6 Brand New Cookbooks for Modern Cooks and Families

Oh how the gods laugh when you make grandiose plans. I planned to cook and bake my way through heaps of cookbooks during our recent working trip to Maine. The bomb cyclone, including 90-mph winds, downed trees, and no power, turned my plans upside down. Ooops!

Still, I want to write about another batch of awesome cookbooks that have October 2019 birthdays. A couple of these are geared to those of you on special diets (such as keto), one focuses on my beloved cast iron, and others are for shared meals.

I bet you'll find at least one cookbook that calls to you.

Although I don't have kids, I'm a strong believer in the family dinner. Mr. BFR and I sit down at the dinner table--without books, phones, or television--pretty much every single night. Besides the obvious need to nourish ourselves with good food, we look forward to reconnecting after a busy day. If you have the same tradition or wish you did, The Family Dinner Project's Eat, Laugh, Talk: The Family Dinner Playbook (Familus, Oct. 1) is the cookbook for you. As The Family Dinner Project (TFDP), notes, they have "a singular goal: to help families gather for dinner over food, fun, and conversation." There is so much to love about this cookbook, such as (1) an easygoing attitude about feeding the family; (2) recipes that are easy tasty, and affordable;  (3) and the focus on fun. The beginning of Eat, Laugh, Talk gives you tons of tips on how to transform dinnertime into fun family time, even if you have picky eaters and busy schedules. The book provides recipes for 52 complete meals (mostly dinners), including conversation starters and games (geared to different age groups) to encourage participation and to strengthen connections. The menus include vegetarian meals, family favorites, global flavors, breakfasts, hearty dinners, and light salads. For each meal TFDP provides ideas for family fun, such as conversation-starting questions, guessing games, and word games. The cookbook is also full of terrific tips for busy cooks, such as how to get your kids to help, how to use your freezer, how to organize a community dinner, and shopping tips. Recipes to try: African Curry with Coconut Rice, Lightning Fast Lemon Pepper Chicken, and a Taco Bar.

I love Mediterranean flavors, so it's no surprise that Christos Sourligas and Evdokia Antginas's My Big Fat Greek Cookbook: Classic Mediterranean Soul Food Recipes (Skyhorse, Oct. 22) caught my attention. This cookbook is all about the family favorites of a Greek American family. More than a cookbook, though, this is Sourligas's tribute to his terminally ill mother (Antiginas), both preserving her recipes and sharing his love for her with the world. I loved the stories and photographs and, though I'm not Greek, could totally relate to the importance food has had in Sourligas's life: it's comforting, it's healing, it's the center of happy times and sad times. One of the things that makes My Big Fat Greek Cookbook different from other Mediterranean cookbooks is that it contains authentic family recipes, not the spa version of Greek food. Note too the recipes use easy-to-find ingredients, and most of the new-to-me items were available at my supermarket (go Wegman's!). We tried the egg-lemon meatball soup and loved the little hint of mint and comforting flavors. Mr. BFR loves Greek-style green beans, so I was thrilled to see a recipe for them, which I'll be trying soon, along with the roast lamb. I'm thinking the Walnut Cake for dessert. Bring on the cold weather!

Admit it. Sometimes you just want a little something sweet after dinner or with your afternoon cup of tea or coffee. I'm way too lazy to run out to the bakery to satisfy a craving, and I'm often too busy to spend hours in the kitchen. Enter Weeknight Baking: Recipes to Fit Your Schedule by Michelle Lopez (Simon & Schuster, Oct. 29). Lopez is well-known as the writer, baker, and photographer who owns the blog Hummingbird High. Her blog (which was new to me) and her cookbook are all about how to bake even when you don't think you have time to bake. Some recipes can be whipped up--start to finish--after work; others will come together over a couple of evenings. Either way, you really can fit baking into your busy life. The beginning of Weeknight Baking is all about stocking your pantry, but Lopez includes a great section on tons of substitutions, just in case you don't have the "right" chocolate or milk. I think my favorite chapters are the loaf cakes, the sheet (or pan) cakes and bars, and the drop cookies. But the layer cakes, cupcakes, tarts, and rolled cookies look pretty tempting. Especially with Lopez's homemade frosting. Oh, did I mention the muffins and scones? Yeah, they're in the cookbook too. Throughout the book, you'll find lots of tricks and tips and guides, which up the success factor and turn down the stress. I swear this book is going live on my kitchen table. Note that Lopez includes a chapter on vegan and gluten-free baking, so be sure to browse the recipes if you or your loved ones have dietary restrictions.

