Welcome to Eater's Spring Cookbook and Food Book Preview. This time around, the preview contains significantly fewer books than, say, the huge, two-part Fall preview. Spring — defined here as January, February, March and April releases — is a bit of a slow season for cookbooks (at least compared to Fall), but the books included below also meet stricter criteria than in years past. To keep the list from getting massively out of hand, the preview below represents the same types of books covered in Eater's Essential Cookbooks and Food Books of 2012 list: books that are about, written by, or could be useful to chefs/restaurants.
That said, there are some amazing books coming up: Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of New York's Eleven Madison Park have an ode to New York City on the way, Tim Byres of Dallas' beloved Smoke restaurant has his first book coming out as well. The team behind the avant garde chefs event Cook It Raw will produce covering their antics, and Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group will share some of their family meal recipes. Spring 2013 will see a greater focus on vegetables (with a new book by legendary vegetable cookbook author Deborah Madison), traditional patisserie, and, as always happens in the Spring, barbecue (Texan food writer Robb Walsh goes on a road trip through the South). And Gwyneth's Paltrow's upcoming book (while not an "Eater Pick" per se) should also prove to be highly entertaining, if her last one was any indication. And now, without further ado, Eater's Spring 2013 Cookbook and Food Book Preview.
Did we miss anything? Let us know.
Chef/Restaurant Books
Eater's Picks
Russ & Daughters: Reflections and Recipes from the House That Herring Built by Mark Russ Federman.
Russ & Daughters tells the story of what Anthony Bourdain has called "New York City's greatest living institution," an appetizing store in New York City. The book promises to tell not just the story of four generations of a family or of the food institution they've run since 1914, but also of the Lower East Side and New York City as a whole. Bonus: it will also have recipes.
Schocken: March 5.
Family Table: Favorite Staff Meals from Our Restaurants to Your Home by Michael Romano and Karen Stabiner.
Yes, there have been a bunch of family/staff meal cookbooks in the past several years, but don't let your eyes gloss over just yet. Family Table was written Union Square Hospitality Group's culinary director Michael Romano, along with writer Karen Stabiner. It features recipes from across USHG's empire — Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, The Modern, and more — most of which are actually something you might attempt to cook at home.
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: April 2.
Cook it Raw edited by Alessandro Porcelli.
A peek inside one of the world's most exclusive culinary events, Cook It Raw goes behind the scenes with chefs like René Redzepi, Albert Adrià, Pascal Barbot, Daniel Patterson, Sean Brock, David Chang, Ben Shewry and more. The book will include recipes, accounts of the avant garde cooking event from the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Jeffrey Steingarten and Andrea Petrini, and over 400 photos. Check out a preview of the book and a look at the most recent Cook It Raw event in Poland.
Phaidon Press: April 9.
Smoke: New Firewood Cooking by Tim Byres.
Texas chef Tim Byres explores the world of smoked foods in his upcoming Smoke, which shares the name of his Dallas restaurant. Expect: updated takes on Southwestern and Southern cuisine, tips on how to work smokey flavors into your food, and recipes for making all kinds of pickles, jams, and other preserved condiments from scratch. Do not expect: a cookbook about barbecue. Here, Byres smokes everything from vegetables to salsas and, hopefully, shows the wide range of Texan cuisine.
Rizzoli: April 9.
I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes by Daniel Humm, Will Guidara.
It wasn't that long ago that Daniel Humm and Will Guidara released their Eleven Madison Park cookbook, but here they are again with I Love New York, a book that explores New York City's deep culinary heritage. The book looks at EMP's suppliers and "food artisans," and offers 150 recipes using ingredients representative of the region.
Ten Speed Press: April 9.
Notable Mentions
- Stewed: A Collection of Soups, Braises, & Stews from Sweet Basil by David Becker. Garden Variety Publishing: January 4.
