The focus is on simplicity and speed in Tsang’s breezy debut collection. Introductory chapters chart the author’s early life in his parents’ Chinese restaurant in London, provide a guide to pantry staples, and expound on his flexible cooking style (“Whatever floats your boat,” he encourages in a brief guide to cooking rice). His penchant for adding “twists” to classic recipes is evident in such brunch fare as peanut butter bacon French toast and a Hong Kong–style breakfast roll of eggs, Spam, and American cheese. A chapter on hangover-friendly fare offers up spicy chile chicken with mozzarella, while a “Quick & Easy” chapter features udon in multiple styles: there’s a five-minute recipe with chile oil, soup with garlic and beef, curry egg udon, and even a “spicier, creamier Asian cousin of the carbonara.” Most recipes serve one or two and purport to take less than 30 minutes, though home cooks might find those prep times ballooning when there’s a lot to be chopped, as with the herby lime steak with pickled onions. A chapter focused on hosting groups of four or more includes dishes with longer oven times, such as cumin and potato braised leg of lamb and kimchi pork belly. Anyone interested in expanding their Asian cooking repertoire without expending too much time will be inspired. (Nov.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

The Great British Bake Off judge Hollywood (Bake) delivers a solid if somewhat stodgy collection of bakes tailored for festive occasions. Hollywood opens with a section on cakes, which, he writes, are a requirement for “a proper celebration,” including a classic fudge cake, fluffy Japanese cheesecake, and hazelnut orange cake using orange four ways. Subsequent sections are organized by season, with spring offerings including international Easter treats such as crostata pasquale from Italy and tsoureki from Greece. The summer section caters to BBQs and picnics, with recipes for flatbreads to be turned into sandwiches, indulgent tiramisu ice cream cake, and a beautiful but fussy fraisier cake. For fall, there’s a cozy pear bakewell tart and pumpkin spiced macarons, while winter brings such holiday bakes as mince pies and an over-the-top madeira cake made to look like an igloo. The final chapter, “Party,” concludes with crowd-pleasing retro dishes like a towering pavlova with boozy berries sandwiched between layers of chewy meringue. While Hollywood’s recipes are somewhat old-fashioned and his dry prose comes off a bit formal, he provides ambitious home bakers with reliable guidance to produce memorable and often showstopping confections. Fans will get what they came for. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Longevity Project founder Stern (Republican Like Me) extols the importance of meaningful relationships in this insightful examination of healthy living. Citing scientific studies and interviews with older adults around the world, Stern argues that the key to a long and healthy life isn’t diet or income but strong social connections, such as a wide network of friends or coworkers, close family ties, or volunteer work that offers a sense of purpose. Stern travels to countries with high life expectancy rates—Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Italy, and Spain—to examine how these societies keep older people connected to their communities and maximize their chances of living longer. For example, he learns how urban planners in Singapore built restaurants and stores around a retirement village to promote intergenerational intermingling; how government-funded programs in Italy encourage retired people to volunteer and attend cultural events; and how cities in Spain close streets to traffic to create public space for people to gather. Throughout, Stern provides practical takeaways readers can incorporate into their own lives, encouraging adults to sign up for in-person activities like learning courses, seek out volunteer opportunities, and invest in intergenerational relationships. This is a hopeful blueprint for anyone seeking to make the most of their later years. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Project designer Schmidt (The Complete Guide to Treehouses) provides an endearing guide to building Little Free Libraries, small public bookcases where people can leave and take books. There are 200,000 registered Little Free Libraries around the world, according to the nonprofit that promotes them, and some communities are adapting the cases to share more than just books, like food, clothes, and board games. The guide offers step-by-step instructions for building 11 free-standing structures, ranging from simple single-shelf boxes to multi-story cabinets. Schmidt covers the practical aspects of creating a mini library, like keeping in mind the sizes of the books that will be shared (children’s picture books, for instance, will need more space) as well as accessibility (some may want a short box kids can reach). The author goes into building basics, including the tools, wood, and paint crafters will need, and provides attractive variations on the traditional Little Free Library bookshelf, including a cobalt blue shed with a flower box on top and an adaptable “Give Box” where “anyone can put in anything they want (provided it fits in the box).” An enlightening final section explores how these libraries can combat book bans. This is a beneficial resource for book lovers and neighborhood organizers alike. Photos. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

