Book Nook – Kat Wahl, Writer

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat (2017)

         I only borrowed this book from the library, but I desperately need a copy of my own and I would also like to send one to everyone I know with an interest in cooking good food. Brilliantly laid out like only the most useful of reference materials, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat is like no cookbook you have ever read. Samin Nosrat obviously has a talent for teaching, and in each section there is something for readers at every level of comfort with cooking. Whether you have hardly ever cooked your own meals, you just cook for your family like me, or you are known for your intricate dinner parties, you can learn something new to apply in the kitchen. As I was reading I felt like secrets were being unlocked for me, things that professional chefs are taught or learn from experience, but that home cooks miss out on without the proximity to those professionals. I can’t wait to have this on my shelf and be able to reference the charming charts and illustrations by Wendy MacNaughton, or the practical advice, suggested menus, and delicious looking recipes by Chef Nosrat. Buy this for your kid who is moving out, or for your sibling who is starting a family- this is the kind of book that keeps people fed and fed well. Recommend for any reader who enjoys cooking and wants to know more about how to impress their friends and family.

Super Fake Love Song, David Yoon (2020)

         Author David Yoon writes in the acknowledgements that this was his fun book, meant to bring a little lightness to a difficult year. They more than exceed that goal. This book filled me with such pure joy, it is impossible to describe. In all my reading I have never come across writing that so accurately and lovingly depicts the conversations and relationships of high schoolers exactly as I remember them. The shared looks between friends heavy with insinuated meaning, the cringe-worthy texting of a budding romance– it all adds up. Mix that with a heavy dose of coming-of-age and the discovery of passions new and old, and you have yourself a pretty fantastic read.  Among all of the incredibly relatable content, there is also a window into something many of us do not fully understand. The Dae family is an Asian American transplant into a wealthy white neighborhood, and that comes with its own set of challenges. The story does not focus on these hurdles, but instead acknowledges them as a part of an unfolding puzzle.  Any reader who is getting weary of darker, more adult titles will benefit from reading this book. I would especially recommend it to readers 13 and older who liked movies like Big Hero 6 and The Princess Diaries, or books like Leon and the Spitting Image by Allen