I don't follow any particular diet, although we are big believers in home-cooked meals and eat plenty of vegetarian dinners. We do, however, have friends and family who follow a vegan, gluten free, or keto diet. When I saw Sarah Anne Jones's The Keto Sheet Pan Cookbook: Super Easy Dinners, Desserts, and More (Skyhorse, Oct. 1), I thought it would make a good addition to my collection. Before reading this cookbook, I didn't know much about the keto diet, beyond the fact that it avoided carbs. I was concerned that it was all meat, all the time, but really it's more diverse than that. The Keto Sheet Pan Cookbook includes meal planning tips, nutritional information, buying guides, and ingredient guides. Now to the recipes. I haven't yet cooked from this book, but I like the looks of the oven-baked fritattas (how perfect for a Sunday morning when you have guests), the Jamaican Jerk Chick with Turnips (we like spicy), Pesto Chicken Tenders with Green Beans (looks like a good weeknight dinner), Kielbasa and Cabbage (another simple dinner), Beef and Broccoli (without the rice), Chipotle-Lime Shrimp (yum!), and more. The desserts interest me less because I'm not a fan of the sugar substitutes, but if you're following a keto diet, you'll probably be happy to have recipes for Texas Sheet Cake, No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars, and Lemon Bars.  I'm not going to argue the benefits (or not) of the diet, and my initial interest was purely to find a way to safely feed my keto friends. But I'm really happy to have discovered another source of sheet pan recipes that we'll use often. There's no keto police, I can go ahead and add rice or quinoa if I want.

Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?: More than 100 Delicious Recipes--Pegan, Vegan, Paleo, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and More--For Lifelong Health by Mark Hyman (Little, Brown Spark, Oct. 22) offers another source of recipes for various modern diets. You may have heard of Hyman from his "Sugar Solution" books and because he is associated with Cleveland Clinic. I've always liked his no-nonsense approach to good food and good nutrition and his practical recipes. First off, I want to thank Hyman for marking the recipes with icons so I can tell at a glance which recipes will fit which diets. Food contains a lot of information about diets, ingredients, the environment, and health before moving along to the recipes. The recipes rely heavily on coconut and avocado oils, non-wheat flours, and other ingredients you might not have in the house, unless you're already following a nonstandard diet. The soups and stews chapter is the one I'm most likely to turn to, although some of the heartier main dishes caught my eye: Slow Cooked Chicken Thighs with Kale and Delicata Buckwheat Bowls. The cookbook ends with desserts, sauces, spice blends, bone broths, and a gluten-free bread. If you are sticking to a specific diet for whatever reason, I bet you find some new favorites in this cookbook. I'm not quite sure it's for me, since I'm more in the Michael Pollan camp; however, I like having resources for feeding others.

