Cool Cookbooks for Hot Days |

As the heat and humidity return this weekend, I can't imagine going into my kitchen for anything but ice cubes. We all have to eat, though.

Here are some cookbooks that are perfect for these hot and humid days.

Salads:

Salads are so refreshing in summer.

Cooking Light Big Book of Salads

Saladish: A Crunchier, Grainier, Herbier, Heartier, Tastier Way with Vegetables by Ilene Rosen with Donna Gelb

All formats

Show Up for Salad: 100 Recipes for Salads, Dressings and All the Fixins You Don't have to be Vegan to Love by Terry Hope Romero

Ceviche:

Ceviche is the Peruvian method of curing fish in citrus juice.

Sure. What else are you going to do with all the fish?

Ceviche: Peruvian Kitchen by Martin Morales

The Great Ceviche Book by Douglas Rodriguez with Laura Zimmerman

Beverages:

As David Letterman always says, "There's not a man, woman or child on the face of the earth who doesn't enjoy a tasty beverage."

Make fancy drinks and get creative with hydration.

Mocktails Punches and Shrubs: Over 80 Nonalcoholic Drinks to Savor and Enjoy by Vikas Khanna

If, like me, you've never heard of a shrub, it's a concentrated syrup that mixes fruit, sugar and vinegar. Shrubs can be made with either a cold process or one that involves simmering.

Summer Drinks: A Collection of Delicious Non-Alcoholic Beverages with Recipes from Canada's Best Cafés and Restaurants by Elizabeth Feltham

Tea-Vitalize: Cold-Brewed Teas and Herbal Infusions to Refresh and Rejuvenate by Mimi Kirk

A lot of the drinks in this book are prepared without any heat source. If you find hot tea refreshing any time of year (I do!), you will be delighted to know that Kirk has included some warm drinks too.