- Spanish Flavors: Stunning Dishes Inspired by the Regional Ingredients of Spain by Jose Pizarro. Kyle Books: January 16
- Fresh Off the Boat: A Memoir by Eddie Huang. Spiegel & Grau: January 29
- FOOD & WINE America's Greatest New Cooks: Spectacular Recipes with Fresh Ideas From Tomorrow's Stars by The Editors of FOOD & WINE. American Express Publishing: February 1
- Back of the House: The Secret Life of a Restaurant by Scott Haas. Berkley Trade: February 5
- La Crepe Nanou Cookbook by Troy Gilbert. Pelican Publishing: February 15
- Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate by Richard Blais. Clarkson Potter: February 26
- The New Jewish Table: Modern Seasonal Recipes for Traditional Dishes by Todd Gray and Ellen Kassoff Gray. St. Martin's Press: March 5
- The Chefs Collaborative Cookbook: Local, Sustainable, Delicious: Recipes from America's Great Chefs by Chefs Collaborative, Ellen Jackson. Taunton Press: March 12
- Wicked Good Burgers: Fearless Recipes and Uncompromising Techniques for the Ultimate Patty by Andy Husbands, Chris Hart, Andrea Pyenson. Fair Winds Press: April 1
- Eat St.: Recipes from the Tastiest, Messiest, and Most Irresistible Food Trucks by James Cunningham. Pintail: April 2
- Smart Casual: The Transformation of Gourmet Restaurant Style in America by Alison Pearlman. University Of Chicago Press: April 15
- Michael Chiarello's Live Fire: 125 Recipes for Cooking Outdoors by Michael Chiarello. Chronicle Books: April 16
- Fabio's Italian Kitchen by Fabio Viviani. Hyperion: April 23
- Plum: Gratifying Vegan Dishes from Seattle's Plum Bistro by Makini Howell. Sasquatch Books: April 23
- Old-School Comfort Food: The Way I Learned to Cook by Alex Guarnaschelli. Clarkson Potter: April 16
- The Adobo Road Cookbook: A Filipino Food Journey by Marvin Gapultos. Tuttle Publishing: April 23.
Pastry/Bakery Books
Eater's Picks
Modern Art Desserts: Recipes for Cakes, Cookies, Confections, and Frozen Treats Based on Iconic Works of Art by Caitlin Freeman.
It's been a busy year for Caitlin Freeman: just this past Fall, the San Francisco pastry chef's recipes appeared in Blue Bottle Craft of Coffee, and Spring brings her collection of Modern Art Desserts. The book explores Freeman's desserts for the Blue Bottle's cafe at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, which were inspired by artists like Jeff Koons, Roy Lichtenstein, Richard Avedon and others. This one promises to be just as fun to look at as it is to bake from.
Ten Speed Press: April 16.
Patisserie at Home by Will Torrent.
Pastry chef Will Torrent began studying under Heston Blumenthal when he was the ripe old age of 16, and since then has worked in some of the UK's best kitchens: Claridges, The Dorchester, The Lanesborough, The Fat Duck, and others. This, his first book, covers the world of traditional, old school patisserie.
Ryland Peters & Small: April 11.
Notable Mentions
- Master Class with Toba Garrett by Toba M. Garrett. Wiley: January 29
- Patisserie: Mastering the Fundamentals of French Pastry by Christophe Felder. Rizzoli: February 26
- Bake It Like You Mean It: Gorgeous Cakes from Inside Out by Gesine Bullock-Prado. Stewart, Tabori & Chang: March 5
- Malts & Milkshakes: 60 Recipes for Frosty, Creamy, Frozen Treats by Autumn Martin. St. Martin's Griffin: April 9.
Regional Cookbooks
Eater's Picks
The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen by Matt Lee and Ted Lee.
Beard Award-winning cookbook authors Matt Lee and Ted Less turn their attention to their hometown of Charleston, South Carolina. While the trend of generically "Southern" cookbooks is (finally) cooling off, hyper-localized cuisines and especially Charleston are set to be the new big cookbook trends in the coming years. (See: Sean Brock's upcoming 2014 Lowcountry cookbook.) The Lee Brothers' books are always big hits, and the one promises 100 recipes of traditional Charleston favorites.
Clarkson Potter: February 26.
Washington Post Cookbook compiled by Bonnie Benwick.
This is the Washington Post's first cookbook ever, if you can believe that. The book will contain 150 recipes culled from the newspaper's food section and will provide a much-needed look at the foods of the Washington, DC region.
Time Capsule Press, LLC: March 25.
New York a la Cart: Recipes and Stories from the Big Apple's Best Food Trucks by Siobhan Wallace, Alexandra Penfold.
While the recipes in New York a la Cart will surely cater to all your deep frying, Belgian waffle-making, Halal-food slinging needs, this book is on the must-read list for its stories of food carts and trucks navigating New York's complicated street food scene.
Running Press: April 2.
