Books to Go With Your New Kitchen Gadgets

‘Tis the season for new kitchen gadgets! And that means new cookbooks to go with those gadgets, of course. Spend some time with your new air fryer, Instant Pot,  slow cooker, cast iron, spiralizer, or platter and these books to help make you a pro in the kitchen.

 

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat by Samin Nosrat

Before you step into your kitchen, you need to read this book. Samin Nosrat simplifies decades of experience into four simple elements: Salt, fat, acid, and heat. Salt enhances flavor, fat delivers flavor, acid balances flavor, and heat determines texture. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat explains the importance of these four elements, along with the chemistry of how they work with food. Nosrat’s expertise is shared in a lighthearted manner alongside delightful illustrations.

Among the 100 essential recipes to practice are vinaigrettes, caramelized roast vegetables, and flaky pastry doughs.

 

Slow Cooker Revolution by America’s Test Kitchen 

The slow cooker is a beautiful thing: dump a bunch of ingredients in, turn it on, and come back hours later to a finished meal. But sometimes it works out in a less tasty manner. America’s Test Kitchen spent a year developing the 200 recipes in Slow Cooker Revolution, perfecting every technique for every kind of cooking and enhancing flavors.

 

The Modern Cast Iron Cookbook by Tiffany La Forge 

Take the classic cast iron and turn it modern with The Modern Cast Iron Cookbook. With new, healthy recipes, you can broaden your cooking horizons. The book includes tips for the top cast iron brands and how best to care for your cast iron, along with a wide range of recipes for all kinds of meals. Plus, the recipes are broken down by the number of ingredients and cooking time, to help you make your meal decisions.

Highlighted recipes: falafel burgers with mint yogurt, spring green shakshuka, turmeric seafood paella, and more.

 

Inspiralize Everything by Ali Maffucci

The spiralizer is a game-changer for all diet types, and Inspiralize Everything has the topic completely covered, from paleo to vegan to raw to gluten-free recipes. The book is organized alphabetically by produce (more than 20 types!), to keep things nice and tidy. Each recipe includes nutritional information to let you know how healthy these simple meals can be.

Highlighted recipes: Winter lasagna with butternut squash, brussels sprouts, and chicken sausage; cheeseless French onion soup; zucchini noodle bread with coconut cream frosting; and more.

 

Platters and Boards by Shelly Westerhausen

Feast your eyes on this collection of gorgeous platter meals to show off your new board. Create beautiful spreads with these 40 recipes and presentation ideas for brunch, charcuterie, appetizers, and more, for any gathering.

Bonus: tips on portioning, guide to surfaces, recommendations for pairings, and more.

 

 

Ashley Holstrom is a book person, designing them and writing about them for Book Riot. She lives near Chicago with her cat named after Hemingway and her bookshelves organized by color.