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We have a fondness at ckbk for books that tell the story of a place through its food, that elucidate a culture and its history via the culinary. So we are thrilled to have two books newly added to ckbk that bring the history and heart of two American classics.
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An adjunct professor at CityTech in Brooklyn Michael is no stranger to the in-depth culinary study, and The Donut is a real deep dive into his delicious and worthy subject. As he puts it: “With a history that goes back at least a couple thousand years, fried dough balls have meant lots of things to lots of people.”
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Pictured above: Faschingskrapfen from The Donut: History, Recipes and Lore by Michael Krondl
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Sweet Land of Liberty: The History of America in 11 Pies, won a food culture best book award 2023 from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. It is the first book from multi award-winning food writer Rossi Anastopoulo. A narrative history from the colonial era to the civil rights movement and on, the book puts each pie in context—from the Thanksgiving Day table, or into some of the darker corners of America’s past. Why pie? Well, as Rossi puts it:
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“Pie is baked and eaten all over our country every day, and it has been for centuries, since the very beginning of the United States. Nearly every person in the US has some memory or association with pie, and so too have endless generations that came before us, from the Black Muslim on the streets of Brooklyn to the Midwest housewife struggling through the Great Depression to the activist fighting against globalization in San Francisco. Pie, in a way, is a common thread woven through the fabric of American history, one that has evolved and mutated throughout the years right alongside our country.”
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A thoughtful and highly readable journey through American history, the book also includes recipes and variations on a theme for each of the 11 pies that structure its narrative. For example, following the essential chapter on Apple Pie there is a recipe for A Buttered Apple Pie, and thoughts on Cheddar Apple Pie.
Whether you are a devotee of Pecan Pie or want to learn how Bean Pie became a symbol of revolutionary Black Power, you will find all you need to know. If you are here for the recipes, try Lemon Chiffon Pie, Molasses Pie, and Sweet Potato Pie—in fact try all the pies!
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When food writer Sophie Sadler moved to the US from Germany in 2009 it resulted in a desire to recreate the German foods she found herself sorely missing, and to bring those flavors and dishes to her others via her food blog Dirndl Kitchen. Her first cookbook was published in 2025, and it brings together 71 approachable recipes that will bring Germany to your kitchen.
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Taught to cook by her grandmothers, and finding German food in the US didn’t taste like home, the recipes in German Home Kitchen: Traditional Recipes that Capture the Flavors of Germany have been tried, tested, and tweaked, until they fully satisfy Sophie’s exacting requirements.
The recipes are ordered by type—for example main dishes or breakfast—with special mentions for her Oma Sieghilde’s Kitchen, and Christmas—that celebration richly bestowed with German culinary delights.
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Find failsafe versions of familiar dishes such as Sauerkraut, Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Mushroom Sauce, and Potato Salad. And don’t forget the baking—try making your own Pretzels, or a showstopping Black Forest Cherry Cake.
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Ingredient focus: kohlrabi
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Kohlrabi is a form of the common cabbage, in which the above-ground stem swells to around the size of an apple, and the leaves are small and inconsequential. The stem is good to eat, with a taste and texture much like broccoli stem—crisp, mild and nutty.
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Kohlrabi can be eaten raw sliced thinly or cut into julienne strips, and used in a slaw or on a platter of crudités. But like other cruciferous vegetables it suits a variety of cooking methods and dishes.
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6 of the best avocado recipes
Delicious, nutritious, the avocado is universally popular. While it is gorgeous ripe and raw and served simply with vinaigrette and a spoon, here are a few more things you can do with it!
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from Boronia Kitchen: The Cookbook by Simon Sandall
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from Claudia's Cocina by Claudia Sandoval
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from Life's Too Short to Stuff a Mushroom by Prue Leith
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from The Part-Time Vegetarian: Flexible Recipes to Go (Nearly) Meat-Free by Nicola Graimes
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from We Cook Plants by Sarah Bentley
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from My Street Food Kitchen by Jennifer Joyce
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