In the spring and in the fall, cookbooks start arriving on my desk faster than I have time to open and sort the packages, much less take the time to read them. Some days there are so many of them the clerks who sort our mail bring them to me in stacks or even bins.
In an effort to keep the piles from towering too high, I try to give each book a thorough once-over as soon as I open the envelope. The following are titles that caught my attention. I haven't had time to really read them, or try any of their recipes yet, but they did make it to the top of my "save and read" pile. And if you're looking for a last-minute Mother's Day gift for the cooking mom in your life, there's probably one or two on this list that would make Mom happy.
In alphabetical order:
• A Bird in the Hand: Chicken Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood by Diana Henry (Mitchell Beazley, $29.99).
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Ginger Chicken Meatballs in Broth With Greens; Chicken, Spinach and Cauliflower Risotto With Melting Fontina; Chicken With Thyme and Lemon and Smashed Garlic Potatoes; Cilantro-Seared Chicken With Hot-and-Cold Cucumber Relish; Chicken Piri Piri; Mexican Grilled Chicken; Sweet Potato and Avocado Salad With Chipotle Mayo.
m Biscuits: Sweet and Savory Southern Recipes for the All-American Kitchen by Jackie Garvin (Skyhorse, $19.99).
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Biscuit Doughnuts with Orange Buttermilk Glaze, Double Decker Strawberry Shortcake, Spicy Pimento Cheese Bites, Bacon Tomato Gravy, Skillet Pepperoni Pizza with Biscuit Crust.
m Flavors of Aloha: Cooking With Tommy Bahama recipes by Rick Rodgers with text by Jeff Morgan (Chronicle, $40).
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Sesame and Ginger Spinach; Pan-Cooked Noodles With Shrimp and Chorizo; Garlic Fried Rice With Sausage, Eggs and Green Onions; Ahi Tuna With Lemongrass Crust and Sweet Chili-Mustard Sauce; Mahi Mahi With Macadamia Nut Crust and Papaya Salsa; Huli Huli Pork Tenderloin and Pineapple With Old-School Teriyaki Marinade; Chicken Katsu with Umami Sauce.
m Food52 Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook by Kristen Milgore (Ten Speed Press, $35).
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Salt Crusted Potatoes With Cilantro Mojo, Poached Scrambled Eggs, Caramelized White Chocolate, Ship's Biscuit (a soft scrambled egg sandwich on foccacia bread), Salt-Baked Herbed Salmon.
m Sorghum's Savor by Ronni Lundy (University Press of Florida, $19.95.)
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Gravy Horse and its variations (butter mixed with sorghum syrup); Berry Shortcakes With Sorghum Creme Fraiche; Gone, Gone, Gone Peanut Butter Cookies; Audrey Morgan's Apple-Sorghum Stack Cake; Spicy Sorghum-Glazed Pecans; Chicken Yassa Style.
m Yogurt Culture: A Global Look at How to Make, Bake, Sip and Chill the World's Creamiest, Healthiest Food by Cheryl Sternman Rule (Houghton Mufflin Harcourt, $22).
Recipes/photos that caught my eye: Yogurt Whipped Cream, Syrup-Drenched Orange Phyllo Cake, Stella's Tzatziki, Smoky Eggplant-Tahini Dip, Tenderest Cardamom Pancakes, Cauliflower-Bacon Soup With Saffron Yogurt, Labneh-Stuffed Peppers With Feta and Pistachio, Tangy Potato Mash With Scallions.
Food on 05/06/2015