Cookbook Divas

05/11/2026

Here is our preview of the much-anticipated baking book “Cake from Lucie: Recipes and Techniques from the French Countryside to New York City.”

It’s by Lucie Franc de Ferriére ( April 2026) She is the founder of the beloved New York City bakery called “From Lucie.”

This spectacular baking book offers recipes and techniques for making gorgeous and whimsical cakes often festooned with fresh flowers.

Chapters include:

• Simple: Effortless Cakes for Every Day

• Piéce de Resistance: Showstopping Cakes

• Dessert: Whimsical Takes on Classic Desserts

• Goutér: The French Tradition of a 4 pm Treat

I really appreciate the many step-by-step photos in this new cookbook, as well as the lessons on how to infuse butter; how to assemble, frost and cut a layer cake; and how to decorate cakes.

Thoughtfully, there are a few vegan cake and frosting recipes, plus a gluten free recipe and notes on gluten free flour.

This is a truly beautiful and impressive cookbook!

-Carrie

05/11/2026

On Sundays, we drink wine and read cookbooks.

Happy Mother’s Day! (and happy Aunties Day as well)

05/08/2026

Here is a preview of the brand new gorgeous mocktails recipe book “Mocktails & Canapes Step by Step: An Easy Guide” by Gelding Street Press (April 2026)

Love that every recipe features photos or illustrations of every ingredient needed and which cocktail glass is called for!

Beautiful photos of the mocktail drinks and finger food canapes too.

Glad I treated myself to this new book juat in time for company coming to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.

05/08/2026

Here’s an important French baking book preview for you to enjoy. Note that this cookbook uses illustrations, not photography, to showcase the recipes.

“Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights” is by Alexandra Crapanzano ( 2025)

Chapters include:

• Les Biscuits

• Les Gateaux

• Les Tartes

• Mousse and More

• The Chic, Delicious and Playful

• Les Chocolat Chaud

• Truffles and Caramels

• Les Buches de Noel

• To Soak, to Sauce, to Coat, to Fill, to Ice, to Drizzle, To Spoon, to Glaze and Perchance to Dollop

Hope you enjoyed peeking inside this Parisian desserts cookbook!

05/08/2026

Here is our cookbook preview of “Everyone Hot Pot: Creating the Ultimate Meal for Gathering and Feasting,” by Natasha Pickowicz ( 2026) with photographs by Alex Lau.

Chapters include:

• The Hot Pot Essentials: Getting Started

• Broths: The Soul of Hot Pot

• Hot Pot Feast No.1 The Northern Classic

• Breads, Dumplings & Rice: Delicious, Sating Starches

• Hot Pot Feast No. 2: The Land and the Sea

• Sauces & Seasonings: Bold Hot Pot Enhancements

• Salads & Snacks: Crisp & Cool Complements

• Hot Pot Feast No. 3 - The Endless Forest

• Desserts: A Not Too Sweet Finale

• Hot Pot Feast No. 4 The Heat

• Drinks

05/07/2026

Here are the brand new cookbooks that came out this week (May 5, 2026) from various publishers.

We will preview as many of these here for you as we can!

05/07/2026

I’m pleased to show you the new cookbooks that were published on New Release Tuesday, May 6, 2026. Several of them are getting us ready for summer, with potlucks, barbecues and cooking outside over live fire.

• Fish and Shellfish: Recipes and Techniques from the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts

• Turmeric: A Cookbook: Breakfast – lunch – dinner and everything in between

• Simple Dinners Every Day

• Matcha: A Cookbook: Breakfast – lunch – dinner and everything in between

• The LORAfied Cookbook: Easy Recipes and Budget-Friendly Hacks to Feed the Whole Family

• The Rise of Indian Food: Recipes Reimagined by Trèsind Studio

• Istanbul: Delicious Recipes from the Heart of the City

• La Saison: Over 80 seasonal French recipes, from a year in my kitchen

• The New Vegetarian: 500+ Recipes for a Lifetime of Great Meals

• The Taste of Country Cooking: 50th Anniversary Edition

• The Great Book of Chocolate, Revised: The Chocolate Lover’s Guide with More Than 50 Recipes

• AC Barbeque: The Husky and Handsome Guide to Grilling

• The Flavor of Fire: Recipes for Grilling & Smoking with Southern Flair

• In Season: 125+ Sweet and Savory Recipes Celebrating Simple, Fresh Ingredients

• The Hot Dog Cookbook: 50 Recipes for the World’s Best Food

• West Coast Kitchen Garden: Growing, Gathering, and Eating Through the Seasons
Taste of Home Summer Potlucks

• Cookbook: Easy Summer Meals And Crowd Pleasing Recipes For BBQs And Picnic Dishes

• Nathan Outlaw On Fish: A Seafood Handbook

• Pasta for the People: A joyful cookbook for pasta lovers

• Batch: Prep Ahead. Easy Meals. All Plants.

Keep an eye out here and on our other Cookbook Divas social media channels for previews and flipthroughs of these new titles!

05/07/2026

New cookbooks this week!

05/07/2026

New cookbooks out this week!

I’m pleased to show you the new cookbooks that were published on New Release Tuesday, May 6, 2026. Several of them are getting us ready for summer, with potlucks, barbecues and cooking outsid…

05/04/2026

Here is my cookbook preview of the new gluten-free baking cookbook “Bake It Gluten Free: 100 Recipes for Classic Treats” by Dana Pollack ( 2025)

Chapters in this cookbook include:

• Cookies
• Cakes
• Breads
• Bars
• Cupcakes
• Pies
• Ice Cream
• Donuts

It’s a lovely and much needed cookbook for bakers who need to make gkuten free bakes and desserts!

-Carrie

05/04/2026

Here is a gorgeous, lavish, moody and inventive baking book: “Bittersweet: The Five Tastes of Dessert and Beyond” by Thalia Ho ( 2026)

Chapters invlude:

• Bitter

• Sweet

• Sour

• Salt

• Umami

I’m intrigued by the Black Currant cheesecake and by the Sparkling Cranberry jelly. I have a plum tree in my backyard and I am eager to try making the Plum Parfait!

-Carrie