‘Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple’

By Dorie Greenspan, Mariner Books

In her 14th cookbook, Dorie Greenspan surprises the reader with plenty of innovative touches to her recipes. She’ll have the baker enthused to try chocolate chip cookies with poppy seeds, savory babkas, and chou pastry made into breadsticks. She also shares inspired recipes from her travels. This is the book to give to experienced bakers looking for new twists on the familiar. In addition to a breakfast section, there are chapters on cookies and cakes, cream puffs and merengues, pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps, and salty baked goods.

'Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Shelf Love'

By Noor Murad and Yotam Ottolenghi, Clarkson Potter

Best-selling author Yotam Ottolenghi surprises his fans with this new series called Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. This tagline says it all: “Recipes to unlock the secrets of your pantry, fridge, and freezer.” The author explains this book came out of the pandemic. He and his test kitchen colleagues have given the reader stories and personalities in the headnotes. His goal is for the reader to step out of their comfort zone and improvise. I love the fact that there is a section at the end of each recipe called “Make It Your Own,” with tips and suggestions and room to write notes after the reader has cooked it. A gift for the curious cook.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties,” and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)

©2021 Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.