July finds me with an enviable book stack, and with more on the way, I decided it would be fun to do a book roundup post sharing six fun and inspiring books I think are perfect for summer reading.
Summer Reading Books!
I'm an avid reader and truly enjoy being a book ambassador for several publishing companies. All of today's books are from Quarto Publishing and they cover a delightfulmix of topics from gardening to travel. I'll start with a topic I discuss often, gardening.
Gardening:
The 10-Minute Gardener- 85 Time-Saving Tactics to Be More Efficient and Grow More Food in Less Time by CaliKim, Paperback, 192 pages
"The 10-Minute Gardener is all about small efforts with a big impact. Learn quick and simple gardening tactics that let you have a garden and a life. If you’ve ever uttered the words “I don’t have time to garden,” this is the book for you.
Author CaliKim has filled this book with practical, surprising, and efficient strategies that enable you to grow the veggie garden of your dreams, one minute at a time. You’ll learn how to develop your own personal autopilot system, filled with little “cheats” to help you grow more food in less time.
When all you have is a few minutes to spare, this is how to grow a fruitful vegetable garden. Complete beginners are welcome, but experienced gardeners will also glean plenty of useful time-saving strategies. Time is precious, especially for those of us doing it all (Kids! House! Pets! Job!). Learn how to use your limited gardening time in the most effective way possible!"
My Thoughts:
I love home and garden books that are easy to read and follow along with the processes shared, and that’s what you’ll find in CaliKim’s The 10 Minute Gardener. You may know her from her YouTube channel, where she practices what she preaches. If she says a task should take you about three minutes, you can trust that she’s timed herself watering, deadheading, or grabbing herbs for dinner.
There are sections in the book for tasks that you can do in 3, 5,8, 10, or 30 minutes, showing us that small efforts can make a big impact. There are over 85 time-saving tips for early season, mid-season, late season, and dormant season gardening.
This is a perfect gardening book for seasoned gardeners as well as beginners! You can learn more about the author and where to purchase a copy of the 10 Minute Gardener on Quarto’s website here.
Cookbooks:
Beautiful Bread: Create & Bake Artful Masterpieces for Any Occasion by Theresa Culletto, Hardcover, 176 pages
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Courtesy: Quarto Publishing |
"Let professional baker and bread artist Theresa Culletto show you how to take your bread baking to the next level by turning rustic focaccia breads into artful masterpieces. In Beautiful Bread, you will not only master how to make four types of focaccia—white, whole wheat, dark multigrain, and sweet.
You will also learn techniques for decorating them with vegetables, fruits, herbs, seeds, and more through over 30 stunning bread art projects inspired by flowers, famous artists, nature, and holidays, including:
- Monet’s Lily Pond
- Under the Sea
- Solar System
- Christmas Tree
- Saint Patrick’s Day Lucky Clover
- Spring Tulips
- Cherry Blossoms
- Easter Basket
For beginners, Theresa offers a comprehensive overview of bread baking 101, including essential ingredients, tools, and terminology. For seasoned bakers, she provides a plethora of inventive tips and techniques. Complete with step-by-step instructions, a vibrant photo accompanying each project, and recipes for savory and sweet toppings and fillings, Beautiful Bread will soon have you creating edible art that’s almost too beautiful to eat."
My Thoughts:
My bread-baking skills are nothing too special. I can make great biscuits, cornbread, and dessert breads, but really, that’s the extent of my knowledge. I didn’t even jump on the sourdough making train during COVID, so when Beautiful Bread arrived, I fell in love with the idea of making bread that not only tastes good, but is beautiful as well.
Beautiful Bread is a delight to flip through. Each loaf is so lovely and inviting, your mouth may water, too. At the beginning of the book, Theresa shares all the essentials you need to make bread art. Then, each chapter is a delight to take in! From Focaccia Dough Recipes, Flowers, Artist Inspired, Nature Inspired to my favorite, Holidays and Special Occasions, you’ll be guided in the most helpful ways to make beautiful bread!
The Takeaway:
I will treasure this book and place it alongside my other baking cookbooks with honor. Do you collect cookbooks as well? My husband and I share this hobby, and as soon as he saw Beautiful Bread, he said, “yay! Fresh-baked bread is in my future!” So, I'd best get up early one morning before it gets too hot and pick a recipe to surprise him. Care to join me? Grab a copy of Bread Beautiful at Quarto.com.
15 Minute Indian: Our World in 100 Cultural Places by Anjula Devi, Hardcover, 208 Pages
"15-Minute Indian teaches you the game-changing way to eat fresh and flavoursome Indian food. Each recipe takes under 15 minutes to make and is cooked in one pan using minimal steps and ingredients.
With over 90 fuss-free recipes you’ll be amazed at what you can achieve in the time. Cook healthy midweek meals from scratch.
There are chapters for legumes, veggies, fish, potatoes and breads, so you can also combine dishes to create a sumptuous feast without spending a day in the kitchen."
My Thoughts:
Speaking of our love of cookbooks, I selected this one for my husband, who not only loves cookbooks, he loves using the recipes. He truly knows his way around the market and kitchen. He also enjoys experimenting with new flavor profiles and dishes, so these one-pan dishes are right up his alley. One such recipe is Sweet & Sour Mushrooms. Yum!
I like that this cookbook is divided into sections. If you want a vegetable dish, just flip to that chapter. There are recipes for fish & seafood, legumes, potatoes, rice, and more, making it easy to put together a dinner or lunch from this one cookbook.
The Takeaway:
If you're looking for easy-to-follow Indian recipes that use minimal steps and ingredients, this cookbook is for you! Check it out here.
