Coleman, Melissa. The Minimalist Kitchen: 100 Wholesome Recipes, Essential Tools, and Efficient Techniques. Oxmoor House. Apr. 2018. 272p. photos. index. ISBN 9780848755263. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9780848757212. COOKING For full-time blogger and former graphic designer Coleman (thefauxmartha.com), a minimalist kitchen has only the essentials. After advising readers on how to pare down clutter-prone areas and streamline shopping, the author shares 100 recipes (e.g., pesto garden pasta, quinoa burgers, roasted banana cream pie) well suited to omnivore families. These can have anywhere from three to 20 ingredients and include many make-ahead and weeknight-friendly options. Colorful full-page photos and practical tips accompany all recipes. VERDICT Coleman’s concept of minimalism—underscored by images of her immaculate home—will interest cooks who dream of a functional, organized, and stylish living space. Though it may strike some as paradoxical, particularly when calls to own less are followed by urges to acquire a cloth tortilla warmer and name-brand storage containers. Disbrowe, Paula. Food52 Any Night Grilling: 60 Ways To Fire Up Dinner (and More). Ten Speed: Crown. Mar. 2018. 224p. photos. index. ISBN 9781524758967. $24.99; ebk. ISBN 9781524758974. COOKING James Beard Award–winning author Disbrowe (Down South), a self-professed “weekend griller,” spent months developing these approachable recipes for any day, any time grilling. Using the author’s straightforward instructions, cooks of all skill levels will be able to fire up a gas or charcoal grill for preparing such dishes as crackly rosemary flatbread, cauliflower steaks with green harissa, and boneless leg of lamb with sumac yogurt sauce. As with Karen Adler and Judith Fertig’s The Gardener and the Grill, this book covers a variety of appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts that don’t require lengthy prep or cook times. More gourmet than a basic guide, these recipes bring to mind laid-back gatherings laden with crisp cocktails and freshly grilled foods. VERDICT If you’re intimidated by heavy-handed barbecue bibles, opt for this inviting collection instead. Highly recommended. Heaton, Patricia. Patricia Heaton’s Food for Family and Friends: 100 Favorite Recipes for a Busy, Happy Life. Morrow. Feb. 2018. 256p. photos. index. ISBN 9780062672445. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9780062672483. COOKING Actress Heaton, well known for her roles on the hit TV shows Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle, brings together amusing anecdotes, practical entertaining tips, and unfussy recipes in this competent celebrity cookbook. Composed of equal parts family food (Heaton has four sons and a large extended family) and party fare, the book contains 100 appetizing takes on breakfasts, beverages, finger foods, mains, desserts, and more. Doable dishes include mascarpone and raspberry-stuffed french toast, BBQ beef sliders, lemon and olive-baked halibut, and bourbon pecan-glazed pound cake. VERDICT A standout contribution to books about celebrities cooking for family and friends. America’s Test Kitchen Eds. How To Roast Everything: A Game-Changing Guide to Building Flavor in Meat, Vegetables, and More. America’s Test Kitchen. Feb. 2018. 416p. photos. index. ISBN . $35; ebk. ISBN 9781945256233. COOKING America’s Test Kitchen’s all-purpose guide to the art of roasting offers 175 recipes (e.g., boneless rib roast with Yorkshire pudding and jus, crispy slow-roasted pork belly, grill-roasted stuffed trout) that can help readers build a repertoire of succulent, well-browned foods. Meat and poultry are best represented, but the volume also covers seafood, vegetables, and fruits. Most dishes need little in the way of accompaniment; some include complementary sides, others pair beautifully with sauces and compound butters in the “roasting basics” section. Practical tips abound, which touch on techniques (e.g., thawing, trussing, carving), equipment recommendations, and the best ways to prepare and serve different cuts. VERDICT Because roasts appear in many of America’s Test Kitchen titles, this title will be most useful for novices, meat lovers, and regular roasters. While a solid introduction to an essential technique, this won’t dethrone Mollie Stevens’s All About Roasting. Hunt, Lindsay Maitland. Healthyish: A Cookbook with Seriously Satisfying, Truly Simple, Good-For-You (But Not Too Good-For-You) Recipes for Real Life. Abrams. Jan. 2018. 256p. photos. index. ISBN 9781419726569. $29.99; ebk. ISBN 9781683351245. COOKING Filled with simple and visually appealing foods, this book is tailored for busy cooks seeking a more balanced diet. In chapters for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and more, recipe developer Hunt employs an impressive range of time-saving techniques that minimize prep and cleanup. Dishes such as cozy bean and egg skillet for two, kimchi-fried faroo, and one-pan crispy chicken with herbed potatoes make smart use of staples such as precooked grains, canned beans, and rotisserie chicken. Recipes for “go-to” components such as compound butters and quick pickles make it easy to jazz up everyday meals like salads and toast. This work concludes with a wonderfully functional special diets index. VERDICT Whether you like to leave cooking till the last minute or enjoy whipping up a big batch of something to eat throughout the week, this book will serve you well. Peterson, James. Sauces: Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making. 4th ed. Houghton Harcourt. 2017. 688p. photos. index. ISBN 9780544819825. $60; ebk. ISBN 9780544819832. COOKING This massive fourth edition of this comprehensive sauce cookbook now includes full-color photographs and nearly 500 recipes (e.g., stabilized court-bouillon beurre blanc, tomato and onion chutney, ragu, basic japanese salad dressing). Veteran author Peterson (Glorious French Food) notably adds content on modernist ingredients and techniques, deftly tackling topics such as spherification, foams, and gelling agents. Don’t be intimidated by this volume’s staggering scope and size; Peterson’s instructions are concise and easy to follow, and his writings on sauce-making are fascinating. VERDICT An essential culinary reference. If you’re on a budget or looking for a more accessible alternative, Martha Holmberg’s Modern Sauces is another excellent choice. Selengut, Becky. Good Fish: 100 Sustainable Seafood Recipes from the Pacific Coast. Sasquatch. Mar. 2018. 336p. photos. index. ISBN 9781632171078. $29.95; ebk. ISBN 9781632171085. COOKING Chef and cooking instructor Selengut (Shroom) here updates her 2011 guide to selecting and cooking sustainable seafood from the Western Coast of the United States. The coverage of shellfish, finfish, little fish, and eggs has been expanded to include new species such as mahi-mahi, wahoo, and Pacific cod. There are new recipes, too (e.g., lingcod with crispy chickpeas and quick-picked apricots, razor clam chowder, wahoo with grilled pineapple and poblano pepper salsa). A list of resources at the end of the book will steer interested readers toward other helpful titles, including Diane Morgan’s Salmon and Barton Seaver’s Two If By Sea. VERDICT Despite its regional focus, this capable seafood cookbook will appeal to fish fans across the country. Highly recommended.