Notable Mentions
- New Orleans Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the French Quarter to the Garden District by Lorin Gaudin. Lyons Press: January 15
- The Yankee Chef: Feel Good Food for Every Kitchen by Jim Bailey. Schiffer Publishing, Ltd.: January 28
- Austin Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from the Texas Capital by Crystal Esquivel. Lyons Press: March 5
- In the Kitchen with the Pike Place Fish Guys: 100 Recipes and Tips from the World-Famous Crew of Pike Place Fish by The Crew of Pike Place Fish, Leslie Miller, Bryan Jarr. Studio: March 7
- Savannah Chef's Table: Extraordinary Recipes from this Historic Southern City by Damon Lee Fowler. Lyons Press: April 2
- Toronto Star Cookbook: More than 150 Diverse and Delicious Recipes Celebrating Ontario by Jennifer Bain. Appetite by Random House: April 2
- Wild Alaskan Seafood: Celebrated Recipes from America's Top Chefs by James O. Fraioli. Lyons Press: April 2
- New York Sweets: A Sugarhound's Guide to the Best Bakeries, Ice Cream Parlors, Candy Shops, and Other Emporia of Delicious Delights by Susan Pear Meisel. Rizzoli: April 2
- Wisconsin Supper Clubs: An Old-Fashioned Experience by Ron Faiola. Agate Midway: April 9
- Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America by Gustavo Arellano. Scribner: April 16.
Barbecue
Eater's Pick
Barbecue Crossroads: Notes and Recipes from a Southern Odyssey by Robb Walsh.
Robb Walsh, the bard of Texas foodways, here turns his attention to the South's most famous culinary tradition: barbecue. With "stories, recipes, and photographs," Walsh goes on a smoked meat-fueled road trip across the South and takes a look at the history of barbecue and what it is today.
University of Texas Press: April 15.
Notable Mentions
- The Kentucky Barbecue Book by Wes Berry. The University Press of Kentucky: February 6
-
Where There's Smoke: Simple, Sustainable, Delicious Grilling by Barton Seaver. Sterling Epicure: April 2
· All Fired Up: Smokin' Hot Secrets for the South's Best BBQ by Troy Black. Oxmoor House: April 9 - Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction by Bobby Flay, Stephanie Banyas, Sally Jackson. Clarkson Potter: April 23.
Big Name Cookbook Authors and Other Famous People
Eater's Picks
Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking by Fuschia Dunlop.
British cookbook author Fuschia Dunlop's guide to Southern Chinese home cooking is finally available in the US. This book was a big hit overseas, and there is always more room for Chinese cookbooks. Likely one of 2013 must-haves.
W. W. Norton & Company: February 4.
Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom, with over 300 Deliciously Simple Recipes by Deborah Madison.
San Francisco chef Deborah Madison has a decades-long career covering vegetables and vegetarian cooking. Vegetable Literacy seeks to deepen readers' understanding of vegetables by connecting "vegetables, edible flowers, and herbs within the same botanical families." A must for chefs looking to up their vegetable game.
Ten Speed Press: March 19.
Notable Mentions
- Smash Mouth: Recipes from the Road: A Rock 'n' Roll Cookbook by Steve Harwell, Paul DeLisle, Robert Hayes. Seapoint Books: January 10
- Pati's Mexican Table: The Secrets of Real Mexican Home Cooking by Pati Jinich. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt: March 5
- It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great by Gwyneth Paltrow. Grand Central Life & Style: April 2
- What's for Dinner?: Delicious Recipes for a Busy Life by Curtis Stone. Ballantine Books: April 9
- Relish: An Adventure in Food, Style, and Everyday Fun by Daphne Oz. William Morrow: April 16
- Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation by Michael Pollan. Penguin Press HC: April 23
- VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 p.m. to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health . . . for Good by Mark Bittman. Clarkson Potter: April 30.
Booze
Eater's Picks
American Wine by Jancis Robinson.
Claiming to be the "the first comprehensive and authoritative reference to the wines, wineries, and winemakers of the USA," American Wine is the latest from Wine Grapes author Jancis Robinson. The book traces American wine's history from pre-Prohibition winemaking to current trends across the country.
Mitchell Beazley: February 1.
Notable Mentions
- Vodka Distilled: The Modern Mixologist on Vodka and Vodka Cocktails by Tony Abou-Ganim. Agate Surrey: February 19
- The Old Fashioned: An Essential Guide to the Original Whiskey Cocktail by Albert W. A. Schmid. The University Press of Kentucky: February 6
- Celebrity Vineyards: From Napa to Tuscany in Search of Great Wine by Nick Wise. Welcome Books: March 26
- Bordeaux Legends: The 1855 First Growth Wines of Haut-Brion, Lafite Rothschild, Latour, Margaux and Mouton Rothschild by Jane Anson. Stewart, Tabori & Chang: April 2.
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