Kenji Lopez-Alt
Author of The Food Lab and Chief Consultant for Serious Eats.com
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by Kenji Lopez-Alt
“For years, Bill, Judy, Sarah, and Kaitlin have been my go-to source for recipes and techniques that have roots firmly planted in Chinese tradition but with a uniquely American experience and voice. Their intergenerational approach makes The Woks of Life unique in its ability to inspire and educate, with an eye toward practicality and usefulness. This is a very special book.” (from Amazon)
by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, Sarah Leung·You?
by Bill Leung, Kaitlin Leung, Judy Leung, Sarah Leung·You?
JAMES BEARD AWARD NOMINEE • NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLER • IACP AWARD FINALIST • PUBLISHERS WEEKLY STARRED REVIEW • “The Woks of Life did something miraculous: It reconnected me to my love of Chinese food and showed me how simple it is to make my favorite dishes myself.”—KEVIN KWAN, author of Crazy Rich Asians The family behind the acclaimed blog The Woks of Life shares 100 of their favorite home-cooked and restaurant-style Chinese recipes in ”a very special book” (J. Kenji López-Alt, author of The Food Lab and The Wok) ONE OF THE TEN BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: San Francisco Chronicle, Simply Recipes ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR: The New York Times, Food & Wine, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, Delish, Epicurious This is the story of a family as told through food. Judy, the mom, speaks to traditional Chinese dishes and cultural backstory. Bill, the dad, worked in his family’s Chinese restaurants and will walk you through how to make a glorious Cantonese Roast Duck. Daughters Sarah and Kaitlin have your vegetable-forward and one-dish recipes covered—put them all together and you have the first cookbook from the funny and poignant family behind the popular blog The Woks of Life. In addition to recipes for Mini Char Siu Bao, Spicy Beef Biang Biang Noodles, Cantonese Pork Belly Fried Rice, and Salt-and-Pepper Fried Oyster Mushrooms, there are also helpful tips and tricks throughout, including an elaborate rundown of the Chinese pantry, explanations of essential tools (including the all-important wok), and insight on game-changing Chinese cooking secrets like how to “velvet” meat to make it extra tender and juicy. Whether you’re new to Chinese cooking or if your pantry is always stocked with bean paste and chili oil, you’ll find lots of inspiration and trustworthy recipes that will become a part of your family story, too.
Recommended by Kenji Lopez-Alt
“This is the book barbecue nerds have been waiting for. Myth and lore abounds in the world of cooking, and nowhere more so than in the primal arena that exists when humans put open fire and meat together in the great outdoors (or suburban backyard, as the case may be). That’s good news for anyone who, like me, longs to understand the science of grilling and barbecue; the thermodynamics of heat transfer under that kettle dome, the chemistry of the smoke ring, and what makes a char-grilled steak so g*&@%# delicious. Meathead's gift lies not just in factual accuracy, but also in being able to distill complex subjects to their most essential, applicable core in a manner that is a genuine pleasure to read. You'll laugh out loud at his metaphors. A good technical writer will leave you feeling like you know more than when you started. A great one can leave you feeling like more than a passive bystander. It'll make you feel like an active participant, like you've been on a voyage of discovery for yourself. Flipping over each page to discover what lies on the next will remind you of the very first time you peeked under the cover of your grill and breathed in the alchemy that occurs between smoke and meat. You'll see conventions challenged, techniques elucidated, and myths busted, and you'll have a wildly fun time in the process. With hundreds of pages on techniques, theory, equipment, and background science before you even get to the recipes, this is a book that is squarely aimed at cooks who don’t just want a single good rack of ribs coming off their grill, but who want to understand what makes them good and how to repeat it time after time. Soak in enough of the background technique and you won't even need a recipe. You have all the tools you need to develop your own. I love to grill but I'm not barbecue guru. After reading Meathead, I'm gonna be pretty darned good at faking it though.” (from Amazon)
by Meathead Goldwyn, Greg Blonder·You?
by Meathead Goldwyn, Greg Blonder·You?
