In a publishing year crowded with gear books (Instant Pot, Air Fryers, sous vide) and diet books (Keto, plant-based), it’s got to be hard for authors to stand out.

As we searched through the hundreds of books that came in this year, these did.

“Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family” by Priya Krishna

Like many children of immigrants, myself included, Priya Krishna grew up on dishes that held the essence of her parents’ home country but were adapted to fit what was available to them. Enjoy a spirited exploration of Krishna’s wholly authentic Indian-ish experience through the lens of her mother’s recipes, from quick weeknight meals to grand dinner parties, that will have you agreeing that Indian food is everyday food, indeed.

“Joy of Cooking: 2019 Edition Revised and Updated” by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, Ethan Becker, John Becker, Megan Scott

“Joy of Cooking” has been around since 1931, when Irma S. Rombauer self-published it following her husband’s death. In the intervening years, three subsequent generations of the Rombauer-Becker family have left their mark on the beloved cookbook. This latest installment strikes just the right balance. It’s modernized, but not lacking in tradition.

“Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables” by Abra Berens

Not until well past the halfway point in her book does Abra Berens mention the word that makes up the title. “You gotta get your ruffage,” she writes, remembering an admonishment from some unnamed person, a parent probably. She wields the phrase to dismiss boring salads, then launches into her love of salads and principles for creating great ones. “Ruffage” is a fat, 450-page celebration of vegetables.

“When Pies Fly: Handmade Pastries from Strudels to Stromboli, Empanadas to Knishes” by Cathy Barrow

Barrow, a seasoned and accomplished cookbook author (“Pie Squared” and “Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry”), delivers again with “When Pies Fly,” a celebration of pastry-encased sweet and savory delights.