It’s somehow refreshing to see strong catalogue lists with books by so many writers and chefs who haven’t necessarily made their name on a TV competition show.

One of these season’s most charming books is by a man who is as sweet in recipes and crafts as he is formidable in size and whiskers. Paul Lowe, aka Sweet Paul, makes sure you can create a comfort meal in your house, complete with, say, homemade napkins in Sweet Paul Eat and Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You Will Love. Paul, born and in Norway but who now lives in Brooklyn with his French bulldog, also publishes a magazine of the same name.

Nina Planck, a farmer’s daughter and wife of the Murray’s Cheese shop owner in New York City, who wrote Farmer’s Market Cookbook and Real Food, once again delights and enlightens with The Real Food Cookbook: Traditional Dishes for Modern Cooks. From Canada comes Lucy Waverman, Globe and Mail food columnist, and Beppi Crosariol with The Flavour Principle: Enticing Your Senses with Food and Drink. And Tom Mylan, who owns and runs the Meat Hook butcher shop in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, instructs on all things carnivorous with The Meat Hook Meat Book: Buy, Butcher, and Cook Your Way to Better Meat.

Turning to healthy, lighter fare, is a new book from Wolfgang Puck—his first since 2004—Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy: Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life. British cook and former model Lorraine Pascale suggests A Lighter Way to Bake. Finally, Mark Bittman returns to the kitchen with a book based on his bestselling VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00 to Lose Weight and Restore Your Health… for Good. This one is called The VB6 Cookbook: 320 All-new Recipes that Help you Eat Healthy Vegan Meals All.

In the single subject category, eggs seems to be this seasons food of choice, and one of three egg-heavy titles comes from Michael Ruhlman with Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient. While not focusing on a single food but rather a single concept, Cooking author James Peterson returns with Done: A Cook’s Guide to Knowing when Food Is Perfectly Cooked.

And with an announced 400,000 first printing, it’s hard to ignore Guy Fieri, who is certain to light up the bestseller lists with Guy on Fire: 130 Outdoor Cooking Adventures.

PW’s Top 10: Cookbooks

The Real Food Cookbook: Traditional Dishes for Modern Cooks. Nina Planck. Bloomsbury, June

Done: A Cook’s Guide to Knowing when Food Is Perfectly Cooked. James Peterson. Chronicle, Apr.

A Lighter Way to Bake. Lorraine Pascale. Ecco, Mar.

Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy: Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life. Wolfgang Puck, Chad Waterbury, and Lou Schuler. Grand Central, Mar.

The Flavour Principle: Enticing Your Senses with Food and Drink. Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol. Harper, May

Sweet Paul Eat and Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You Will Love. Paul Lowe. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt/Rux Martin, Apr.

Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient. Michael Ruhlman. Little Brown, Apr.

The VB6 Cookbook: 320 All-new Recipes that Help you Eat Healthy Vegan Meals All Day. Mark Bittman. Clarkson Potter, May

Guy on Fire: 130 Outdoor Cooking Adventures. Guy Fieri. Morrow, May

The Meat Hook Meat Book: Buy, Butcher, and Cook Your Way to Better Meat. Tom Mylan. Artisan, May

Cookbooks Listings

America’s Test Kitchen

(dist. by Boston Common Press)

The How Can It be Gluten Free Cookbook by the editors at America’s Test Kitchen (Mar. 1, paper, $26.95, ISBN 978-1936493616) presents a scientific approach to recipe testing and development, revealing the secrets to making favorite foods without gluten, from fresh pasta to sandwich breads and layer cakes.

Andrews McMeel

(dist. by Simon & Schuster)

Smokin’ in the Boys’ Room: Southern Recipes from the Winningest Woman in Barbecue by Melissa Cookston (Apr. 8, hardcover, $22.99, ISBN 978-1449441982). Top pitmaster and restaurateur Cookston presents Southern Delta and barbecue recipes full of smoke and spice, as well as fire and vinegarthe stories that make her a TV favorite.

Artisan

The Meat Hook Meat Book: Buy, Butcher, and Cook Your Way to Better Meat by Tom Mylan (May 20, $37.50, ISBN 978-1579655273) Mylan—a chef, butcher, and writer who co-owns Brooklyn’s The Meat Hook butcher shop—teaches average home cooks how to prepare nearly every cut of meat from cows, pigs, lambs, chickens, and ducks, whether buying pieces of meat from a butcher or a whole animal from a farm.

Atria

Carla’s Comfort Foods: Favorite Dishes from Around the World by Carla Hall with Genevieve Ko, photos by Frances Janisch, designed by Jennifer Barry (Apr. 1, hardcover, $29.99, ISBN 978-1451662221) features 130 recipes with new variations on soulful favorites, traversing the culinary globe with to capture the international flavors of comfort.