Arabica- Small Plates, Big Connections James Walters Hardcover, 304 Pages
"Arabica celebrates the vibrant flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean – whisking you on a culinary journey through the fertile valleys, mountain villages, coastal towns, and vibrant cities of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey.
Starting from a modest trestle table in London’s Borough Market to a growing network of restaurants and specialty products, the Arabica brand has steadfastly championed naturally healthy food and responsibly sourced ingredients.
Founder and author James Walters draws inspiration from his extensive travels across the Eastern Mediterranean to create a cookbook brimming with colorful meze and small plates from one of the world’s most exciting food cultures. In Arabica, he shares simple cooking techniques and ingredient tips that elevate dishes from ordinary to authentic, from satisfying to sublime."
My Thoughts:
Yes, another cookbook! What can I say? My family adores them! Even my daughter has called dibs on this one because we both LOVE Mediterranean food and the culture.
Arabica is a journey through the flavors of the eastern Mediterranean, shared by James Walters, making this so much more than a cookbook. I was engrossed as I flipped through the pages, quickly realizing, yes, the recipes (hello, delectable Hummus and kebabs) sound amazing, but I need to set aside time to read the stories.
The Takeaway:
Part cookbook, part travel guide, Arabica takes us on a journey through Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. It shares over 100 recipes featuring small plates and the richness of this culture. Grab your copy here.
Lifestyle:
New English Interiors: At Home with Today's Creatives by Elizabeth Metcalfe: Hardcover Book 256 Pages
"Of the countless interior design trends that come and go every year, there is one that endures: the ever-evolving English style. Explore the homes of 22 of England’s most exciting creatives, with interiors writer Elizabeth Metcalfe and photographer Dean Hearne.
An inspiration to people across the world, this is a style rich with color, pattern, and a certain eccentricity. Wallpapers, fabrics, charming detail, and lovingly collected objects are all among the key components of a style that embraces individuality and benefits from its layers being allowed to evolve slowly.
New English Interiors explores the exclusive homes of England’s most exciting creatives, from interior designers and illustrators to artists and antique dealers. From fashion stylist and designer Lucinda Chambers’ colorful kaleidoscope of a home in west London to illustrator Fee Greening’s earthy-toned cottage in Dorset, this is a celebration of color and pattern in its infinite variety."
My Thoughts:
This book is now part of my decor on my coffee table, that's how much I adore it! The New English Interiors is a lovely collection of creatives who welcome us into their homes and transport us into their worlds. The colors! The art! The wallpaper! The Fabrics! All this and more are captured in a beautiful design book that breaks down the ideas behind the look.
David Hicks says in the introduction, “The Best rooms have something to say about the people who live in them” and it is a delight to see each designer take on their spaces. If you think “stuffy and old” when you read English Interiors, you’ll be happy to know that isn’t the case here at all. Most of the interiors were born out of a love of collecting. Maybe it’s art, or ceramics, or funky flea-market finds, making New English Interiors friendly, warm and inviting and decidedly not Instagram post ready!
The Takeaway:
I love flipping through this enchanting design book on a lazy Sunday morning with a nice cup of coffee. I’m drawn to the kitchens more often than not. Probably because I’m a homemaker at heart. I love seeing the bold use of color, or evidence of a recent trip to the market. I marvel at the art selections, right along with the fabric.
I now dream of adding a statement piece in the den, or perhaps,painting our master bath a lovely peachy pink. New England Interiors allows you to dream and say what if? And Why Not? If you love interior design, check this book out here.
The Inspired Traveller: Our World in 100 Cultural Places by Sarah Baxter, Susie Hodge, Amy Grimes Hardcover 352 Pages
"Discover the destinations that have inspired the world’s greatest art, cinema, food, novels and music.
Pure armchair travel, this book is for anyone with a sense of wanderlust and curiosity: immerse yourself in 100 places that have inspired a remarkable cultural environment.
In Paris, visit the labyrinth streets of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables and the charming streets of Montmartre, the backdrop of Amélie; in New York, visit Brooklyn, home of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s stomping ground around the East Village.
Split by continent, and with fascinating text and charming hand-drawn illustrations for each entry, The Inspired Traveller is the ultimate atlas of 100 cultural places every armchair traveler needs to know about."
My Thoughts:
The Inspired Traveller is a delightful book that showcases our world in 100 cultural places. There are no lavish photos, just pretty hand-drawn illustrations, which I think adds to the beauty of this atlas-like book. There’s a chapter for all seven continents, making it easy to pick a destination and immerse ourselves in it. For instance, in Paris, you can visit the streets of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables. Or, stay state-side and head to Brooklyn, home of Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing movie.
Each place is labeled as Literary, Cinematic, Foodie, and Artistic. Say for instance, you’d like to go to one of my favorite places, Monterey, California. This is what it shows on page 188 for it in the North America section.
- Literary
- Where? California, USA
- Which? Cannery Row By John Steinbeck (1945)
- What? Ocean-side California street where life at its most colorful ebbs and flows.
That’s followed by two full pages on this topic. That’s it! Then, you can pick another location to explore.
The Takeaway:
I have enjoyed his book so much! I like learning about places before I go, and since my husband and I would like to start travelling again, this is a perfect book for us. Actually, this book is perfect for anyone that is curious about our world and the places that shaped our remarkable cultural environment. Learn more about it at Quarto,com.
If you are still with me, thank you for reading this long post! I hope it will inpsire you to read more this summer.
Please share in comments: Which book would you like to read first?
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