Diana Lamb

“You want happy endings, read cookbooks.”  Dean Young

Carne asada tacos, carnitas burritos, Baja fish tacos, killer quesadillas, and mushroom asada bowls are a sampling of the 75 recipes contained in “Trejos Tacos” by actor and L.A. restaurateur Danny Trejo. For something sweet, Danny offers both regular and vegan donuts in flavors like Margarita, cinnamon sugar, vegan berry and vegan coco loco. This book will make you instantly hungry for Mexican food!

Food allergies and dietary preferences are sweetly accommodated in Angela Garbacz’s book, “Perfectly Golden.” Now everyone can safely devour warm sticky pecan buns, pumpkin loaf cake, graham cracker cream pie, orange blossom cake with lemon buttercream frosting, rich chocolate ganache tart, and soft molasses cookies that are rolled in sugar before baking for a sweet crispy coating.

Simple, flavorful and wholesome fare is what you’ll discover in “Amish Family Recipes” by Lovina Eicher. Hearty and filling meals abound with chicken pot pie, Swiss steak, cabbage rolls and zucchini pizza casserole. The Amish are known for their baked goods and desserts. Save room for a warm slice of peach bread, frosted banana cake bars, sour cream apple pie, and cool, creamy chocolate pudding.

“Everyone Can Bake” by Dominique Ansel teaches home bakers his foundation recipes and techniques for consistently better baking results. You might start with strawberry banana bread or lemon pound cake. Soon, you may be inspired to bake a show-stopping raspberry cream puff cake or hazelnut chocolate cherry cake filled with chocolate mousse and coated with a smooth dark chocolate glaze.

Some more new cookbooks to whet your appetite include: “The Feast of Fiction Kitchen: Recipes Inspired by TV, Movies, Games & Books,” “Clean & Simple Diabetes Cookbook: Flavorful, Fuss-Free Recipes for Everyday Meal Planning,” “Welcome to Buttermilk Kitchen,” and “That Cheese Plate Will Change Your Life.”

For more information on how to check out these titles using our Books To Go program, please visit our website, www.akspl.org, or call 909-798-7565.

Julia Child once remarked, “Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it.”

For Julia Child, Ruth Reichl, Jose Andres and Anthony Bourdain, food has been their passion and a driving force in their lives and careers. All four memoirs can be checked out as audiobooks on our Overdrive database.

“Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child” by Bob Spitz chronicles the extraordinary and inspiring life and career of this pioneer in television cooking shows. Follow Julia as she makes her public television debut in 1962 at the age of fifty. With her easy-going manner, enthusiasm and unforgettable voice, Julia soon captivated audiences and won the hearts of the American public. Little did anyone suspect the lasting impact she would have and it all started with an omelet.

Before joining Gourmet Magazine as editor in chief, Ruth Reichl also held a powerful position as food critic for The New York Times. Remaining anonymous is key for reporting a truthful and unvarnished restaurant review. Once restaurant managers realized who she was, Ruth’s picture was circulated to every eatery in town. “Garlic and Sapphires” is a lively tale chronicling her incognito capers as Miriam, Chloe, Brenda, Betty, Emily and Molly to stay one step ahead as a critic in disguise.

On the April 6^th cover of Time magazine stands chef Jose Andres with a tall paddle in one hand and a giant kettle at his side. He was being recognized for his humanitarian aid in feeding masses of people affected by the coronavirus pandemic. This is not the first time he has come to the rescue of people in crisis. In September 2017, Hurricane Maria swept through Puerto Rico with 155 mph winds. The island was flooded, without power and desperate for help. In “We Fed an Island”, listen to Jose tell the amazing and uplifting story of what happened from arriving four days after the hurricane to eventually preparing nearly 4 million meals for the residents of Puerto Rico and giving them hope.

Chef, author and world traveler, Anthony Bourdain left us too soon. He had a profound influence upon workers in the food industry as well as the general public. For many, his departure left a hole that will be hard to fill. Fortunately, we can listen to Anthony tell his own tales from his memoir,  “Medium Raw”. In this follow-up to “Kitchen Confidential,” he provides us a tasting menu of topics such as career experiences, overseas adventures, fatherhood, celebrity TV chefs, plus much more.

We have some exciting news to share! If you have been longing to check out books again from the Smiley Library, the wait is over! Our latest program, “Books to Go,” allows our patrons to select library materials from our online catalog and pick them up by appointment. For more information, please visit our website at www.akspl.org or call us at (909) 798-7565.

“Good nutrition is not only about avoiding disease later, but about thriving now.” Mark Hyman

Several years ago, Dan Buettner introduced us to the five regions in the world where people lived very long healthy lives in his book, “The Blue Zones”. These regions are Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica and Loma Linda, California. Buettner’s latest book, “The Blue Zones Kitchen” takes us on a culinary journey into the lives and kitchens of seniors who share their wisdom and traditional recipes that have contributed to their longevity. A sampling of these 100 dishes to try are Okinawan Glazed Greens, Tender Bean, Potato and Onion Stew, Longevity Smoothie Bowl, Black-Eyed Pea Salad with Mint and Onions, One-Pot Lasagna Soup and Chinese Five-Spice Banana Ice Cream with Roasted Pineapple.

In his previous book, “Food: What the Heck Should I Eat?” Mark Hyman outlined what he believes are the foundations of a healthy diet. He advocates for a plan rich in plant foods, limited grains and dairy, free of refined sugars, fruit in moderation, clean sources of protein and healthy fats. Now, his follow-up book, “Food: What the Heck Should I Cook?” helps us put this diet into practice with 100 nutrient-rich, whole food recipes. Here is a sampling of what’s in store: Golden Cauliflower Caesar Salad, Seared Scallops with Avocado-Yuzu Sauce, Poached-Egg Power Bowl, Peppered Steaks with Roasted Oyster Mushrooms and Orange-Blackberry Almond Scones. Nutritional Analysis information for each recipe is located toward the back of the book.

Parties and celebrations are some of the sweet joys in life. Laughter, fun, happy conversation and food all contribute to a memorable occasion. However, sometimes party fare can present dietary challenges to both guests and hosts. Author and co-creator of the Whole30, Melissa Hartwig Urban understands this and shares 150 party-worthy recipes in her latest book, “The Whole30 Friends and Family.” These dishes are free of added sugars, alcohol, grains, legumes and dairy. So what’s left? To start, try some Bacon-Wrapped Turkey Jalapeno Poppers, Warm Spiced Olives, BLT Potato Skins and Smoky Roasted Cauliflower-Garlic Dip. Also, Grilled Steak and Peach Salad, Sonoma Chicken Salad, Pork Chili Verde, and Pina Colada Coleslaw. Desserts are fruit-based like Berry-Coconut Cream Shots and Citrusy Watermelon Strawberry Shortcakes. No matter if you are hosting a backyard barbecue, a family brunch or bringing a dish to a baby shower or office potluck, you can relax because these recipes are both healthy and tasty.

If the above books have whetted your appetite for healthy living, you may also want to check out these new titles, too. “Fix It with Food” by Michael Symon, “Ketofast” by Joseph Mercola, Michael Gregor’s “How Not to Diet” and “The Collagen Diet” by Josh Axe. Here’s to your health!