How to Cook a Book

And get it on Cooking the Books

A very nice young man from a big publisher wrote to me this morning. He’d just joined the publicity team, and one of his jobs this week is to get the word out about Polina Chesnakova’s “brilliant” new book Chesnok, publishing 18 September 2025.

“Born in Ukraine to Russian and Armenian parents from Georgia,”he writes, “author Polina Chesnakova grew up in Rhode Island eating the foods of the Soviet diaspora.

“When the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, its collapse created a diaspora that—despite representing a myriad of countries, cultures, and unique food traditions—forever linked its members by shared history, trauma and language. Chesnok speaks to the breadth of this specific group of people and their foodways through over 100 vibrant recipes from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

From plump, pillowy Pirozhki to stacks of melt-in-your mouth Blinichiki, Chesnok is your invitation to experience the cuisines of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and beyond, the scope and nuance of the post-Soviet world, as well as the spirit of warmth and generosity at its heart.”

Now, anyone who knows Cooking the Books will know that this one is right up my дорога. But as good as this pitch is - it tells me exactly what I need to know in a few punchy paragraphs, with a link to a PDF for a quick peek - I’ll admit that I passed.

Pause for gasps of disapproval.

You see, this isn’t the AI driven world that everyone thinks it is. Unlike Perplexity.AI, I’m off on holiday in a couple of weeks and have massive tech neck from stockpiling all the episodes for various client podcasts so that I get paid while I’m away. CTB is scheduled up to mid October! And still the books pour in, every one of them a labour mostly of love, many a debut from a writer who’s been honing their craft and harbouring their dreams of a publicist telling journalists about their ‘brilliant new book’ for years. And I’ve just rained on their parade just because I’m heading off to get some sunshine.

I feel terrible.

So, I’ll let you in on the process of how I choose the books from my show. Bear in mind that I’ll read each of those I choose from cover to cover, making notes as I go to pair with the four food moments the author will send to me before the interview. And that I’ll then spend 45 minutes with my guest, and another two hours editing, mastering, uploading, writing the show notes, preparing the Extra Bites, writing the social media posts - with different versions for Instagram and LinkedIn… You can see why I need a holiday.

As I read the pitches, I’m thinking: what can this book tell us more than Olia Hercules has just done on CTB in Strong Roots, or than Felicity Spector will later this week in Bread and War? In a How to Cook a Book post a few weeks back, I interviewed Anastasia Zolotarev about the story behind her fight to get her Ukrainian cookbook Sour Cherries and Sunflowers published, and the lucky break Covid gave her. What else can Polina tell me? Enough to devote those hours I just haven’t got right now? On this occasion, I’m afraid I have to pass.

Poor New Boy; he’s probably scratching his head. He’d been told that Polina was a shoo-in.

So, here instead is my occasional assistant, Perplexity.AI on Chesnok, just for you.

About the Book: Chesnok

Chesnok: Recipes with Love from Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Beyond is Polina Chesnakova’s third cookbook, described as a love letter to the food of her childhood and heritage. The title itself is taken from the Russian word for “garlic”—which not only is a beloved ingredient in the cuisine she celebrates, but also forms the root of her last name, Chesnakova.

Themes & Content

• Cultural Journey: The book tells the story of Polina's family’s immigration from Eastern Europe and the Soviet diaspora to the United States, and how food became a means of preserving memory, identity, and togetherness.

• Recipe Range: The collection spans Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, reflecting the blend of countries and cultures present in her family and community. It includes classic Slavic dishes, Georgian recipes, Armenian traditions, and uniquely blended family adaptations.

• Structure: Recipes are grouped into sections such as Breakfast; Dumplings, Pastries, and Breads; Soups; Vegetables and Salads; Meats and Seafood; Grains and Legumes; Ferments, Pickles, and Preserves; and Sweets.

• Unique Aspects

  • Personal Stories: Chesnok is as much a memoir as a cookbook, with personal essays and stories accompanying the recipes. Polina shares the nuances of her experience growing up as an immigrant and the ways food brings together the complex flavors and histories of the post-Soviet bloc diaspora.

  • Blend of Flavors: Her family’s unique blending of Eastern European and Caucasus techniques and ingredients—like borscht with cilantro and chili flakes—illustrates the cross-cultural creativity that is a hallmark of her kitchen.

  • Celebration of Heritage: The book aims to celebrate a diaspora often overlooked or misunderstood, offering insight into the immigrant experience while honoring what brings these communities together.

    In summary, Chesnok is more than a cookbook; it’s a tribute to the rich, layered heritage of Polina Chesnakova and her family, inviting readers to understand and enjoy the flavors, stories, and complexities of Eastern Europe and the Caucasus through food