As you know, I love my cast iron. I own maybe eight skillets and use at least one of them pretty much every day. Cast-Iron Cooking for Two: 75 Quick and Easy Skillet Recipes by Joanna Pruess with photos by Noah Fecks (Skyhorse, Oct. 1) seemed like the cookbook for me. Pruess jumps right into the recipes, which are divided into familiar chapters from breakfast to dessert. Cast-Iron Cooking for Two offers a variety of dishes to get through your average workweek (Grilled Cheese with Bacon and Beer-Braised Onions) to the little more unusual (Sweet Potato Pancakes with Asian Brussels Sprouts Slaw). Mains range from savory vegetarian bread pudding to game hens and lamb shanks and lots of everyday dinners in between. The desserts are fruit forward (crisps, clafoutis), although there's a skillet brownie recipe too. I love that the meals are on a small scale. Although I have no problem eating leftovers, it's nice to cook something that we can eat in one night. If you have four people to feed, I don't think you'd have any problem doubling up on most recipes, especially the breakfasts, sides, and mains. The cookbook ends with tips on cooking with cast-iron, how to clean and care for your pans, and information on buying skillets if you don't already own one. Like I said, I'm a big fan of cast-iron and will be cooking out of this book often. I especially have my eye on the After Thanksgiving Breakfast Hash . . . what a great way to eat up some of the holiday bounty.

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7 Books for Crime Fiction Fans

There's something about long winter (late fall) nights that draws me to crime fiction. This November is no exception, and my reading list this month includes books featuring spies, serial killers, private detectives, and amateur sleuths. Here are seven novels to look for right now.

Forever and a Day by Anthony Horowitz (Harper, November 6): Attention James Bond Fans: Have you ever wondered how the debonaire agent got his start? The Ian Fleming estate authorized Horowitz to write this prequel to Casino Royale, in which we learn how Bond earned his reputation and his “license to kill.” Set in the 1950s on the French Riviera, the book includes all the familiar Bond tropes, including a sexy female agent of questionable loyalties and plenty of martinis. I generally have mixed feelings about continuing series after an author has died, but I’m curious. Its Goodreads rating is 4 stars. (cold war thriller)

A Dangerous Duet by Karen Odden (William Morrow, November 6): If you’re looking to start a new series right from the beginning, check out this mystery set in Victorian England. The novel features a brother-sister team: Matthew’s a young detective with Scotland Yard, and Nell’s an aspiring pianist who wants to further her studies. When Nell’s job puts her in the path of danger and Matthew is assigned a major case to bring down a gambling ring, the siblings realize they’re after the same gang of criminals. According to reviews, readers can expect a good mix of historical details, well-drawn characters, and a nicely wrought mystery. Its Goodreads rating is 4.3 stars. (historical detective mystery)

Inhuman Resources by Pierre Lemaitre (Quercus, November 13): Four years after a middle-aged human resource manager lost his job, he is finally offered a chance at employment. Alain’s pride is worn thin, so he agrees to participate in “the ultimate recruitment test: a role-playing game that involves taking hostages.” Soon, however, Alain begins to understand that this is no game, and he really doesn’t stand a chance of success. Nothing goes as expected, and Alain’s world spins out of control. This novel promises dark humor and a tight plot. Its Goodreads rating is 3.74. (noir thriller)

Sweetpea by C. J. Skuse (Mira, November 27): I can’t resist a story starring a fellow editor. In this thriller, a young woman with a troubled childhood has found peace in her safe job as an editorial assistant, her dog, and her committed boyfriend. But beneath that sweet exterior lurks an anger that is just waiting for one more personal affront to let it bubble up to the surface: will the trigger be the unfriendly clerk, people who don’t know how to queue up properly, or a rude co-worker? This book, written in diary form, has been repeatedly called darkly comic. Who knew a serial killer could make you laugh? Its Goodreads rating is 4. (suspense, thriller)

The Pallbearer by Jordan Farmer (Skyhorse, November 20): In a small West Virginia town in the post–coal mine economy, the Gilbert family rules with an iron fist. When two local men—one a social worker and one just barely scraping by—find themselves enmeshed in family business, they are forced into a tight spot, with the law on one side and the Gilberts on the other. Plot lines include blackmail, murder, dwindling prospects, and drugs, and the book features LGBTQ+ and physical different characters. Its Goodreads rating is 3.86. (crime fiction)

