By Collection Management Librarian Dontaná
When the weather starts to turn and the air gets crisp, we pull out our sweaters, socks, and blankets. We start to build a soft nest, perfect for watching the fall rain and the winter snow. We get cozy and settle in with some comfort food and a cup of something warm. Autumn is a time of slowing down and reflection, so here are some titles to help you ease into the season.
Settle in with these cozy titles
Africana: More than 100 Recipes & Flavors Inspired by a Rich Continent by Lerato Umah-Shaylor
Why you should try it: African food is known for using warm spices and making large portions. Perfect for planning leftovers that are filling and interesting.
Description: AFRICANA travels across the continent showcasing its vibrant and varied cuisines that are rich in flavor, diverse in culture, and steeped in tradition. Combining recipes passed down the generations but with her own modern and inventive style, food writer and cook Lerato shares her own stories of Africa with a delectable sense of adventure.
Hill House Living: The Art of Creating a Joyful Life by Paula Sutton
Why you should try it: Sutton's home is a great example of filling your home with things you love, which makes it more appealing for the cold months when going out is the last thing we want to do.
Description: A guide to the simple pleasures of cottage living—antique hunting, gardening, and enjoying the seasons—from a beloved British design and fashion influencer.
Cucina Povera: The Italian Way of Transforming Humble Ingredients Into Unforgettable Meals by Giulia Scarpaleggia
Why you should try it: Truly, is there anything more comforting than a big plate of pasta?
Description: Cucina povera, Italian peasant cooking, is the art of making do with what you've got. This centuries-old cooking style transforms humble ingredients and leftovers into hearty, satisfying meals.
The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living by Meik Wiking
Why you should try it: An essential title for the cozy season, hygge embraces comfort, warmth, and happiness on one's own terms.
Description: The Danes are famously the happiest people in the world, and hygge is a cornerstone of their way of life. Hygge (pronounced Hoo-ga) loosely translates as a sense of comfort, togetherness, and well-being. You know hygge when you feel it.
Homestead Recipes: Midwestern Inspirations, Family Favorites & Pearls of Wisdom From a Sassy Home Cook by Amanda Rettke
Why you should try it: There is a lot to be said for making home favorites during the colder months to really embrace and celebrate family time.
Description: A food blogger, cake cookbook author, and Minnesota homesteader provides 110 home-cooked recipes with chapters on breakfast, casseroles, soups, appetizers, meats, vegetables, and desserts along with her trademark sassy commentary.
Wintering: The Power of Rest & Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May
Why you should try it: This is an essential title on the power of making and taking time to rest.
Description: An intimate, revelatory book exploring the ways we can care for and repair ourselves when life knocks us down.
About Dontaná
Dontaná is a Collection Management Librarian who was born with an unending reading list. She is almost always reading two books simultaneously and is easily distracted by cool covers.
