I am a Food Network junkie. I’ve always loved browsing cookbooks and daydreaming about delicious dinners. So when I heard that CLP – Squirrel Hill‘s cookbook club program was expanding across multiple locations for this year, I was very excited.

The Squirrel Hill location, along with CLP – Main, CLP – Knoxville and CLP – Woods Run are joining together like foodie super-friends to explore the Library’s very vast and wonderful cookbook collection.

Each month, we’re asking you to check out the cookbook, give it a deep dive – try making one or two things at home! – and come ready to discuss how it went (and what else from the book looked promising or impossible to tackle). Our intrepid staff will also have a dish from the book to sample at each meeting.

The Dish! cookbook club will convene on the second Wednesday of each month at 6:30 pm, rotating around the city at the four locations. If you’re planning to attend, please register online.

Here’s a preview of the next few titles on the menu.

February 14 | CLP – Main – Classroom A

Desserts LaBelle: Soulful Sweets to Sing About by Patti LaBelle – Not only does this book include the recipe for her infamous sweet potato pie, but everything your sweet tooth can handle and options for making some diabetic-friendly treats.

March 14 | CLP – Woods Run

Vegetarian India: a Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey – Jaffrey has won numerous James Beard Foundation awards for her cookbooks (one of them is even in the Hall of Fame), so she definitely knows what she is talking about. Her latest celebrates vegetarian dishes made in homes across the Indian subcontinent.

April 11 | CLP – Knoxville

The Food Lab: Better Cooking Through Science by J. Kenji López-Alt – As chief culinary consultant at Serious Eats, López-Alt digs into the science behind the perfect sear on steaks and the best way to roast broccoli. This book teaches us why certain techniques work better than others and foolproof ways to get the best out of your ingredients.

May 9 | CLP – Squirrel Hill

Every Grain of Rice: Simple Chinese Home Cooking by Fuchsia Dunlop – This cookbook showcases dishes popular in southern China, along with a in-depth look at the seasonings and techniques needed to make your favorite Chinese dishes at home.

Jess is the Clerical Specialist at the Woods Run branch on the North Side. She’s your girl for YA lit, romance novels and knitting.