Naughty on Ice by Maia Chance (Minotaur, November 13): If you like your mysteries taken with a side dish of fun, give this Prohibition-era series a try. A society lady and her faithful cook have a reputation for finding lost items, but sometimes their investigations take a murderous bent. In this outing the detecting duo accept a holiday invitation to Vermont where they've been asked to look for an antique ring. Unfortunately, the wealthy family that hired them is missing its Christmas cheer, and the two women end up being the prime suspects when an elderly aunt is found poisoned. Small-town secrets and 1920s cocktails come into play. Its Goodreads rating is 4.2. (cozy mystery)

The Feral Detective by Jonathan Lethem (Ecco, November 6): A chatty young woman seeks the help of a taciturn private detective: she is trying to track down a missing girl, and he’s supposed to have a talent for finding the lost. As the two search the underbelly of California’s interior, they must find a way to safely navigate the survivalists, ex-hippies, and other groups who are living off the grid and who are fiercely protective of their own. Finding the girl may be the least of their troubles in this strange world nestled within our own. Underlying themes address the current state of affairs in America, such as the deep political and economic divides. Its Goodreads rating is 3.3. (detective story / thriller)

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Guest Post: Why I Love Writing Dance Scenes by Ann Weisgarber (The Promise)

Sometimes you pick up a book intending to read just a couple of pages, but before you know it you're 200 pages in and haven't taken a break. That's what happened to me when I first took a look at Ann Weisgarber's The Promise, out in paperback just last week.

Set in 1900 in the months leading up to the devastating Galveston hurricane, this is a story of two women who are linked through their very different relationships to a widower and his young son.

Catherine, a pianist from Ohio, flees her home town under the taint of a scandal, accepting the marriage proposal of a childhood admirer. Although they haven't seen each other in a dozen years, Oscar, now a dairy farmer in Texas, has not forgotten Catherine's refined ways, and hopes not only for love but also for a proper mother for his boy. Nan, a Galveston native, is Oscar's housekeeper, but she was also a close friend of his first wife and is a second mother to his son.

Told from both Catherine's and Nan's points of view, The Promise explores second chances, hope, friendship, parenthood, and marriage. Weisgarber's flowing prose draws you in, and her characterizations and period details keep you invested. Just as the two women begin to find their place in Oscar's world, the storm hits, destroying much more than the up-and-coming city.

Today I'm pleased to welcome author Ann Weisgarber, who talks about how she came about writing the dance scene for The Promise. Music is one of the few bonds between the main characters--although Catherine is a classically trained pianist, and Nan plays more popular tunes on the fiddle at local events--and the scene Ann describes here was one of my favorites.

Why I Love Writing Dance Scenes

For many of us, dancing is part of our lives. When we were kids, we might have twirled around our bedrooms when no one was watching. Some of us took ballet lessons or in my case, tap lessons. (Yes, tap. I loved the shiny silver shoes with heels.) Maybe we went to dances at school and danced at parties, weddings, and other celebrations. They can be romantic opportunities to be close to someone we love.

Or a dance with the wrong person can be awkward and seem endless.

Dancing says something about who we are. The style often reflects when we were born and where we're from. Our comfort level on the dance floor reveals hints about our personalities or sometimes it shows something unexpected about us.

Dancing is loaded with possibilities and that's why I love to include dance scenes in my novels.

My latest novel, The Promise, takes place on the rural end of Galveston Island, Texas, at the time of the historic 1900 storm that killed at least 6,000 people. I wanted a dance scene, but I couldn't figure out how one would drive the plot forward. Then I read an article about the tradition of dance halls in rural Texas. The farmers and ranch families used any excuse to hold dances with their neighbors.

I went to my research books about Galveston and looked for dance halls. I didn't find any but did find open-air pavilions.

