Salt, Sugar, MSG by Calvin Eng (43% off)

Salt Sugar MSG: Recipes and Stories from a Cantonese American Home

When Calvin Eng opened Bonnie’s in Brooklyn in late 2021, it rocketed to the kind of rapid viral acclaim that seems to define so much of the New York restaurant scene. But the food justified every rave review, hour-long wait for a table, and fawning Instagram image. Eng’s food spans both traditional Cantonese and a sort of east/west fusion (fuyu cacio e pepe, BLT fried rice).

This book also got me making true sticky rice in a steamer for the first time and it had me rethinking whether I should use my rice cooker every day.

The book, co-written with his partner Phoebe Melnick, is also full of charming pictures and stories, not only from Bonnie’s but from Calvin’s childhood in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and their relationship together. He writes that at Bonnie’s, they have a saying: Bangers only. And Salt, Sugar, MSG is full of them. —Noah Kaufman, senior reviews editor

Baking With Dorie by Dorie Greenspan (63% off)

Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple

I have an entire bookshelf dedicated to just baking books. The one I come back to most is Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty, & Simple. If you aren’t familiar with Dorie Greenspan, she’s what I would describe as the grandma you wish shared all of her tried-and-true recipes. This book has a well-rounded assortment of cakes, cookies, easy pastries, and, best of all, an entire section for breakfast bakes. The recipes are satisfyingly sweet, wholesome, and hit just the right effort-to-output ratio. Some favorites from this book include her One-Bite Cinnamon Puffs, Smoked Salmon Roll-Ups, and her “Paris-style” Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, which are truly the best cookies I have ever tasted. They’re my go-to pick for any potluck or gathering, but any recipe in this book is fit for sharing with a crowd. —Lillian Syme, research fellow