What To Read

Here’s a twist on a classic author interview question: If you could be invited to any author’s dinner party to have them cook for you, who would it be? Cook and food writer Colu Henry is high on our list. The food will be good, the wine will be special and the conversation will be filled with books.  

Henry, who is a frequent contributor to The New York Times and Food & Wine, is known for her elegant but approachable recipes, like her version of Pasta e Ceci, which went viral during early pandemic days. Her last cookbook, Colu Cooks, tapped into our food fantasies with recipes like "Pretending I’m Vacationing in Italy Salad."

Henry is currently traveling through France toward England, where she’ll be covering a marmalade competition. We caught up with her for some book recommendations. Here’s what she had to say.

What’s on your bedside table now? 

I’m on the road right now, but waiting for me at home is The Rabbit Hutch, They're Going to Love You: A Novel, and Women Without Kids: The Revolutionary Rise of an Unsung Sisterhood. I’m very excited to have something to look forward to when I get home.

What's your most tattered, wine-splattered cookbook? 

The Silver Palate Cookbook. I lost myself in its pages as a kid and cooked with it as a young adult. I loved the menu and party ideas — they still make me smile. It’s definitely of a time and place, but somehow still remains timeless. 

Who's your author crush? 

Lisa Taddeo. She is wickedly funny, wildly smart and somehow I convinced her to do a book event with me last spring. Oh, her writing is also brilliant. Three Women blew my mind, as did Animal.

What are some of the novels you’ve enjoyed recently? 

Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow was an incredible, unconventional love story about friendship and so much more. I couldn’t put it down. 

Daisy Jones & the Six was just plain fun! I love the '70s and it was a treat to read about that time fictionally. I think Taylor Jenkins Reid’s documentary-style writing approach was also unique and cool. 

What was the last book that actually made you cry? 

A Heart That Works by Rob Delaney. He writes beautifully, painfully, angrily and hysterically about the loss of his young son Henry to cancer. It is incredibly moving and anyone who is grieving (or not) should read it. 

What’s the best guide to wine? 

Talia Baiocchi’s book Sherry and Jon Bonne’s The New French Wine. Both are invaluable and engaging. 

What's the most surprising genre of books you love?

Y/A. Grew up on it and still love it.

What children's cookbook would you recommend? 

The Little House Cookbook, I love it so much, I recently bought myself the updated edition. The fried chicken recipe in there is not to be beat. You fry it in lard — never look back!

Not a cookbook, but food related: Strega Nona. 

And your pick for the best baking cookbook? 

Natasha Pickowicz new book More Than Cake, which just came out. I’m not a baker, but I’ve been a fangirl for a long time. She’s insanely talented, incredibly creative and lovely. There are also many savory recipes in the book, which speak to me. We’re hosting a book event together in Beacon, NY in May! 

Tertulia Recommends:

Colu Cooks: Easy Fancy Food by Colu Henry

Colu Cooks is a 100-recipe cookbook that serves up simplicity and sophistication for those short on time but not short on taste. Henry helps stock a pantry and execute on elegant meals for the everyday. Recipes clock in at 45 minutes from prep to table.

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➳ The Best New Cookbooks of 2023 So Far

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