Books That Cook

THE SLANTED DOOR: MODERN VIETNAMESE FOOD

For the past 20 years The Slanted Door has been one of California’s top-grossing independently owned restaurants. Here Charles Phan shares some of the reasons why. With stunning images, the Vietnamese cookbook is packed with recipes for such famed Slanted Door dishes as chive cakes, vegetarian imperial rolls and spicy squid salad.

A KITCHEN IN FRANCE: A YEAR OF COOKING IN MY FARMHOUSE

When Mimi Thorisson moved to the tiny French village Médoc, she discovered wonderful, farm-fresh ingredients and, most importantly, the art of cooking. Her delightful cookbook chronicles her family’s seasonal meals and life in an old farmhouse. Recipes include Roast Chicken with Herbs and Crème Fraîche, Cèpe and Parsley Tartlets and Winter Vegetable Cocotte.

THE SPROUTED KITCHEN BOWL + SPOON: SIMPLE AND INSPIRED WHOLE FOODS RECIPES TO SAVOR AND SHARE

In her second visually stunning book, blogger and author Sara Forte focuses on bowl food, which combines vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins in one vessel. Learn how to make simple, complete and nutritious meals from breakfast (Golden Quinoa and Butternut Breakfast Bowl) to dinner (Spring Noodles with Artichokes, Pecorino and Charred Lemons).

MEAT: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

A comprehensive guide to all things meat. Learn the pros and cons of each cut; get step-by-step instructions on techniques like tying a crown roast and making the perfect burger. Beautiful photographs accompany the recipes and fully entertaining stories author Pat LaFrieda shares about the meat empire his family has been running for nearly a century.

FOOD52 GENIUS RECIPES: 100 RECIPES THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY YOU COOK

A collection of 100 recipes aimed to enlighten, whether involving an unexpectedly simple technique, debunking a kitchen myth or applying a  familiar ingredient in a new way. Passed down from the cookbook authors and chefs who made them legendary, the recipes rethink cooking tropes, solve problems and offer secrets. (Who knew ginger juice could be so handy?)

DRINK: LOS ANGELES

Curated by a team of some of the most knowledgeable drink and food writers in town, this pocket-size guide covers hundreds of the city’s bars, wine shops and brewpubs. It also offers information of where to get a great cuppa Joe and, for those who like to drink their veggies, a bottle of hard-pressed juice.