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Notes On Art and Cooking at Off Square Books, By Andrew Pearcy

Welcome to your weekly round up of new and notable books and gifts. Today we'll be focusing on two of our newest titles: Southern Appetizers by Denise Gee and Surfing by Jim Heimann. 

Just in time for the summer holidays, Southern Appetizers collects the most popular (and delicious) finger foods, dips, and cocktails. Having read more than my fair share of cookbooks, I was really impressed that even the fanciest dishes use ingredients that are readily available year round, making this book perfect for any occasion. The recipes themselves are also fairly straightforward, and while some may be time consuming the end result is worth it. Gee also helpfully includes a section on party planning--even impromptu parties are covered. Overall, this is a solid cookbook that is easy to use and makes a great gift.

You may have seen Surfing appear in some of our recent social media posts, but I wanted to take a closer look at it. Heimann's book chronicles the history of surfing from the 1700s to the present. The history is broken up by an amazing array of prints, charts, and pictures from the storied history of the sport. These include portraits of native Hawaiians and explorers, diagrams explaining the evolution of the surfboard, and a host of fascinating movie posters, album covers, and art inspired by the cult of surfing. It's a really fun book for anyone who is interested in surfing or culture. 

I also wanted to showcase one of our many fun gifts, and that is our socks. We have a hard time keeping them in stock, so a new shipment is always cause for celebration, so be sure to stop by and check them out. 

Happy Reading!