BURDOCK & CO: POETIC RECIPES INSPIRED BY OCEAN, LAND & AIR

The true charm of Andrea Carlson’s cooking is its abundance of je ne sais quoi nestled into every bite.

It could be the bright sour tang of tuberous begonia petals churned into ice mere moments before wilting, or a wild Arctic yeast jump-started on foraged crowberries and fermented into sourdough. Her food is vibrant, natural, serendipitous and fleeting, which makes it nearly impossible to replicate or pin down with exact recipes. And yet this book, written in a lush, evocative style reminiscent of MFK Fisher, is an absolute joy to read. Divided unconventionally into seven places and the elemental component of each—ocean (seafood), air (fermentation), hidden places (wild foods), etc.—it is a peek into the romantic mind of a wholesomely grounded culinary artist who is motivated more by food security than fame. She paints with her own palette, but gives full credit to her tribe of farmers, foragers, sommeliers, mentors and partners, with each section headed by a two-way profile in her words and theirs. This is not the type of book that throws down precise commandments from up on high, but it might inspire you to culture butter for the first time, grow your own sweet woodruff or look at the food on your plate—and the entire village it takes to make a restaurant go round—in a more holistic fashion. —ALEXANDRA GILL

BURDOCK & CO: POETIC RECIPES INSPIRED BY OCEAN, LAND & AIR Andrea Carlson with Clea McDougall, Appetite by Random House, $35