Starting with an image of a pavilion, the scene took shape. The main characters, Catherine and Oscar, have just married. Catherine is new to the island but Oscar, a dairy farmer, is known and well-liked by his neighbors. I realized the neighbors would have a dance to celebrate Oscar's marriage and to meet the bride. They wouldn't know the couple is uneasy with one another or that Catherine doesn't want to be at the dance. When she and Oscar are called to the floor, though, her pride takes over.

Catherine says, "The neighbors were watching. I put my hand on his shoulder. Fixed in position, he stood as though suddenly paralyzed, his gaze skipping from me to the people who surrounded us, Nan's waltz going on without us. 'One, two, three,' I whispered to help him find the rhythm. Oscar didn't move. He was shy, I thought. And unaccustomed to being the center of attention."

Catherine's awareness of Oscar's shyness took me by surprise. She understood him better than I thought she did.

This scene helped me add a new layer to the relationship and when the characters reflect on what the dance means to them, another layer is added. It's all the more poignant since a week after the dance, a massive hurricane hits Galveston. The characters, though, can't see the future as they glide and sometimes stumble on the dance floor.

I loved writing this scene. Initially, I wanted the characters to have a few hours of pleasure before going through a devastating hurricane. As I wrote it, though, a complicated mishmash of emotions—embarrassment, joy, laughter, and heartbreak—bubbled to the surface and made the scene bigger than I expected.

That's the power of dance. It's loaded with possibilities as it reaches into our hearts and takes us to new and unexpected places.

Thanks so much, Ann. I know exactly what you mean about the emotional power of dance. As I said, that scene in The Promise was one of my favorites. It showed another side of Catherine and Oscar and also changed the relationship between Catherine and Nan.

To learn more about The Promise, visit Ann Weisgarber's website and be sure to follow her on Twitter.

Published by Skyhorse (paperback), 2015
ISBN-13: 9781632206459
Source: Review (see review policy)
Copyright © cbl for Beth Fish Reads, all rights reserved (see review policy)

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6 Books for Music Lovers: Reading on Topic

You don't have to have to know how to play an instrument nor do you have to be able to carry a tune to enjoy and appreciate music. I know, because my musical abilities are pretty slim, yet music has been a big part of my life, as I'm sure it has been for you.

Today's Reading on Topic: Music takes us from pop to punk to rock n roll. We learn about the music business through fiction, memoir, biography, and sociology. There are books for teens and for adults. Crank up your speakers, loosen your vocal cords, and get ready to rock out.

The Sound Truth

• Rick Bragg conducted a number of interviews over two years to collect the foundational material for Jerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story (Harper, 2014, ISBN: 9780062078223). Lewis's story is more than a rags to riches to rags story of a rock star who indulged in life with abandon. Lewis was there at the start of rock and roll and saw it through to the next century, surviving despite his fall from grace, his many divorces, the death of children, too many drugs, and several car crashes. Bragg gives us insight into both an era and one of rock's greats.
• In Girl in a Band (Dey Street, 2015, ISBN: 9780062295897), Kim Gordon reflects on her life in New York during the 1980s and 1990s and her journey from childhood through art, music, and fame to marriage, motherhood, and divorce. This well-written memoir (illustrated by many photos) features Gordon's years with Sonic Youth and includes stories of other musicians, but it is also a tale of feminism and the music industry. After reading this, you'll understand why Gordon has become a role model for younger generations.
• Ben Yagoda's The B-Side (Riverhead, 2015, ISBN: 9781594488498) is based on meticulous research and dozens of interviews with twentieth-century songwriters and examines, as the subtitle says, "The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great American Song." This very accessible study looks at music trends and how business, technology, media, and socioeconomic factors affect the making of pop music and the careers of songwriters from all genres. Music lovers shouldn't miss this easy-to-read take on the popular American music scene.

