An engine.” The cookbook that follows is an invigorating, joyous, and deeply nuanced illustration of the complexity of Black foodways, one that weaves together conversations about history, artistry, authorship, race, class, and culture with 150 recipes that incorporate ingredients and techniques from around the globe. For avid home cooks who want a challenge, Xi’an Famous Foods also provides tips on putting together the best hot pot at home, and for those who are confused at Asian groceries, there’s a list of basic pantry items with flavor notes and how they are used in cooking. “Black food is not just one thing,” chef Marcus Samuelsson writes in the introduction to The Rise. Chickpeas take on a nutty crunchiness in Chickpea Pralines; firm black lentils add heft and, dare I say, sexiness to an otherwise simple Red Gem Salad. ), calling on mostly non-perishables in each recipe. In a greens rut? “Pairing” takes an angle that will sound familiar to Samin Nosrat fans, with recipes rooted in the perfect balance of fat, acid, “chile heat,” and sweetness. Before she became an expert baker, Weller was a chemical engineer, and as such, she tackles recipes with a scientific approach, getting the fermentation, proofing, and pH balance of her dough down to, well, a science. Dishes are photographed from above, in the same style as Alison Roman’s Dining In and Nothing Fancy, often showing Howard’s hands as they work away chopping herbs or spooning chowder. An open flame, plenty of perfectly charred food, and a bearded guy with a beanie pulled just to the top of his ears sprinkling salt seemingly everywhere. It’s hard to play favorites in this book, but the grilled vegetable dishes that incorporate nuts for creaminess instead of cheese or oil are some of the most clever and surprising options. At Hartwood, an open-air restaurant in the beach town of Tulum, Mexico, every last cooked dish comes off of a wood fire. Note: After reading this article in the New York Times, I weighed whether or not to include this book. BUY IT: Dinner in French: My Recipes by Way of France: A Cookbook, $34 on Amazon, out March 10. Imagine meeting a French chef who is much more than what he seems. Through these achievable recipes, many of which rely mostly on pantry essentials, Sharma helps readers better understand how flavor works and how to use that to their advantage to become more confident home cooks. Howard’s intended audience is the time-crunched kitchen novice, though a more experienced cook will surely find some useful tips, as well. Those flavors, as well as those from Brazilian, Italian, and multiple Asian cuisines (spy the shiitake congee and noodles with peanut laab), unite with the usual Ottolenghi suspects — za’atar, star anise, harissa, labneh — to make Flavor worth the look, even for the home chef who already has Plenty and Plenty More on the shelf.