Felicity O’Driscoll of Cook the Books with her pick of new cookbook releases. Find out more at cookthebooks.co.nz or visit her at 19 Williamson Avenue, Grey Lynn, Auckland

THE MIRACLE OF SALT

NAOMI DUGUID, ARTISAN BOOKS (DISTRIBUTED BY BOOKREPS.CO.NZ), $115

Salt – how does an ingredient we add as little more than a pinch have such an effect on a dish? From heightening sweetness, intensifying flavour and muting bitterness, to tenderising, strengthening and preserving, salt is, in fact, our most important ingredient in that we all need it to survive. As with all of Naomi’s books, this is as much reference as it is recipe.

KEW GARDENS COOKBOOK

EDITED BY JENNY LINFORD, KEW PUBLISHING, $49.99

As we enjoy a slice of cake, a salad, or a curry it becomes apparent that the kitchen is where we connect with plants in the most special way. Stunning from cover to cover, the recipes within are gifted to Kew Gardens by some of our favourite food writers – Yotam Ottolenghi, Fuchsia Dunlop and Claudia Roden to name a few – and are as diverse as the edible plants cultivated there.

THE FOOD SAVER’S A-Z

ALEX ELLIOTT-HOWERY & JAIMEE EDWARDS, MURDOCH BOOKS, $55

You’d almost wish that this was pocket sized rather than a 500+ page doorstop, because it’d be just as handy to take shopping as in the kitchen. Whether you have half a lonely cucumber languishing in the vege drawer or spy a glut of them at the market, there’re ideas on how not to let them go to waste. And it’s not just vegetables – what do you do with the leftover Sunday roast? Those ends of cheese? As for that half cucumber – smash it into gin or salt it in a salad.

FESTIVE COCKTAILS & CANAPÉS

RYLAND PETERS & SMALL, $34.99

With the best of intentions we invite friends over for pre-Christmas drinks, though as the date rolls around we find ourselves fresh out of inspiration. This little gem provides all the ideas you’ll need – Spicy Quesadilla & Lime Salt Chicken to accompany a Paloma (Margarita’s blushing pink cousin); Coconut & Cardamom Chicken Skewers and Mango Paneer Poppadoms with a G&T. All do-able twists on supermarket staples because that’s exactly what we need at the busiest time of the year!