Ballantine

Bobby Deen’s Everyday Eats: 120 All-New Recipes, All Under 350 Calories, All Under 30 Minutes by Bobby Deen (Feb. 11, paper, $22, ISBN 978-0804177160). Following the New York Times bestselling From Mama’s Table to Mine, Bobby Deen is back with a new collection of original low-calorie recipes that can be whipped up in 30 minutes or less.

Mitchell Beazley/Octopus

(dist. by HBG)

A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry (June 3, hardcover, $34.99, ISBN 978-1845338923) adds excitement to a light and healthy diet with such dishes as Cambodian shrimp salad, North African mackerel with cumin, and blood orange and cardamom sorbet.

Bloomsbury USA

The Real Food Cookbook: Traditional Dishes for Modern Cooks by Nina Planck (June 10, hardcover, $32, ISBN 978-1608196753). The illustrated cookbook from the author of the bestselling Real Food: What to Eat and Why shows us how to use natural ingredients.

Chronicle Books

Eggs on Top: Recipes Elevated by an Egg by Andrea Slonecker, photos by David Reamer (Mar. 25, paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1452123684). Cooking teacher Slonecker recommends variations on the basic egg and includes useful information on safety, health, and the differences in egg types.

À la Mère de Famille: Recipes from the Beloved Parisian Confectioner by Julien Merceron, photos by Jean Cazals, illus. by Julie Serre and Sophie Pechaud (Feb. 11, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-1452118284). The 250+-year-old confectionery presents its first cookbook, which doubles as an art object and includes color photographs, as well as 95 easy-to-follow recipes for cakes, marshmallows, and ice cream, among other dessert.

Done by James Peterson (Apr. 8, hardcover, $27.50, ISBN 978-1452119632) sets out to help cooks determine when difficult foods are ready to serve, detailing the smells and textures of the finished product of the trickiest sauces, vegetables, meats, and desserts.

Da Capo Lifelong

(dist. by Perseus)

The New Greenmarket Cookbook: Recipes and Tips from Today’s Finest Chefs—and the Stories Behind the Farms That Inspire Them by Gabrielle Langholtz (May 27, paper, $24.99, ISBN 978-0738216898). A cookbook and “how-to-use-all-that-great-produce” guide, with up to 100 recipes from noted chefs who source their produce from the market. 30,000-copy announced first printing.

DK Publishing

The American Cookbook: A Fresh Take on Classic Recipes by Elena Rosemond-Hoerr and Caroline Bretherton (Feb. 17, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-1465415875) takes standard American dinner staples such as burgers, mac and cheese, fried chicken, and apple pie, and provides 150 innovative gourmet makeovers.

Ecco

A Lighter Way to Bake by Lorraine Pascale (Mar. 18, hardcover, $29.99, ISBN 978-0062332912) offers a compromise between the two hottest trends in cookery right now: baking, and eating lighter, healthier meals, with 100 delicious, fully illustrated easy recipes. 30,000-copy announced first printing.-copy announced first printing.

Flammarion

(dist. by Random House)

Roger Verge’s New Entertaining in the French Style by Roger Vergé, photos by Pierre Hussenot (Mar. 25, hardcover, $12.98, ISBN 978-2080201799). One of France’s leading chefs explains the art of hosting by adding an easy sophistication and contemporary elegance to his elements of basic entertaining.

Good Books

The Lancaster Central Market Cookbook 25th Anniversary Edition by Phyllis Pellman Good (June 10, paper, $17.95, ISBN 978-1561488209). New York Times bestseller Good updates her classic, offering more than 350 recipes from the storied Pennsylvania farmer’s market.

Grand Central Life & Style

Wolfgang Puck Makes It Healthy: Light, Delicious Recipes and Easy Exercises for a Better Life by Wolfgang Puck, Chad Waterbury, and Lou Schuler (Mar. 18, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1455508846). The acclaimed chef and restauranteur shares classic and flavorful recipes made healthy, but still delicious, while strength coach Waterbury provides easy exercise moves that can be done anywhere. 75,000-copy announced first printing.

The Texas Food Bible: From Legendary Dishes to New Classics by Dean Fearing (Apr. 29, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-1455574308). Texas chef Fearing offers a guide to preparing cuisine from the Lone Star State; includes recipes from such other regional well-knowns as Robert Del Grande and Stephen Pyles. 40,000-copy announced first printing.

Harlequin

The Gourmet Dad by Dean McDermott (July 29, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0373892891) offers advice on how to make dinner for the whole family with recipes geared toward parents dealing with picky eaters and differing preferences.

