Smitten Kitchen Keepers: New Classics for Your Forever Files

In her third cookbook, Perelman returns with a gathering of the best versions of her key dishes—recipes that she has tested, trialed, and tweaked until they became what she wants her kids and readers to learn by heart and cook with delight. These include blueberry pancake cobbler, cauliflower-cheese baked potatoes, zucchini cornbread with tomato butter, and skillet chicken parmesan. The book is a joy to read, with Perelman’s confiding, cheering voice showcased in short prefaces and recipe notes. She writes as if she were dashing off a recipe on a napkin for her best friend, while at the same time telling them what to do to really make it work. It is pure pleasure. The book covers breakfasts (which Perelman says are good at any time of day), salads, soups, vegetables, meats, sweets, and even a few drinks. Vegetarians and gluten-free eaters will find plenty of options and can adapt many of the other recipes. (See LJ’s Q&A with Perelman on p. 159 of this magazine.)