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Speakeasy
By Jason Kosmas & Dushan Zaric
From the masterminds behind New York speakeasy Employees Only. There’s not a clunker among the “reimagined” classic cocktails in this book. —Kara Newman
The Sriracha Cookbook
By Randy Clemens
Fans of exotic cusine will love the spicy “rooster sauce” from Southeast Asia and love this little red book, which includes recipes like Sriracha Slaw, Srirachili Con Carne and the Srirachelada. —K.N.
To Burgundy and Back Again
By Roy Cloud
Wine importers often have good stories to tell, but only a handful have been able to relate them successfully in print. To the library of books from Kermit Lynch, Neil Rosenthal and Terry Theise, add this entry from Roy Cloud, president of Vintage ’59. It’s a breezy and charming read of Cloud’s initial foray into wine importing, perfect for a summer weekend in the country. —Joe Czerwinski
America Walks into a Bar
By Christine Sismondo
This book’s overly long subtitle gives the real scoop on this book: A Spirited History of Taverns and Saloons, Speakeasies and Grog Shops. Although a bit dry in tone, many of the author’s anecdotes offer interesting glimpses into the history of the Americas and the important role drinking establishments have played in the development of our society. —J.C.
Persian Food for the Non-Persian Bride
By Reyna Simnegar
Exotic flavors are the focus of this chatty cookbook, a unique melding of Sephardic cuisine and Persian home cooking. Recipes like Stuffed Cornish Hen with Rose Petals, Persian Sour Grape Soup and Shirazi Salad are easy to recreate at home.—A.K.
Try this delicious recipe from Persian Food for the Non-Persian Bride (Philipp Feldheim, 2011):
Shirazi Salad
For the salad:
2 large tomatoes, washed and diced into ¼-inch squares
½ red onion, peeled and diced into ¼-inch squares
1 large English seedless cucumber (or 1 regular cucumber, seeded), diced into ¼-inch squares
¾ cup chopped mint leaves or cilantro
garnish with a mint sprig
For the dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup fresh lime juice (about the juice of 3 limes)
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
To make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and lime juice until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.
To make the salad: In a large salad bowl, combine the tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and chopped mint leaves.
To serve: Right before serving, drizzle the dressing onto the salad until glistening but not overdressed. Toss until well mixed and garnish with a sprig of mint. Serves 2.
Published: June 29, 2011