Harper

The Flavour Principle: Enticing Your Senses with Food and Drink by Lucy Waverman and Beppi Crosariol (May 20, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-0062322173). Two of Canada’s favorite culinary writers combine to make a cookbook that will be everyone’s go-to food and wine matching guide. 40,000-copy announced first printing.

Harvard Common Press

Smoke & Spice: Cooking with Smoke, the Real Way to Barbecue by Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison (May 13, paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1558328365). This revised, four-color, 450-recipe expanded edition of the Jamisons’ bestselling Smoke & Spice appears on the 20th anniversary of the classic book’s first edition. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

Marinades: The Quick-Fix Way to Turn Everyday Food Into Exceptional Fare, with 400 Recipes by Lucy Vaserfirer (Apr. 15, paper, $17.95, ISBN 978-1558328273) demonstrates how easy it is to dress up meats, chicken, fish, or vegetables in the morning, pop the food in the fridge for the day, and finish it all off with a quick broil, grill, microwave, or sauté when you get home. 10,000-copy announced first printing.

Hay House Insights

The Deliciously Conscious Cookbook: Over 100 Vegetarian Recipes with Gluten-free, Vegan and Dairy-free Options by Belinda Connolly (May 5, paper, $19.95, ISBN 978-1401945800). The chef who cooked for both Princess Diana and Camilla, duchess of Cornwall, presents delicious creations that can be made gluten- or dairy-free, low in sugar or fat, or with all vegan ingredients. 10,000-copy announced first printing.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Marc Forgione: Recipes and Stories from the Acclaimed Chef and Restaurant by Marc Forgione and Olga Massov (Apr. 29, hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-1118302781). The first cookbook from one of the Food Network’s favorite competitors on the popular Iron Chef America. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

The Farmstead Egg Guide & Cookbook by Terry Golson (Mar. 11, paper, $19.99, ISBN 978-1118627952). Lauded for her chickens by Martha Stewart, Golson offers tips on caring for and raising chickens to produce edible and delicious eggs, along with 100 delicious and diverse recipes. 15,000-copy announced first printing.

HMH/Rux Martin

Sweet Paul Eat and Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You Will Love by Paul Lowe (Apr. 1, hardcover, $30, ISBN 978-0544133334). Captivating one-of-a-kind recipes and kitchen-related craft projects by the creator of the Web site and quarterly magazine Sweet Paul. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

Imagine Publishing/Food & Wine

(dist. by Random House)

Food & Wine Annual Cookbook 2014 by the editors of Food & Wine magazine (Apr. 1, hardcover, $32.95, ISBN 978-1932624632). An entire year of fabulous recipes from appetizers to desserts, created by star chefs like Mario Batali, Nobu Matsuhisa, Marcella Hazan, and more.

Knopf

Back Home with the Neelys: Comfort Food from Our Southern Kitchen to Yours by Pat Neely and Gina Neely, with Ann Volkwein (Apr. 8, hardcover, $27.95, ISBN 978-0307961334). The bestselling Neely couple’s third book brings them back to their roots with classic Southern recipes passed down through generations including small batch strawberry jam, bourbon French toast, crunchy fried okra, grilled succotash, and Mama Rena’s Brunswick stew. 100,000-copy announced first printing.

Kyle Books

(dist. by NBN)

Olives, Lemons & Za’atar: My Culinary Journey from Nazareth to New York by Rawia Bishara and Jumana Bishara (Feb. 13, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1906868840). The Israeli-born co-owner of the Brooklyn restaurant Tanoreen shares 135 recipes from here native homeland that combine Middle Eastern techniques with Mediterranean flavors.

Little, Brown

Egg: A Culinary Exploration of the World’s Most Versatile Ingredient by Michael Ruhlman (Apr. 1, hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-0316254069). In this innovative cookbook, James Beard Award–winning author Ruhlman explains why the egg is the key to the craft of cooking. 50,000-copy announced first printing.

The Nolan Ryan Beef & Barbecue Cookbook Recipes from a Texas Kitchen by Nolan Ryan (May 6, hardcover, $25, ISBN 978-0316248266). Best known as a Hall of Fame pitcher, Nolan Ryan grew up on Texas cuisine and offers Texas beef and BBQ recipes—including steaks, burgers, and ribs. 100,000-copy announced first printing.

Lyons Press

(dist. by Globe Pequot)

Mississippi Current Cookbook: A Culinary Journey Down America’s Greatest River by Regina Charboneau, photos by Ben Fink, foreword by Julia Reed (May 1, hardcover, $39.95, ISBN 978-0762793747). Charboneau, who has launched several top restaurants including Biscuits & Blues, explores the diverse culinary traditions of the states bordering the Mississippi river and offers 200 contemporary recipes for 30 meals and celebrations.