For succulent results every time, nothing is more crucial than understanding the science behind the interaction of food, fire, heat, and smoke. This is the definitive guide to the concepts, methods, equipment, and accessories of barbecue and grilling. The founder and editor of the world's most popular BBQ and grilling website, AmazingRibs.com, Meathead applies the latest research to backyard cooking more than 100 thoroughly tested recipes. With the help of physicist and food scientist Prof. Greg Blonder, PhD, of Boston University, he explains why dry brining is better than wet brining; how marinades really work; why rubs shouldn't have salt in them; the importance of digital thermometers; why searing doesn't seal in juices; how salt penetrates but spices don't; when charcoal beats gas and when gas beats charcoal; how to calibrate and tune a grill or smoker; how to keep fish from sticking; cooking with logs; the strengths and weaknesses of the new pellet cookers; tricks for rotisserie cooking; why cooking whole animals is a bad idea; which grill grates are best; and why beer-can chicken is a waste of good beer and nowhere close to the best way to cook a bird. He shatters the myths that stand in the way of perfection. Among the many busted old husband's tales: * Myth: Bring meat to room temperature before cooking. * Myth: Soak wood before using it. * Myth: Bone-in steaks taste better. * Myth: You should sear first, then cook. The book blends chemistry, physics, meat science, and humor. Lavishly designed with hundreds of full-color photos by the author, this book contains all the sure-fire recipes for traditional American favorites and many more outside-the-box creations. You'll get recipes for all the great regional barbecue sauces; rubs for meats and vegetables; Last Meal Ribs; Simon & Garfunkel Chicken; Schmancy Smoked Salmon; The Ultimate Turkey; Texas Brisket; Perfect Pulled Pork; Sweet & Sour Pork with Mumbo Sauce; Whole Hog; Steakhouse Steaks; Diner Burgers; Prime Rib; Brazilian Short Ribs; Rack Of Lamb Lollipops; Huli-Huli Chicken; Smoked Trout Florida Mullet -Style; Baja Fish Tacos; Grilled Lobster, and many more.
Recommended by Kenji Lopez-Alt
“True evolution is not about what’s most complex, but about what is most practical. Evolutions in Bread represents the newest phase in Ken Forkish’s baking, that is, a descendent of Flour Water Salt Yeast with an even greater eye towards baking breads that are complex in flavor but simple in process. Any home baker can benefit from this uniquely democratic work from one of the great modern bread makers and educators.” (from Amazon)
by Ken Forkish·You?
The New York Times bestselling author of Flour Water Salt Yeast teaches you how to elevate your sandwich bread, breakfast toast, and overall bread-baking game using everything he’s learned in the last decade to perfect his loaves. “A descendent of Flour Water Salt Yeast with an even greater eye towards baking breads that are complex in flavor but simple in process.”—J. Kenji Lopez-Alt, author of The Food Lab, Every Night is Pizza Night, and The Wok If you want to craft artisan pan breads and rustic Dutch oven loaves at home with professional, consistent results, this is the book for you. Think crispy, crackly crusts and soft, airy interiors, just like from your favorite artisan bakery—except it came from your own oven. Approachable to the home baker, while still being chock-full of expert knowledge and all-new recipes, Evolutions in Bread covers same-day loaves, overnight cold-proof doughs, and classic levains. Forkish shares the secrets he has learned for making sourdough starter that’s more flour efficient while also exploring classic breads and enriched doughs, such as Japanese Milk Bread and Brioche. Included with each recipe is a handy baking schedule, helping newbies navigate their first starters and loaves. The doughs are also versatile; most can be prepared as a lidded pan loaf, open pan loaf, or as a rustic country loaf. This book will improve anyone’s baking but also serves as a companion to Flour Water Salt Yeast, giving you everything you need to create any loaf imaginable.
