In her fifth cookbook, Forever Beirut, Barbara Abdeni Massaad (Soup for Syria) pays tribute to her roots, showcasing the abundant cultural and culinary heritage of the capital of Lebanon. The 100 easy-to-prepare recipes are introduced with Massaad's personal reminiscences as well as cultural notes, and almost every one of the 256 pages features vibrant and evocative food and location photos. Focusing on seasonal home cooking, Massaad introduces such familiar favorites as tabouleh, a vast array of breads and pastries, and dishes inspired by the ethnic diversity of the city. Forever Beirut will delight both new and more experienced lovers of Lebanese cooking. A portion of proceeds from the sale of the cookbook will be donated to those impacted by the devastating 2020 Port of Beirut explosion. --Grace Rajendran, freelance reviewer and literary events producer

Diasporican by Illyanna Maisonet, the country's first Puerto Rican food columnist for a major newspaper (San Francisco Chronicle), is an exquisite collection of recipes for a host of mouthwatering dishes. Despite its subtitle, Maisonet insists "this is not a Puerto Rican cookbook. This book is for the Diasporicans--the 5.5 million people living Stateside who continue to cook the food of our homeland." From her California kitchen, Maisonet gets personal: like her Puerto Rican-born mother and grandmother, she "did not have the privilege of cooking for pleasure or joy." Her recipes are intimately flavored with glimpses of personal history--raw, violent, colonized. Maisonet presents expected recipes--Arroz con Gandules, Lechón, Mofongo, Flan--as well as delicious surprises such as Arroz Chino Boricua (due to the influx of Cuban Chinese immigrants in the 1950s), Coconut Soda-Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (because her grandmother used boxed mixes) and Puerto Rican Laab (because, as a teen, she lived with a Laotian family). Soulful nourishment, indeed. --Terry Hong, Smithsonian Bookdragon

Chef and restaurateur Asma Khan (Asma's Indian Kitchen) takes readers back to her childhood home in Ammu, her delectable second cookbook. Named in honor of Khan's mother, Ammu combines warmhearted essays on Khan's family and her culinary journey with mouthwatering photos and recipes. The cookbook includes a range of recipes and ingredients: simple chutneys and snacks; slow-cooking biryanis and a leg of lamb; fried pakoras and grilled meats. Khan shares childhood comfort foods, celebratory meals to feed a crowd and the Western-infused Indian dishes she makes for her London-born sons. Each chapter includes family photos, memories from Khan's life in India and the U.K., and helpful tips for those new to Indian cooking. Ammu provides a feast for both the eyes and the kitchen table. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams

Koshersoul: The Faith and Food Journey of an African American Jew by Michael W. Twitty is an eclectic recipe collection exploring the intersections between food and identity, and showcasing dishes designed for such religious and cultural celebrations as Yom Kippur, Hanukkah and Juneteenth. In his sensational debut, The Cooking Gene,Twitty introduced readers to his American journey as a Black, gay man of Southern heritage who entered Jewish culture and religion through food, his favorite medium. This book, the second entry of a planned trilogy, presents his particular brand of "koshersoul" recipes inspired by Southern Jewish, Afro-Caribbean, West and Central African flavors, including Black-Eyed Pea Hummus; Yam Latkes; Senegalese-Inspired Chicken Soup; Swahili Roast Chicken; and Peach Noodle Kugel. A hearty immersion into Black and Jewish culinary traditions. --Shahina Piyarali, reviewer

In Homage, chef Chris Scott dives deep into the roots of his family and their foodways, offering a tribute to Amish soul food, an oft-overlooked cuisine. Through stories and recipes, he explores a food inspired by once-enslaved ancestors who eventually relocated to Pennsylvania Dutch Country, calling Amish soul food not a "newfangled creation" but a cuisine based in a "very real history that my family shares with so many others." It is food that is "about making the best of what you have," a notion apparent in dishes like Neckbone Dumplings; and Pig's Feet and Potatoes. It is also comfort food, hearty and celebratory, laden with affordable and homegrown ingredients: Pimento Cheese Spoonbread; Black-Eyed Pea Donuts; and Pan-Seared Chicken Livers. Homage, which includes handwritten notes, family photos and Brittany Conerly's vibrant photos of Scott's mouthwatering dishes, is an inviting and innovative cookbook that anchors a singular blend of food styles in history and family. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Autumn Michaelis builds her deliciously inviting debut cookbook, Whole Food for Your Family, with a showcase of dairy- and gluten-free recipes. These practical recipes, with elevated flavors, are based on her popular website Whole Food for 7. Beginning and experienced cooks alike will savor this collection of inventive, easy-to-follow recipes, including revised time-honored staples that follow Michaelis's approach. Whole Food will also appeal to children interested in cooking and gently challenge novice cooks of all ages who want to expand their skills. Concise recipes, many punctuated by lovely photographs and accompanied by useful tidbits on substitutions and side dishes to serve, are well organized, with categories such as Home-Run Kid Favorites, Classics with a Makeover and Lunch Box 101. Down-to-earth favorites include Italian Toss & Bake Chicken, Carrot Fries with Date Chipotle Sauce and Whole30 Potato Salad. --Oline H. Cogdill, freelance reviewer

