The New Ayesha Curry Cookbook Is Spicy and Sweet

Ayesha Curry is dropping a fresh cookbook next week. The Full Plate is available for preorder now, and officially pubs next Tuesday, September 22. It’s the second title from the local restaurateur and media star, and it looks even better than her first. Curry published her first book when she was only 26 years old, and in the few short years since then, she’s now had her third kid, opened three restaurants, and found her full voice and style in the kitchen. The recipes keep it real for busy parents who need both chicken bites and spiced rum cocktails. And the flavors reflect her Black and Jamaican heritage, with lots of spice and a touch of sweetness.

Curry partners with Michael Mina on SoMa’s International Smoke, where fans feast on barbecued ribs, wings, and cornbread. She also has a foundation that helps feed kids and support restaurants in Oakland. But long before she got involved in the industry, Curry was a voracious home cook, who’s often quoted as saying, “Food is my love language.” She clearly finds joy in feeding her husband, basketball star Stephen Curry, and the couple’s three precocious kids, Riley, Ryan, and Canon, who tend to steal the spotlight.

The recipes deliver for busy working parents, but also really for anyone who’s over quarantine cooking at this point and could use some hot takes on quick dinners — and a spicy cocktail. The book serves up 100 recipes, most coming together in half an hour, from snacks and cocktails to main proteins, fresh salads, and a few desserts.

Eva Kolenko

Eva Kolenko

Eva Kolenko

The “Jamaican Mama” cocktails swirl with rum, citrus, and cinnamon, and the spicy margaritas are laced with serrano and rimmed with Tajín. The crispy coconut shrimp rely on (gasp!) boxed pancake batter, and are inspired by Steph’s favorite order at Outback Steakhouse. You, too, like chubby toddler Canon, can feast on chicken bites, hot-honey chicken sandwiches, and jerk-spiced shrimp pasta. There are grandmother traditions, like Jamaican red bean soup with spinners ( hand-rolled dumplings). And a coconut curried crab bag that puffs up in the oven, before it’s dumped out on a newspaper-lined table.

Eva Kolenko

Eva Kolenko

Curry worked with a bigger publishing house this time around, and the results are beautiful. The Full Plate comes courtesy of Little Brown and includes lush images from photographer Eva Kolenko. But of course, with this kind of cookbook, fans don’t just want to see the delicious dishes. They also want to see the Covergirl herself, rocking comfy jumpsuits and serving sweater-season inspiration. And get glimpses into her dream kitchen, slurping noodles with her super cute kids.

The Full Plate comes out on Tuesday, September 22, and is available for preorder from Green Apple Books, the Booksmith, and everywhere else stylish cookbooks are sold.

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