Musical Stories

• Driftwood (Skyhorse, 2014, ISBN: 9781629144993) by Elizabeth Dutton is about twenty-seven-year-old Clem Jasper, daughter of a famous rock musician who dies unexpectedly, leaving her a series of letters as part of her inheritance. The notes, which contain clues to her father's past and hint at secrets he was unable to reveal in person, lead Clem on an epic road trip through her native California. The novel addresses, grief, self-discovery, family, and the power of music.
• Ravi Howard's Driving the King (Harper, 2015, ISBN: 9780060529611) is a fictional account of the famous singer Nat King Cole's relationship with his childhood friend and driver, Nat Weary. The story, set in the postwar years, is told through Weary's eyes and spotlights issues of race, class, and the entertainment industry. Although the novel takes liberties with the facts of Cole's life, Howard accurately evokes the issues faced by southern black musicians in the mid-twentieth century.
• Written by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Cynthia Weil, I'm Glad I Did (Soho Teen, 2015, ISBN: 9781616953560) is set in 1963 Manhattan. Despite her parents' disapproval, sixteen-year-old JJ Green applies for and wins an internship with a Brill Building music publisher. Armed with talent and enthusiasm, JJ enters the dark, competitive world of the music industry. This young adult novel shows the unromantic side of the business, as JJ witnesses stiff competition, racism, and questionable ethics. Drawing on her own experiences, Weil paints a vivid picture of the underbelly of the music scene at the dawn of a new age.

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Review: Inventing Montana by Ted Leeson

Ted Leeson's newest collection of essays takes us to one of the most famous fly-fishing areas of the country: the Madison Valley. For about twenty years, Leeson, his wife, and a group of friends have met every August to stay in the same rented farmhouse. Through twelve nicely paced essays, Leeson conflates the seasons to give us a sense of life in Montana through the eyes of a long-time visitor.

In the tradition of most outdoor writing, Leeson's reflections encompass much more than fishing. Several essays touch on the power of space, the meanings of house and home, and the easy rhythm of life among friends who have long since taken on comfortable summer roles.

Leeson is not insular, however, and also notices how Montana has changed over the decades from a sportsman's haven to the playground of the rich and famous. He explores the question of what it must be like to live in a town that is caught between needing the tourists in order to make a living and simultaneously resenting their intrusion. He observes the irony of the diminishing open spaces caused by the influx of people who have moved to the state to enjoy the wilderness.

But ultimately, Inventing Montana is about the fishing. In one section, Leeson ponders the differences between wading and floating the river:

The sense of promise in wade fishing originates in its deliberateness, in the potential for adapting to circumstances, and in the confidence that every local angling problem has a solution. . . . The drifting angler, by comparison, embraces the more innocent optimism of what lies ahead, the fresh hand dealt, the next card turned; it is poker hope, by no means inferior, but rather more easily purchased. (p. 53)

Through humor and good storytelling, Leeson takes on the hunt to find the perfect water, the quest for solitude, and the agonizing wait for the hatches. He also ponders the correct way to answer, "What's your favorite fishing spot?"

An honest reply would take some explaining, and I have learned that any response to a fishing question posed casually at a social function should be scrupulously brief, at least if you care to get invited anywhere again. (pp. 132-133)

And throughout it all, Leeson's love of the Madison River Valley is evident:

The first hours of light on a river are the most gracious of the day. Cool night air still lingers over the water, and there is seldom any wind. Shadows stretch out as the day uncurls in the yawn of morning sun, and the river is never more quietly spectacular or the landscape more vividly limned than in that slanting light. (p. 107)

Inventing Montana should appeal to anyone who fly fishes, enjoys nature, and who has been lucky enough to return year after year to a favorite spot with the best of people.

Inventing Montana at an Indie

Inventing Montana at Powell's
Inventing Montana at Amazon

Note that all extracts come from an advance reading copy and may not exactly match the finished book. Thanks to Thomas Semosh for bringing this title to my attention at BEA.

Published by Skyhorse Publishing, September 1, 2009
ISBN-13: 9781602397965
Challenges: 999, 100+
YTD: 65
Rating: B

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