A GIRL AND HER PIG: RECIPES AND STORIESREAD THIS IF YOU HATE STUFFY FINE DINING, FOOD SNOBS, AND PAGES OF BORING RECIPES WRITTEN BY ROBOTS, BUT YOU SECRETLY WANT TO COOK LIKE A NINJA.
Alright, we admit, this is more of a cookbook than a book-book, but we absolutely had to sneak it in for two reasons: one, April Bloomfield, exec chef and co-owner of the Spotted Pig in NYC and a native of Birmingham, England, originally wanted to be a policewoman, which we think is pretty badass. Two, she talks about food in a way that conveys knowledge but not condescension, uses verbs like "smush" and "glug," and makes up words that sound like food tastes, just like we do. Every single recipe in this book is accessible (and we mean every one — she makes roasting a suckling pig in your dinky apartment oven sound like just another Tuesday), as well as blow-your-mind delicious. It's a no-sweat sort of book, something you can dog-ear and highlight and come back to. Plus, we can't get enough of Sun Young Park's cheeky illustrations, which leap right off the page.
BEST PAIRED WITH BLOOMFIELD SAYS IT HERSELF: GO WITH THE PEA AND HAM SOUP ON PAGE 57.
BY APRIL BLOOMFIELD | ECCO, $29.99
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