Friends: The Official Cookbook

In this fun cookbook inspired by the hit sitcom, Yee celebrates “the pleasure of eating together and sharing a meal with friends.” She bases most of the recipes on plots of individual episodes (“When Rachel botches her attempt at a Thanksgiving dessert, she serves half a trifle and half a shepherd’s pie,” Yee writes in the introduction for Half a Shepherd’s Pie), while others come from the preferences of each of the characters, such as fried cauliflower for Phoebe, who doesn’t eat “anything with a face.” Callout boxes appear as tips from Monica, who is a chef, to provide helpful advice for less experienced cooks. (For stock: “You can use any vegetables in this recipe, including trimmings from vegetables you would have originally discarded.”) From Janice’s artichoke dip to duck rillettes, from xi’an lamb noodles to PhilloSophie’s Cajun catfish Alfredo, the recipes range from easy to difficult, with a wide array of flavor profiles. Complete with photos and quotes from favorite episodes, this cookbook will please any avid Friends fan. (Sept.)