The Swedish-American Cookbook: A Charming Collection of Traditional Recipes Presented in Both Swedish and English (Skyhorse Books, $16.95)
This collection of Swedish recipes was originally published more than a century ago and even though it has been updated, it still maintains its charm and authenticity.
The recipes are presented side-by-side in both Swedish and English and cover everything from traditional breads and candies to meats and beverages. There is even a few pages devoted to tips such as how to best remove ink stains, wash lace curtains, clean sponges and break in new kettles. Until I read this cookbook, I never knew why my grandmother before buying fresh nutmeg would prick one with a small pin. If the nutmeg was good, a small spot of oil would form around the little hole.
There are sample menus, helpful information for preparation and even instructions on how to preserve fruits and vegetables. This must-have cultural guide has more than 300 recipes that are accessible and, of course, time tested.
Most of the recipes cover a mere paragraph or two. For example, the onion soup recipe has less than 50 words. Another thing most modern cooks will notice is the lack of precise measurements in many of the directions. For onion soup, it simply states using one small onion for each person, browning the onions in butter and then pouring bouillon over them. It adds that if you have meat jelly, include it, and thicken with butter and flour and “serve with butter in the French manner.” How simple could that be? As I have stated in this column, my grandmother was a Texas woman and one of the best cooks I ever knew. She did not even own a measuring cup and simply added ingredients until it “looked right.” One of my favorite recipes from her ends with “cook until cooked.”
I love this dandy little cookbook. I tested “Economical Cake” which was tasty and simple to prepare.
ECONOMICAL CAKE (exactly as presented in the book)
“One pound flour, quarter pound of sugar, quarter pound of butter or lard, half pound of currants, one teaspoon soda, four whites of eggs, and half a pint of milk. To be very economical, you can make a good cake even if you leave out the eggs and currants. Beat the batter to a cream and stir in all the ingredients but the soda which, you add lastly when all is well worked. Put the cake in a buttered mold and bake in a moderately heated oven one hour and a half.”

Edible Cocktails: From Garden to Glass, Seasonal Cocktails With A Fresh Twist by Natalie Bovis (AdamsMedia, $17.95)
Natalie Bovis is a recognized beverage consultant who can also mix a mean cocktail. Based in Santa Fe, she maintains the popular website, www.theliquidmuse.com.
Her latest collection features more than 150 recipes for drinks, syrups, jams, and purees. In addition to two chapters devoted to mixology basics and how to plant your very own “cocktail garden,” the featured recipes run the full spectrum. From grape-based and sparkling cocktails to homemade liqueurs, this is the perfect guide to help survive the toasty summer days of Arizona.
When the temperature tops the century mark, kick back and enjoy a tall glass of homemade lemonade. (hint: this isn’t the lemonade your mother made unless she was a bartender) Natalie makes it easy for even a novice to make a perfect cocktail for almost every occasion. What makes this collection different is the use of fresh ingredients, many from your personal herb pots or garden.
If you have a pot of mint in your patio, you are already on first base. This book proves that life can be much more than a cold bottle of beer or whisky and branch water. The possibilities are almost endless.
Two recipes that I thought were perfect for this hot week:
WATERMELON MARGARITA
½ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave syrup
¼ oz organic Loft Tangerine Cello liqueur
1 oz fresh organic watermelon juice
1 ½ ozs organic tequila (silver or reposado)
Garnish, mint rimmer
Rim a rocks glass with Mint Rimmer. Set aside. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into glass.
MINT RIMMER
3 Tbs dried mint
1 cup raw sugar
Place mint and ½ c raw sugar into a food processor and grind until well mixed and powdery. Mix with remaining sugar and store in an airtight container
++++++
MEXICAN BREAKFAST
2 oz Charizo Mescal
¾ oz freshly squeezed orange juice
¼ oz freshly squeezed lime juice
½ oz Bangkok Lemongrass-Agave Syrup
Garnish with lime wedge and Strawberry-Pink Himalayan salt rim
Rim a rocks glass with Strawberry-Pink Himalayan salt. Fill with ice and set aside. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, the strain into ice-filled, rimmed rocks glass. Serve with lime wedge on the rim of the glass.
STRAWBERRY-PINK HIMALAYAN SALT RIM
3 heaping tablespoons of dried strawberries (make your own by slice fresh strawberries and allowing them to dry on a baking sheet for a couple of days)
1 c pink Himalayan salt
Place the dried strawberries and ¼ c salt in a food processor and grind until blended well and slightly powdery. Mix with remaining salt and store in an airtight container.

I Love Corn by Lisa Skye (Andrews McMeel, $19.99)
This is the time of the year when corn is at its peak and plentiful in our neighborhood grocery stores. This nifty little cookbook is a cornucopia of recipes from such world-renowned chefs as Dan Barber, Claudia Roden, Jonathan Bennett, and Martha Stewart.
The fifty dishes are divided by section, namely breakfast, soups and starters, mains, and sweets. The recipes have been crafted by creative, award-winning chefs from around the country who share not just their favorite dishes but also anecdotes that add a personal touch to this appealing collection.
If you like corn, you will love this book. Each page features such tempting dishes as Fresh Corn Gazpacho, Pan-Seared Branzino with Corn Chorizo Pudding and Smoked Tomato Vinaigrette, Chicken Jambonette with Roasted Fennel and Sweet Corn, and a tasty Sweet Corn and Truffles. There is even a Corn Bread Ice Cream.
I tested two recipes from this collection. I made Roasted Corn with Smoked Bacon and Caramelized Vidalia Onions which I served with a pork chop for my Sunday supper. Because it was so unusual and due to the toasty weather this last week, my second dish was Corn Bread Ice Cream.
This is a fun book. Shucks, why don’t you try the ice cream. It really was good.

CORN BREAD ICE CREAM
Makes about 2 ½ quarts
2 cups frozen corn
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup plus ¾ cup granulated sugar
10 large egg yolks
¾ teaspoon salt
++++
Place the corn in a large pot over medium heat and heat it to evaporate any water from the freezer. Add the milk, cream, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar and bring to a boil.
Place the remaining ¾ cup of sugar, the yolks, and salt in a medium-size bowl and whisk together. Gently temper the eggs by pouring the hot liquid into the bowl slowly, stirring constantly.
Blend the mixture with an immersion blender until smooth. Strain and let cool.
Freeze in an ice-cream maker according to its manufacturer’s instructions.