Morrow Cookbooks

Guy On Fire: 130 Outdoor Cooking Adventures by Guy Fieri (May 6, hardcover, $29.99, ISBN 978-0062244710). Food Network superstar Fieri takes it outdoors with this four-color cookbook filled with dozens of recipes for meals, drinks, holidays, bashes, and more. 400,000-copy announced first printing

New Holland Australia

(dist. by Midpoint Trade)

The Basic Cookbook compiled by Lesley Pagett (Feb. 1, hardcover, $24.99, ISBN 978-1742574660) is back with a new retro look and full-color photographs throughout.

New York Review Books/Little Bookroom

(dist. by Random House)

Verdure: Vegetable Recipes from the Kitchen of the American Academy in Rome, Rome Sustainable Food Project by Christopher Boswell, with Elena Goldblatt, photos by Annie Schlechter (Mar. 25, hardcover, $22, ISBN 978-1936941032). The Rome Sustainable Food Project grew out of efforts by Chez Panisse alums to vastly improve the food for scholars at the American Academy in Rome. This is the fourth cookbook from the RSFP, following Biscotti, Zuppe, and Pasta.

Phaidon Press

elBulli 2005–2011 by Ferran Adrià, Albert Adria, and Juli Soler (Mar. 3, hardcover, $625, ISBN 978-0714865485). This seven-volume set documents every recipe, technique, and influence from the legendary restaurant’s final and most innovative years.

Clarkson Potter

The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from a Southern Revival by Alexe van Beuren, with recipes by Dixie Grimes (Mar. 18, hardcover, $29.99, ISBN 978-0385345002). “Be the Change” with the B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery in Mississippi, a simple store that’s become a symbol of how good food can bring people together and empower a small town.

Fried & True: 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides by Lee Brian Schrager, with Adeena Sussman (May 20, paper, $22.50, ISBN 978-0770435226) features 50 new recipes and differing takes on fried chicken, selected by the founder of the South Beach and New York City Wine & Food Festivals.

The VB6 Cookbook: 348 Recipes Eating Healthy Vegan Meals All Day and Delicious Flexitarian Dinners at Night by Mark Bittman (May 6, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-0385344821) presents easy-to-make vegan dishes from the creator of the bestselling Vegan Before 6:00 diet plan.

Prospect Park Books

(dist. by Consortium )

The Auntie Em’s Cookbook: A Musician’s Guide to Breakfast and Brunch by Theresa C. Wahl, photos by David Kiang (June 10, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1938849268). The owner of L.A.’s favorite neighborhood spot for breakfast, brunch, and sweet treats shares her favorite recipes for seasonal all-American comfort food and the story of her journey from globe-touring punk musician to chicken-raising California chef.

Quayside/Race Point Publishing

Ms. American Pie: Buttery Good Pie Recipes and Bold Tales from the American Gothic House by Beth M. Howard (Apr. 1, hardcover, $28, ISBN 978-1937994686) features 80 of Beth Howard’s coveted pie recipes and includes chapters on Pies to Heal, Pies to Seduce, and Pies to Win the Iowa State Fair.

Quercus

(dist. by IPG)

Guilty Pleasures: Your Favourite Sweet & Savoury Indulgences in 130 Easy Recipes by Matt Tebbutt (May 1, hardcover, $29.95, ISBN 978-1782064671) takes sneaky treats, like peanut butter, cream cheese, coffee, and even booze, and puts them center stage in 130 recipes.

Quirk Books

Haute Dogs: Recipes for Delicious Hot Dogs, Buns, and Condiments by Russell van Kraayenburg (Apr. 29, paper, $18.95, ISBN 978-1594746758) is inspired by cultures and cuisines from around the world, taking the dog from hot to haute and reimagining this perennial backyard and food-cart staple as fancy fare that’s full of flavor.

Rizzoli

(dist. by Random House)

Sweet and Vicious Baking with Attitude by Libbie Summers, photos by Chia Chong (Mar. 25, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-0847841042) offers an irreverent cookbook filled with inventive recipes for baking that delivers a punch.

Rodale

(dist. by Macmillan)

The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Vegetable Cookbook: 100 Delicious Heritage Recipes from the Farm and Garden by Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Brent Ridge, and Sandy Gluck (May 13, hardcover, $32.50, ISBN 978-1609615758). The Beekman Boys return with a lushlyillustrated collection packed with simple, delicious, and seasonal vegetable recipes that will have readers counting down the months to green shoots.

