-lived conditions, like the common cold and UTIs, explaining that a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables (especially raw garlic, which is antimicrobial) strengthens the immune system and probiotics (either in supplement form or in products like yogurt, kefir, and kombucha) can help prevent bacterial infections. Turning to chronic conditions, Maizes offers guidance for recurring pain, encouraging meditation and exercise (walking backwards, for example, can realign the body, improving back pain). To heal from surgery, Maizes outlines tips for every step of the process, like bolstering nutrition before a procedure with protein and reducing post-op pain with therapies like acupuncture and self-hypnosis. Maizes maintains a pragmatic and supportive tone throughout, not promising miracle cures, but challenging the negativity and false despair she contends is common in mainstream health care. Readers struggling to heal will discover they have more agency than they thought. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Reproductive endocrinologist Sekhon debuts with an accessible and reassuring manual for navigating fertility treatments. She begins by laying out the basics of the reproductive system—and the many ways it can go awry in women and men—and then dives into contemporary fertility treatments, explaining that intrauterine insemination is like hands-off matchmaking (“setting up Egg and Sperm to find their own spark”), while in vitro fertilization is akin to an arranged marriage (“structured, deliberate, and with every detail carefully orchestrated for success”). She also dispels popular myths, noting, for example, that many supplements marketed to promote reproductive health, like Vitex and Maca root, have little scientific backing. Throughout, Sekhon emphasizes the importance of managing one’s mental health, as the process of getting pregnant can be frustrating, overwhelming, and anxiety-inducing; she advises attending support groups and therapy but also making sure to “keep living your life—travel, enjoy hobbies, and stay connected with the people who bring you joy.” Sekhon expertly balances urging early planning so readers can keep their options open with a calming, empowering tone. Anyone considering the use of assistive reproductive technology would do well to have this in their arsenal. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

The effect of Wes Anderson’s films on the world of interior decorating “cannot be overstated,” writes debut author Atkinson in her charming guide to drawing design inspiration from the director’s movies. Anderson’s sets are known for their bright colors and retro, hyper-stylized look, explains Atkinson, who draws decor inspiration from movies such as The Darjeeling Limited, The French Dispatch, and Moonrise Kingdom. Each chapter breaks down how to imitate an Anderson film’s aesthetic in one’s own home as well as in themed dinner parties and DIY projects. For readers hoping to recreate the charming cottage-core kitchen featured in Fantastic Mr. Fox, Atkinson recommends small tweaks, like hanging curtains under the sink and vintage country landscape paintings on the walls, as well as big projects, such as parquet wood flooring and Afghan rugs. To host a Grand Budapest Hotel–inspired dinner party, Atkinson recommends bringing out fancy glassware, fine china, and frilly, embroidered napkins, as well as serving an olive-roasted duck and “lashings of champagne.” Instructions are included for DIY projects, like a gallery wall inspired by The Royal Tenenbaums, crocheted coasters inspired by The French Dispatch, and a condiment organizer inspired by Asteroid City. Pairing mesmerizing photography with creative how-tos, Atkinson captures the kitschy nostalgia that captivates Anderson fans. Design-minded cinephiles will be delighted. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Thorisson (Old World Italian) serves up a sumptuous collection of 100 classic and personal favorite Italian dishes perfected over six years of living in Torino. Noting in the epilogue that “if you want to know how to make a Milanese veal cutlet you can just google it,” she aims to “put recipes in context” with “somewhere [you’d] like to be.” To do so, she sets the recipes against personal essays about her culinary journey and approach to hosting and includes striking photographs of family life. The four chapters follow the seasons, each offering a range of antipasti, primi, secondi, and dolci from simple to elaborate. A raw lemon salad leads off in the spring, followed by grilled fish with lemon and herbs in summer. In autumn, there’s tagliolini with white truffles and butter, “the most luxurious and simple pasta dish on earth,” while classic penne alla vodka will warm a winter night. More involved dishes include eggplant timballo, lasagna with meatballs, stuffed Easter bread, and tiramisu. Holiday fare culminates with a Christmas Eve feast featuring fried spaghetti-wrapped shrimp, lobster soufflé, and vanilla chestnut cake. Instructions assume such technical knowledge as how to wrestle the heart out of an artichoke, blanch fava beans, or flake salmon. The author’s personal approach and gorgeous presentation make this a giftable collection. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 12/05/2025 | Details & Permalink

“I’m on a mission to synonymize salad with abundance, energy, and hefty portions of nothing but goodness,” writes debut author Haxby, culinary director of the U.K.’s Salad Project restaurant chain, in this practical guide. A thorough introduction explains Haxby’s dressing-forward approach (“It’s the dressing that pulls you toward a salad in the first place”) and provides winning ratios for flavor-packed bowls and tips for stocking one’s pantry. After a chapter on “crunches and kicks”—toppings like maple-coated walnuts and pickled onions that can be premade in bulk—salad recipes are organized by dressing type, whether “creamy, zingy, spicy, or herby.” Coconut-curry and lime dressing tops a butter bean salad with mango, avocado, parsley, and pistachios, while “super versatile” spiced tahini and date molasses dressing adorns roasted eggplant with quinoa. “Green + crunch” salad is made up of “a little bit of everything,” including broccolini and avocado, and finished with a classic apple cider vinaigrette. “The GOAT,” the Salad Project’s herbaceous bestseller, is doused with green goddess dressing, while a salad of shredded cabbage with garlic-thyme chicken thighs gets its kick from miso-mustard dressing. Haxby offers helpful tips throughout (“The best way to taste whether your dressing packs enough punch is to dip a lettuce leaf in and give it a taste”). Home cooks looking to up their salad game are sure to be inspired. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 12/05/2025 | Details & Permalink

Novelist and memoirist Yuknavitch (Reading the Waves) presents moving essays on the many shades of menopause from a blockbuster lineup of writers, including Julia Alvarez, Roxane Gay, and Cheryl Strayed. The pieces highlight the secrecy and shame typically associated with the end of one’s reproductive years, position the biological transition as a rite of passage that signals a new stage of life, and critique the pressure put on women to keep the signs of aging at bay. Strayed delivers a meditation on living longer than her mother, who died at 45, reflecting that, throughout the hot flashes, brain fog, and insomnia brought on by perimenopause, “I never forgot my luck. What a gift it was, to simply be there.” In “Finding Meno: Little Clowns,” Monica Drake juxtaposes the indignities of divorce court with the discomforts of menopausal symptoms to illustrate how patriarchal systems cause women to loathe their bodies and themselves. Yuknavitch caps off the collection with “Transmogrify,” in which she compares aging to the magical transformations that happen to characters in fairy tales, encouraging readers to view menopause as a “portal” to a place where “we can be anything.” These penetrating and lyrical reflections bring serious cultural analysis to a historically taboo subject. Readers experiencing menopause will find solidarity and hope. (Jan.)

Reviewed on 11/28/2025 | Details & Permalink