Cookbook authors are constantly creating the latest trends in culinary delights. These new ideas in food preparation can be found on our library shelves alongside more traditional favorites. It’s time for a feast.

BRILLIANT BITES: 75 Amazing Small Bites for Any Occasion by Meagan Brown (641.812 BR) provides directions for creating delectable party dishes in miniature, and modifies the ingredients to hold their shape as hors d’oeuvres. Why bother with layers of phyllo dough for baklava, when you can bake the nut filling on a small square of refrigerator dough? Bow-Tie Antipasto Bites and Banana Pudding Bites are my favorites – and quite easy to make. Readers will appreciate the full sized color photos of each dish.

BAKING YESTERYEAR: The Best Recipes from the 1900s to the 1980s by B. Dylan Hollis (364.815 HO) rediscovers recipes from old cookbooks. He features the best ones from each decade, but warns about some, such as jellied meatloaf, that are unappetizing for a modern palate. Hollis started talking about old recipes on TikTok during the COVID shutdown, and remains a popular media personality. Embark on this historical journey from pecan dainties to unemployment pudding, tomato soup cake, and ambrosia salad, to name just a few of the 100 recipes for readers to try.

THE COMPLETE AIR FRYER by Sam & Dom Milner (641.77 MI) not only covers the air fryer and how to use it, but offers 140 recipes. Some, such as green bean casserole, modify a traditional recipe into one using air frying, while others are new creative recipes to supplement your repertoire of favorites. The book includes vegan and vegetarian selections, as well as meats and desserts in a bright and beautiful layout.

I COULD NOSH: CLASSIC JEW-ISH Recipes Revamped for Every Day by Jake Cohen (641.5676 CO) is the ultimate adventure in cooking, with full-page color photos and a short history of each recipe. Matzo Ball Soup is well known throughout the country, but have you ever tried a buckwheat and pasta combination called kasha, or split pea soup with a twist (add broccoli and chicken sausage)? Cohen’s recipes are visually appealing and made from mouth-watering ingredients. Try them all!

MILK STREET SIMPLE by Christopher Kimball (641.512 KI) is the latest in the Milk Street series of cookbooks. Fans will not be disappointed with 200 inventive recipes that have been simplified for the household kitchen. Embark on a cooking adventure with dishes like Marinated Pork Skewers and Coconut Rice with Cashews. All recipes are indexed and accompanied by photos.

SEED TO PLATE SOIL TO SKY by Lois Ellen Frank (641.5363 FR) features plant-based recipes that use Native American Ingredients. The Author, award-winning chef and Native foods historian, collaborated with Walter Whitewater, Native American chef, to roll out new recipes with full-page color photos. The chefs also share their philosophy of a plant-based menu from fresh ingredients, and provide plenty of documentation, including an easy-to-use index of recipes.

VENISON COOKBOOK: From Field to Table by Jim and Ann Casada (641.691 CA) is centered around venison recipes, as the title says. If you have a freezer full of meat from hunting season last fall, try some of these updated and inventive choices for your next dinner. The index includes 400 delicious items.

WILD GAME COOKING by Cider Mill Press (641.691 WI) features a bright plaid cover that evokes a rustic outdoor experience. Besides venison, this comprehensive cookbook also includes recipes for quail, rabbit, elk, trout, pheasant, moose, and salmon. The appendix covers the basics, such as dumplings and sauces, to complement the main dishes. Numerous color photos give readers an idea of what the final dish will look like.

By Lynette Suckow

Reference Librarian