The Simple Art of Vegetarian Cooking: Templates and Lessons for Making Delicious Meatless Meals Every Day by Martha Rose Shulman (Apr. 22, hardcover, $32.50, ISBN 978-1623361297). The New York Times columnist teaches how to master recipes for basic dishes and shows how to cook based on seasonality, availability, or personal taste to create 125 delicious plant-based meals.

Robert Rose

(dist. by Firefly)

300 Best Homemade Candy Recipes: Brittles, Caramels, Chocolate, Fudge, Truffles and So Much More by Jane Sharrock (May 1, paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-0778804758). The step-by-step candy bible for beginners and accomplished candymakers alike.

Rowman & Littlefield

(dist. by NBN)

Cooking and Eating in Renaissance Italy From Kitchen to Table by Katherine McIver (June 16, hardcover, $40, ISBN 978-1442227187). McIver takes readers behind the scenes to the Renaissance kitchen and dining room to show the orchestration of food preparation and presentation, and the theatrical experience of dining.

Running Press

(dist. by Perseus)

Patio Pizzeria: Artisan Pizza and Flatbreads on the Grill by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig (Apr. 22, paper, $20, ISBN 978-0762449668). One hundred recipes for pizzas, flatbreads, bruschetta, and panini on the grill are simple, fun, and make use of fresh summer produce!.

Skyhorse Publishing

(dist. by Perseus)

Vintage Parties: A Guide to Throwing Themed Events—from Gatsby Galas to Mad Men Martinis and Much More by Linda Hansson, Louise Lemming, and Emma Sundh (May 6, hardcover, $17.95, ISBN 978-1626361355). Vintage bloggers Hansson, Lemming, and Sundh reveal their secrets for throwing the best parties, festivities, and fetes with a nostalgic twist.

Stewart, Tabori & Chang

(dist. by HBG)

Vegetarian for a New Generation: Seasonal Vegetable Dishes for Vegetarians, Vegans, and the Rest of Us by Liana Krissoff, photos by Rinne Allen (Apr. 15, paper, $24.95, ISBN 978-1617690402) collects irresistible vegetarian recipes for today’s adventurous cooks.

St. Martin’s

The Lucky Santangelo Cookbook by Jackie Collins (Apr. 8, hardcover, $27.99, ISBN 978-1250014658) brings devoted readers into the kitchen of mega-selling author Collins with recipes inspired by her most popular character, Lucky Santangelo.

Sterling/Hearst

The Good Housekeeping Cookbook Sunday Dinner Collector’s Edition: 1,275 Recipes from America’s Favorite Test Kitchen by the editors of Good Housekeeping (Apr. 1, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-1618371379) brings back the tradition of a weekly sitdown supper, with everything needed to create wonderful meals and memories.

Storey Publishing

(dist. by Workman)

How to Make Frozen Yogurt: 56 Delicious Flavors You Can Make at Home by Nicole Weston (Mar. 25, paper, $9.95, ISBN 978-1612123776). Most recipes produce hard frozen yogurt, but with this unique technique, using simple meringue and an ice cream maker, the result is creamy, smooth, and delicious.

Taunton Press/Academia Barilla

Barbecue: 50 Easy Recipes by Academia Barilla (Mar. 4, hardcover, $12.95, ISBN 978-8854408258) features 50 authentic recipes for first and second courses, sides, and desserts for barbecue and grilled dishes, all easy to prepare and representing the flavors and ingredients of all regions of Italy.

Ten Speed Press

(dist. by Random House)

My Irish Table: Recipes from the Homeland and Restaurant Eve by Cathal Armstrong and David Hagedorn (Mar. 11, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-1607744306). The debut cookbook from features 130 recipes showcasing modern Irish fare, along with stories about Armstrong’s journey from Dublin to Washington, D.C., to become an internationally recognized four-star chef.

My Paris Kitchen: Recipes and Stories by David Lebovitz (Apr. 8, hardcover, $35, ISBN 978-1607742678) collects stories and 100 sweet and savory French-inspired recipes from the Chez Panisse pastry chef turned popular food blogger, reflecting the way modern Parisians eat today and featuring lush photography from around Paris and in David’s Parisian kitchen.

Workman

Man-Made Meals: The Essential Cookbook for Guys by Steven Raichlen (May 6, paper, $22.95, ISBN 978-0761166443).Master griller Raichlen taught millions how to grill, and now he swings open the kitchen door and arms guys with the tools, techniques, and recipes they’ll need to achieve confidence and competence at the stove, with 300 delicious, guy-friendly recipes. A Joy of Cooking/New Basics Cookbook.