New Book Wednesday, April 11 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

New books with"epic" bookends

Siciliano's book department has grown significantly over the last ten years, and we couldn't be happier with its development. What started out a tiny selection of homebrew essentials—really, just The Complete Joy of Homebrewing alongside a few outdated pamphlets—has now morphed into a full variety of cookbooks, how-to books, beer & brewing history books, and even fiction (that's the boss' fiction, mind you).

It's a selection we hope will satisfy everyone, from the most voracious reader to the most curious DIY-er to the most desperate last-minute gift seeker. To keep it that way we do our best to bring in more titles all the time. With that in mind, here's a look at the latest books to hit the shelves.

New Books

• American Terroir by Rowan Jacobsen, $25.00 - "American Terroir will introduce [Americans] to the 'flavor landscapes' of some of our most iconic foods, including apples and cider, honey, maple syrup, oysters, salmon, wild mushrooms, wine, cheese, coffee, and chocolate—and explain why all foods are not created equal. Ultimately, good eating is about romance, and American Terroir finds that romance in the farms, forests, and waters where our great foods live" (source).
• Tart & Sweet by Kelly Geary and Jessie Knadler, $24.99 - "Tart and Sweet is the essential canning manual for the 21st century, providing a modern tutorial on small-batch canning accompanied by easy-to-follow photos and instructions, as well as more than 101 sweet and savory recipes for preserved and pickled fruits and vegetables, including jams, chutneys, marmalades, syrups, relishes, sauces, and salsas" (source).
• Hunt, Gather, Cook by Hank Shaw, $25.99 - "In Hunt, Gather, Cook, Hank Shaw shares his experiences both in the field and the kitchen, as well as his extensive knowledge of North America’s edible flora and fauna. Hank provides a user-friendly, food-oriented introduction to tracking down and cooking everything from prickly pears to grouper and snowshoe hares" (flap copy).
• Mycophilia by Eugenia Bone, $25.99 - "Mushrooms are the fruting bodies of fungi, microscopic organisms so prevalent in nature that there maybe as much as a ton of fungi per vegetated acre. Mycophilia examines the vast diversity of fungi in our world—and the equally singular individuals who populate the world devoted to the study, pursuit, and appreciation of mushrooms in the nearly infinite variety" (back cover).
• The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook, $35.00 - "Farmer’s markets, groceries, and natural foods stores today offer a wealth of wholesome ingredients that even a decade ago were considered unfamiliar and exotic. From quinoa to spelt flour to agave nectar and shiitake mushrooms, natural whole foods like these have come into their own as the cornerstone of a healthy, varied diet. Packed with information for purchasing, storing, and serving the full spectrum of whole foods, The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook is a comprehensive kitchen resource for contemporary cooks" (source).
• The Imbible by Alex Bash, $13.95 - "This book contains all the drinking game classics, from Quarters to Kings, to today’s newest, coolest, and most debauched drinking games, including Beer Roulette and The Lord of the Rings drinking game (every time a character draws a sword more slowly and cinematic than is pragmatic to do in the heat of the battle, drink). Containing original illustrations and more boob jokes than is necessary, this will truly be the bible of drinking games" (source).