The editors of Japan’s Carpentry Tools Basics Magazine offer a comprehensive introduction to handmade Japanese tools. Sought out by craftsmen for their durability and aesthetic appeal, Japanese carpentry tools are considered “the best in the world,” according to the authors. Each chapter zooms in on a specific tool type—planes, saws, genno hammers, and chisels—and details their history, how they’re made, and how to use and maintain them. For example, the section on genno hammers, a traditional Japanese hammer with a double-sided steel head, includes a “tapping guide” that teaches users to grip the handle firmly and strike with relaxed shoulders. Throughout, the authors intersperse interviews with master craftsmen, such as Masao Nakajima, a specialist in sukiya architecture and temple and shrine construction who instructs readers on the proper posture to maintain while planing wood. The book also includes background on the properties of wood and a trip through the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum in Kobe. Dynamic illustrations, including one from the late Edo period, highlight the extensive history of Japanese tool-making. Color photographs show every aspect of the tools, from their storage and handling to their upkeep. Woodworking enthusiasts will find this a boon. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Mixology-loving pickleball fans will enjoy this cheery collection of sporty recipes from Wilson (Free Spirit Cocktails). After a breezy overview of bartending 101, readers are volleyed between crushable quaffs. A honeydew melon ball garnish serves as an homage to the sport atop “The Green Paddle,” a gimlet-esque affair made with honeydew mint syrup (one of many unique and fruity syrup recipes included). Other concoctions are tied to pickleball only through their punny names: the “Dink ’n’ Stormy” adds candied ginger to the rum-based classic; the “Pickle-ada” is a brine-y take on the michelada, complete with cornichon; and the “Dillball Sparkler” sees sparkling wine, yuzu, and mint turn a pretty purple hue thanks to butterfly pea tea. Suggested serving occasions range from pre- to post-game, with the “Backspin Spritz,” for instance, proposed as an in-between-game refresher featuring elderflower, Prosecco, cucumber, and edible flowers. Instructions on scaling recipes for larger groups and a glossary of pickleball terms round things out. A lack of anecdotes or introductions for individual recipes leaves the connection between the drinks and the sport occasionally feeling tenuous, but enthusiasts will be taken with the vibrant photography featuring cocktails among pickleball gear. This is as satisfying as an overhead smash. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Culinary instructor Jyoti teams up with her son, Auyon, a culinary historian, to deliver an expansive guide to Indian cooking. Jyoti, who is Punjabi, shares many recipes from the state, including baingan bharta (smoky eggplant with onion and tomato), mattar paneer (fresh cheese with peas and tomato), and sooji halwa (sweet roasted semolina with ghee). There are also several Bengali offerings, including ghoogni (chickpea curry tamarind), shorshe chingri (shrimp curry with potato, mustard, and coconut), and chire bhaja (crispy flattened rice with peas). Dishes from other states, such as vindaloo (vinegar pork curry with garlic) from Goa, lemon rice from Karnataka, and aloo tamatar (potato with tomato and fennel) from Madhya Pradesh also appear. Throughout, Auyon provides vivid tidbits of Indian culinary history, though his tone occasionally skews snarky when discussing fusion fare. Instructions are easy to follow, but readers should be advised that most of the dishes are not quick weeknight dinners, and many require ingredients that may be difficult to source, with the authors discouraging substitutions. Still, it’s an informative and inspiring tour through India’s culinary diversity. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

Sally’s Baking Addiction blogger McKenney debuts with a mouthwatering compendium of new and “fan favorite” recipes. A thorough introduction covers ingredients, tools, and handy tips, including the best methods for melting chocolate and measuring dry ingredients. Cookies range from the classic—chocolate chip, made with melted butter and an extra egg yolk to achieve “maximum chewiness”—to the inventive, including pumpkin oatmeal cookies made with brown butter. A section on bars opens with a foundational brownie recipe that is then riffed on in the “birthday brookies,” a cookie-brownie hybrid, and the crème de menthe brownies. Non-chocolate options include salted pecan pie bars. McKenney’s cake tips include using hot liquid (either water or coffee) in chocolate cake recipes to “bloom” the cocoa powder, enhancing its flavor. A chapter devoted to pies and tarts opens with a crash course on crusts complete with “troubleshooting” advice for common problems that arise when rolling out dough. “Brunch bakes” include bagels and French toast casserole; muffins come in apple cinnamon, lemon poppy seed, blueberry, birthday cake, or chocolate chip; and a final section on yeasted doughs offers up stromboli, brioche sandwich rolls, and soft pretzels. Recipes are categorized by experience level from beginner to advanced. The result is a delicious, confidence-boosting collection that home bakers will return to time and again. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

“Happiness is in my kitchen and painting studio,” writes legendary chef Pépin (Cooking My Way) in this dazzling volume that brings together his loves of cooking and painting. Dishes like cream of mushroom soup, steamed scallops on spinach with hazelnut dressing, and chicken breast sautéed with tomato and chives, come together quickly. For something more elaborate, Pépin offers veal shank printaniere, pork roast with ratatouille, and flan à la vanille with caramel-cognac sauce. Much of the cheery, vibrant artwork that accompanies the recipes features produce, farm animals, and chefs at work, though there are also pieces that feel wholly unrelated to the recipes. The abstracted pastel “Serenity Landscape,” for example, follows a recipe for chili-garlic baked cod, while the expressive nude “Lying Model” precedes a yellow pepper soup with asparagus garnish. Still, the infectious joy Pépin takes in both pursuits shines through. Throughout, Pépin also offers money-saving tips and encourages readers to experiment with substitutions. (“If good-quality cauliflower is less expensive than broccoli, use that instead,” he writes for the ziti with sausage and vegetables.) This celebratory collection will delight newcomers and longtime fans alike. Agent: Doe Coover, Doe Coover Agency. (Sept.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink

In this inspiring debut guide, fiber artist Hultin teaches crafters how to embroider natural landscapes. She begins by encouraging readers to closely study their surroundings to find a landscape that excites them and then sketch it onto paper. From there, readers can use a fabric marker to trace their design onto cloth, which can then be embroidered with thread. Hultin offers instructions for a variety of basic embroidery stitches, like the back stitch and straight stitch, as well as experimental techniques, like incorporating watercolor and collages of fabric into an embroidered piece. She provides more than 40 designs for landscape features, such as trees, flowers, grasses, and mountains, that readers can replicate in their own compositions. There are step-by-step instructions for several sample landscapes crafters can copy and customize, including a field of California poppies and a tree-lined mountain range, as well as tips for composing an original landscape. Throughout her accessible explanations, Hultin intersperses thought-provoking quotes about nature from writers like Wendell Berry. This will help textile artists find beauty in their everyday surroundings. (Oct.)

Reviewed on 09/12/2025 | Details & Permalink