Ina Garten (Modern Comfort Food; Barefoot Contessa Foolproof) has long been known for making food beautiful, whether on her cooking show or in her many cookbooks. But, as Garten explains in Go-To Dinners, the pandemic has changed the way she cooks. Due to supply-chain issues and the unpredictability of social occasions, Garten has found herself turning to plainer meals, ones that are simple to prep in advance or that generate leftovers. This cookbook, full of luscious photos of delicious food, reflects this simpler style of cooking. The Breakfast-for-Dinner Board and French Bistro Salad are more about assembly than cooking. A Hasselback Kielbasa is easy to make one night of the week, and the leftovers can be added to Tuscan White Bean Soup the next. Go-To Dinners, with no-nonsense recipes tasty enough for any chef, is the perfect addition to any cookbook library. --Jessica Howard, freelance book reviewer

Mezcla, Spanish for "mix," "mixture," "blend" or "fusion," perfectly describes Ixta Belfrage's passion for her Brazilian, Italian and Mexican heritage that inspires "food that crosses cultures and transcends borders." In Mezcla: Recipes to Excite, Belfrage (Ottolenghi Flavor, with Yotam Ottolenghi) divides her inventive recipes into "Everyday" and "Entertaining," urging home cooks to create what matches their mood. More than half of her dishes are "veg," which she perfected while working with renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi. Jalapeño, habanero, Scotch bonnet and Calabrian chiles appear in many of her recipes, but Belfrage suggests milder substitutions for cooks who "don't like heat." From the Brazilian- and Cuban-influenced Upside Down Plantain Omelet, to a Tomato and Lime Galette with Crunchy Spelt Chipotle Pastry, adventurous cooks will delight in the gustatory travels they take with Ixta Belfrage. --Cheryl McKeon, Book House of Stuyvesant Plaza, Albany, N.Y.

With the rise of farmers' markets has come a slew of cookbooks designed to help home cooks embrace seasonal eating. Although most of these books categorize recipes by season, food blogger Kathryn Pauline's debut, A Dish for All Seasons, takes a different approach, inviting readers to use the cookbook throughout a year. In this collection, Pauline gathers 25 foundational recipes and provides adaptations for each season of the year. This book, perfect for beginning cooks, will empower users to perfect a simple base (pancakes, roast chicken, frittata) while inspiring them to incorporate seasonal produce in creative and flavorful ways. With beautiful, full-color photographs to enhance each section, A Dish for All Seasons makes a gorgeous gift--with tasty meals guaranteed to follow. --Sara Beth West, freelance reviewer and librarian

Hannah Che, the daughter of Chinese immigrants, connected with her culture through cooking but faced resistance when she went vegan. Though her parents scorned "hippie types," she discovered that plant-based eating has an ancient heritage in China and was reinforced by Buddhism and mid-20th-century food shortages. In fact, the Chinese word for "vegan" connotes simplicity. Che's appealing, close-up photographs in The Vegan Chinese Kitchen showcase fresh and colorful plates: Napa cabbage and vermicelli salad, steamed buns and mock meat dishes such as "vegetarian roast goose" (shiitake mushrooms and ginger and bamboo shoots wrapped in tofu skin). Along with historical information and personal anecdotes, Che gives advice for preparing ingredients and making effective knife cuts. In this cookbook, a sliced pickled radish is a work of art, and there are more mouth-watering uses for tofu than you ever imagined. --Rebecca Foster, freelance reviewer, proofreader and blogger at Bookish Beck

Some 10-15% of Americans suffer from SIBO/IBS (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth/Irritable Bowl Syndrome), and many have learned to live with it by avoiding certain foods. Scientists suggest adopting a low-fermentation eating (LFE) lifestyle to alleviate the problem, but it can be a restrictive and often bland solution. The Good LFE Cookbook from Krystyna Houser and Robin Berlin presents more than 150 recipes to combat these issues while also entertaining tastebuds. Afflicted with poor gut health or not, anyone can enjoy the healthy dishes in this well-organized collection with recipes that are easy to assemble, such as Roasted Tomato and Chard Frittata; Cast Iron Chicken with Caper Lemon Croutons; and Flourless Chocolate Raspberry Torte. Tangy additions to holiday festivities include a Blood Orange and Rosemary Vodka Cocktail; Chocolate Coconut Cashew Mousse; and Pistachio Baklava Rolls. Cheers to year-round good tidings of intestinal comfort and joy. --Paul Dinh-McCrillis, freelance reviewer

