The Whole Foods Diet

Iconic chef and world-renowned opera singer Alexander Smalls marries two of his greatest passions―food and music―in Meals, Music, and Muses. More than just a cookbook, Smalls takes readers on a delicious journey through the South to examine the food that has shaped the region. Each chapter is named for a type of music to help readers understand the spirit that animates these recipes.

Filled with classic Southern recipes and twists on old favorites, this cookbook includes starters such as Hoppin’ John Cakes with Sweet Pepper Remoulade and Carolina Bourbon Barbecue Shrimp and Okra Skewers, and main dishes like Roast Quail in Bourbon Cream Sauce and Prime Rib Roast with Crawfish Onion Gravy.

Complete with anecdotes of Smalls’s childhood in the Low Country and examinations of Southern musical tradition, Meals, Music, and Muses is a heritage cookbook in the tradition of Edna Lewis’s A Taste of Country Cooking.

It’s not your mother’s Piña Colada! Sophisticated, flavorful, with fresh ingredients and the perfect hit of booze, a sloshie is a high-octane slushie—the ideal summer drink that’s a far cry from the cloyingly sweet blender cocktails of yore.

Written by Jerry Nevins, cofounder of Kansas City’s Snow & Co.—named the #1 frozen cocktail bar in the United States—Sloshies features more than 100 innovative refreshers guaranteed to jazz up (and cool down) backyard parties, barbecues, or any gathering with family and friends. And they are so easy to make: Based on a simple granita technique, sloshies require little to no special equipment. Just mix the ingredients, stick them in the freezer, and wait until they’re slushy.

There’s the tart: the Whisky Smashed, a frozen mint julep; the cucumber-kissed Limey Bastard; and the Sunshine Boulevard, a stone-cold shandy starring beer, vodka, and citrus juice. The sweet: the alluringly exotic Blue Roses (featuring a bouquet of curaçao, vodka, and rose hip liqueur). The spiced and herbal: including a Manhattan with rye-infused cherries, and the Proud Mary—yes, that’s a frozen Bloody Mary. Plus drinks with floral notes, like the Midnight Orchard, a beguiling combination of whiskey, elderflower, bitters, and maraschino, and a few nonalcoholic granitas to refresh the palate.

The book includes recipes for the syrups and infused liquors that many of the drinks are built upon, plus information on garnishes, serving suggestions, and other finishing touches.

Artist Brittany Wright was stuck in a job she didn’t love and needed a new creative project to stay happy — so she learned to cook. Inspired by the effortless beauty of her ingredients — fresh fruits, vegetables, and more — she created the hugely popular Instagram hashtag #foodgradients to showcase the splendor of nature’s edible rainbows.

The vivid photographs in this book capture the diversity and beauty of the foods we love to eat, from heirloom tomatoes and hot peppers to ripe strawberries and frosted cupcakes. Inside, revel in the vivid neons of your favorite candies, the rich color of freshly picked greens, and the gorgeous shades you can even find in a single cup of coffee. Each exquisite, neatly ordered photograph is a pleasure to get lost in.

With a sleek, minimalist design and more than a hundred high-quality photographs, Feast Your Eyes is a celebration of the earth’s bounty, a breath of fresh air for the busy mind, and an inspiration for everyone looking for joy in the simple things.