Erika Kubick, high priestess of cheese (and founder of the blog Cheese Sex Death), seduces and entrances with Cheese Magic, a recipe-cum-spell book. Organized by the eight seasonal festivals that mark the wheel of the year (Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, and Samhain), Kubick includes recipes, accompaniments, libations, and--of course--cheese plates for each celebration. For instance, February's Imbolc includes instructions for mac-and-cheese frittata, raspberry brie love tarts, black pepper orange marmalade, a sleep potion (made with lavender, honey, and more), and a cheese plate featuring all sheep's milk cheese as a nod to the start of lambing season, and apricots to represent the waxing sun.
The palette is dark, moody, and witchy, with blacks, purples, greens, and oranges dominating. Devin Forst, the illustrator, provides whimsical digital drawings for each festival page that explains the origins and some of the associated rituals. Food photos are most often displayed with black backgrounds, allowing the artfully arranged recipe results to take center stage. A dazzling seasonal recipe book perfect for the earthy cheese lover. --Nina Semczuk, writer, editor, and illustrator