Prue Leith (The Vegetarian Kitchen) is best known for judging The Great British Bake Off. Bliss on Toast is a salute to her favorite Sunday night comfort food--hot food served on toasted bread. Novice cooks will love her laid-back attitude about using bottled, canned and ready-made ingredients in her recipes. Her tasty recipes are divided into chapters for dishes that include cheese and eggs; vegetarian and vegan ingredients; fish; meat and poultry; and desserts. The cookbook's simple but stylish layout presents one full-page photo of the dish opposite a one-page recipe with tips. Particularly mouthwatering and tempting are scrambled eggs with fried prosciutto on sourdough; fried halloumi cheese in pita pockets; ham and burrata on toasted croissants; and bananas and ice cream with brandy syrup on panettone. Delicious! --Kevin Howell, independent reviewer and marketing consultant

Cookbook editor Chloe Godot will seduce lovers of fettuccini, ramen and even humble macaroni with Send Noods, a gleeful, eclectic pasta roster with a modern-dating theme that invites cooks to "swipe right on some hot dishes that are exactly who they say they are." The cookbook kicks off with Red Flag Red Sauce marinara and other simple base sauces and broths. Godot then shows readers how to take them to the next level in dishes such as Wife Me Vegan Minestrone; Beefcake Beef Stroganoff; and Swipe Right Ramen, each with an emoticon to indicate spice level. Adorably illustrated by children's book artist Alice Potter, this noodle-intensive repertoire of comfort dishes, nurturing soups and lighter fare will have readers deleting their dating apps and curling up with something hot. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads

Fans of The Great British Bake Off will remember Nadiya Hussain (Nadiya Bakes; Time to Eat), season-six winner, who charmed viewers with her effortless competence and flavorful creations. She brings the same joyful flair for unexpectedly delicious dishes to Nadiya's Everyday Baking, a welcoming and accessible cookbook. As a busy mother of three, Hussain understands that some days demand a quick and nourishing meal that kids will actually eat, such as her Breakfast Pizza or Crispy Tofu Lettuce Wraps. Other occasions, however, require savory seafood or decadent desserts such as a Sprinkle Butter Babka Loaf or Chocolate Cookie Pie. Most recipes are paired with vibrant photographs of Hussain preparing and enjoying her creations. This user-friendly culinary celebration will inspire even the most hesitant home bakers to fire up their ovens. No special occasion needed. --Angela Lutz, freelance reviewer

Aleksandra Crapanzano (Eat. Cook. L.A.) reveals the secret to delicious, adaptable cakes in Gâteau: The Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes. Elaborate, time-intensive confections may be the hallmark of French baking, but French home cooks rely on simple recipes and trusted techniques, adding variations to suit the season and pantry. Crapanzano fills Gâteau with more than 100 recipes, accompanied by Cassandre Montoriol's soft, almost whimsical illustrations and short narratives that invite readers into the author's life. Classics such as Bûche de Noël au Chocolat (Chocolate Yule Log) tempt those with a sweet tooth, but these gâteaux encourage broader thinking with nuts, fruits and even savory options such as Madeleines aux Noix, Poire et Roquefort (Walnut, Pear and Roquefort Madeleines). Gâteau is perfect for bakers looking to elegantly sweeten their days without special tools or fussy ingredients. --Suzanne Krohn, librarian and freelance reviewer

When she appeared on the 12th series of The Great British Bake Off, 19-year-old Freya Cox was the program's first-ever vegan contestant. Her chirpy personality pervades Simply Vegan Baking, which features 70 no-drama recipes for baked goods that suffer not a farthing for their lack of animal products--plus they actually resemble what's pictured in Clare Winfield's mouthwatering photos. Cox's substitutions for such seemingly irreplaceable ingredients as eggs and dairy range from standard (her carrot cake's frosting requires vegan butter and vegan cream cheese) to inspired: her "Notella"-Filled Muffins call for applesauce and apple cider vinegar, and her Vanilla Custard Slices incorporate soy milk and "the thick part" of canned coconut milk. Cox may not have won The Great British Bake Off, but with Simply Vegan Baking she prevails. --Nell Beram, author and freelance writer