I first started cooking because of my medical diet. If I wanted to eat it, I had to make it myself. But what started out as a frustration with the pre-packaged food products in my grocery store turned into a genuine love. Now I develop recipes for fun. July and August have been about a sweet and spicy tomato chutney that I spread on gluten-free toast. It’s a dream. And I can already tell that September will be all about dairy-free carrot soup. So today’s newsletter is all about food books.
But first, bookish goods and a reminder to check out Book Riot’s New Release Index. Delighting velocireaders since 2017, the Index will keep you in the know about all the latest books. New books for days. Subscribe today — you won’t be able to read them all, but it’s fun to try!
Bookish Goods
New Releases
Kugels and Collards: Stories of Food, Family, and Tradition in Jewish South Carolina by Rachel Gordin Barnett and Lyssa Kligman Harvey
Barnett and Harvey gather together a diverse collection of Jewish recipes. They combine their Southern and Jewish heritage with cuisine that blends both cultures.
Falafel: Delicious Recipes for Middle Eastern-Style Patties, Plus Sauces, Pickles, Salads and Breads by Dunja Gulin
This cookbook celebrates Falafel in its many forms. Dunja Guilin includes recipes for dozens of different kinds of Falafels and sides to pair with them.
For a more comprehensive list, check out our New Books newsletter.
Riot Recommendations
Eat a Peach by David Chang
David Chang is known as an incredible restaurateur and has opened restaurants around the world. But he didn’t start out that way. He grew up as the son of Korean immigrants, and started out working as a line cook in a wide range of restaurants. He started his business and received a lot of early success. But the entire time, he was hiding his struggle with mental illness. This memoir follows his experience with anxiety and depression from a young age through his decorated career as a celebrity chef.
The Way Through the Woods by Long Litt Woon, Translated by Barbara J. Haveland
Long Litt Woon moved from Malaysia to Norway, married her husband, and made a life for herself as an anthropologist. But when Woon’s husband dies, she doesn’t know how to move through life without him. Then she discovers the mushroom community, which helps bring her new joy. The book is filled with all sorts of mushroom facts, giving readers a detailed account of what mushrooming looks like in Norway.
That’s it for this week! You can find me over on my substack Winchester Ave, over on Instagram @kdwinchester, or on my podcast Read Appalachia. As always, feel free to drop me a line at kendra.d.winchester@gmail.com. For even MORE bookish content, you can find my articles over on Book Riot.
Happy Reading, Friends!
~ Kendra