Recommended by Kenji Lopez-Alt
“As a born-and-bred Atlantic Coaster, the seafood of the Pacific Northwest had always mystified me. The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook, packed with recipes and useful tips, perfectly captures the saltwater through line between the region’s diverse cultural influences, both old and modern, all written with the ease and insight of a Seattle native.” (from Amazon)
From Coho and sockeye to Dungeness and Kumamoto For thousands of years, the abundance of fish and shellfish in the Pacific Northwest created a seafood paradise for the Indigenous peoples hunting and gathering along the region’s pristine waterways, and, later, for the Chinese, Scandinavian, Filipino, and Japanese immigrants (along with many others), who have made this region home. Drawing on these diverse influences, the region fostered a cuisine that is as varied as its people, yet which remains specifically Northwestern. Here, food writer Naomi Tomky leads readers through an exploration of this cuisine. She starts with the basics of buying great-tasting and sustainable seafood, surveys the variety of seafood on offer―from stars like halibut and oysters to unsung heroes like lingcod and smelt―and shares 75 delicious recipes reflecting the people who live in the region today, including Red Curry Mussels, IPA-Battered Cod, Dungeness Crab Deviled Eggs, and Pink Scallop Ceviche. From the first cut of salmon, prized for its rich flavor and versatility, to the last crack of the sweet Dungeness crab, Tomky covers grilling, curing, and baking, and shares secrets for tricky tasks like removing pin bones and mussel beards. She explains how flavor-packed spot prawns put other shrimp to shame and why the region’s razor clams are unparalleled. For curious seafood rookies in search of the perfect fool-proof salmon and barnacled fish-cooking veterans looking for a new way to enjoy their favorite catch, The Pacific Northwest Seafood Cookbook is a must-have guide to cooking, and eating, the region. Including recipes from Tom Douglas, Shiro Kashiba, Bonnie Morales, Mutsuko Soma, Ethan Stowell, Jason Stratton, John Sundstrom, and more. 75 color photographs
Recommended by Kenji Lopez-Alt
“In The Flavor Equation, Nik Sharma shows us how these elements—the brain and the heart—are not at odds with each other, but that they are in fact intimately intertwined. Understanding their interaction is the key to unlocking flavor in your own cooking, as Nik demonstrates in this beautiful and intelligent book.” (from Amazon)
by Nik Sharma, Matteo Riva, Christopher Kimball·You?
by Nik Sharma, Matteo Riva, Christopher Kimball·You?
Go beyond recipes in this groundbreaking and bestselling guide to elevating elemental ingredients to make delicious dishes that hit all the right notes, every time. From Nik Sharma, superstar scientist, food blogger, and author of the buzz-generating Season cookbook. "The Flavor Equation deserves space on the shelf right next to Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat as a titan of the how-and-why brigade."—The New Yorker Aroma, texture, sound, emotion—these are just a few of the elements that play into our perceptions of flavor. In a completely unique and accessible way, Nik Sharma takes readers on an in-depth exploration into the science of taste and demonstrates how to convert approachable spices, herbs, and commonplace pantry items into tasty, simple dishes. With more than 100 recipes paired with illustrations, anecdotes, and Sharma's evocative, trademark food photography and styling, The Flavor Equation is a knockout volume that provides inspiration and essential knowledge to both home cooks and seasoned chefs. Recipes, divided into seven sections, include: Brightness: Lemon-Lime Mintade Bitterness: Chocolate Miso Bread Pudding Saltiness: Roasted Tomato and Tamarind Soup Sweetness: Honey Turmeric Chicken Kebabs with Pineapple Savoriness: Blistered Shishito Peppers with Bonito Flakes Fieriness: Chicken Lollipops Richness: Coconut Milk Cake A cookbook that offers a new way of looking at food, this is the perfect gift or self-purchase for home cooks who are interested in the science of food and flavor. CRITICAL ACCLAIM: Named one of the Best Fall Cookbooks upon its release by The New York Times, Eater, Epicurious, Food & Wine, Forbes, Saveur, Serious Eats, The Smithsonian, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, CNN Travel, The Kitchn, Chowhound, and NPR. Winner of The Guild of U.K. Food Writers (General Cookbook) and finalist for the 2021 IACP Cookbook Award. HAILED BY CULINARY SUPERSTARS: Yotam Ottolenghi calls The Flavor Equation "deep and illuminating, fresh and highly informative … a most brilliant achievement." J. Kenji López-Alt proclaims it "a beautiful and intelligent book." Nigella Lawson calls it "original, thought-provoking, and illuminating. It is a book that will change the way you think about food and cooking, and will help to make all your other cookbooks make sense." FOR BEGINNERS & SEASONED HOME COOKS: The science of flavor is made accessible to every reader in these pages, with more in-depth information offered in a comprehensive appendix. Sharma dives deep into the most basic of our pantry items—salts, oils, sugars, vinegars, citrus, peppers, and more—artfully explaining the science behind why each flavor component works. Perfect for: Home cooks who want to learn more about food and flavor Those interested in the science of food Birthday, holiday, housewarming, or graduation gift for food enthusiasts Readers of Lucky Peach, Serious Eats, Indian-Ish, and Koreatown Add it to the shelf with cookbooks like The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science; Ottolenghi Flavor: A Cookbook; Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking; and On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen