Channel a Food Network star and become a culinary connoisseur with step-by-step instructions straight from the kitchens of your favorite cooks. In no time you’ll be whipping up a gourmet feast and piping homemade icing on your latest dessert creation. You might even find you have time to mingle with your sated guests.
1 | Parlez-vous?
It’s been 40 years since Julia Child first brought her French cooking masterpiece into the American kitchen and changed the way a nation felt about foreign food preparation. With 100 illustrations to guide you, you don’t even have to know the difference between a baguette and a croissant to whip up something magnifique!
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume I: 50th Anniversary by Julia Child, $40, Firefly Bookstore, 230 West Main St., Kutztown, 484.648.2712. fireflybookstore.com
2 | Happy host.
Don’t get stuck tethered to the stove at your next shindig. The Barefoot Contessa has mastered the art of entertaining, and with a guide to recipes that can be thrown together in advance, you’ll never have to miss your own party because you were behind the scenes cooking. As a bonus, her stress-free tips can be utilized for meal planning throughout the week for folks who work for a living.
Make It Ahead: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten, $35, Barnes and Noble, 2751 Paper Mill Rd., Wyomissing, 610.236.0100. barnesandnoble.com
3 | Something old, something new.
A Muhlenberg native and former Berks chef takes on classic German cuisine with a flavorful, fresh and healthy approach. Slow-braised meats, homemade pickles and preserves, hand-cut noodles and vegetables stay true to their roots with a contemporary twist.
New German Cooking: Recipes for Classics Revisited by Jeremy and Jessica Nolen, $40, Firefly Bookstore, 230 West Main St., Kutztown, 484.648.2712. fireflybookstore.com
4 | Gluten-free guide.
Heralded as the first gluten-free cookbook so enticing that it transcends the genre, this tome for a grain-free diet is unfussy and fun, with family-friendly recipes that use fresh, seasonal ingredients for a natural take on the trend. Yummy Supper by
Erin Scott, $24.99, Gently Used Books, 19 Douglassville Shopping Center, Douglassville, 610.385.0766. gentlyusedbookspa.com
5 | Beat the clock.
In a rush? Put down the take-out menus! With 300 30-minute meals, you can whip up a stir-fry or a streamlined braise in less time than it takes the delivery driver to find your street.
Best 30-Minute Recipe by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated, $35, Barnes and Noble, 2751 Paper Mill Rd., Wyomissing, 610.236.0100. barnesandnoble.com
