Best summer reads for foodies

<b>Food Grown Right in Your Backyard</b>  Here authors Colin McCrate and Brad Halm show you how to build vegetable gardens for everyone from families to restaurants. They show readers how to build a garden from the ground up, explain the basics, discuss the best types of crops to try, and much more. They teach beginner growers and prove that anyone can develop a green thumb. (Mountaineers Books)

<b>Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home</b> From the proprietor of Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, whose artisanal scooperies in Ohio are nationally acclaimed, comes a cookbook about how to create  ice creams, yogurts, and sorbets as perfect as those made in her own kitchen. These home-made gourmet treats will cool you during the heat of summer. Try the goat cheese and roasted cherries. (Artisan)

<b>The Last Chinese Chef</b> Nicole Mone's book is a literary and gastronomic delight. A food writer, struggling with grief, is sent on assignment to China to research a young American-born Jewish-Chinese chef. (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt )

<b>Grilling Vegan Style: 125 Fired-Up Recipes to Turn Every Bite into a Backyard Barbecue</b> Running the gamut from plant-based appetizers, salads, sides, kabobs, and burgers to main dishes, desserts, and, of course, cocktails, John Schlimm also demonstrates the art of grilling faux meats, with key info on everything you need for proper heat and the best taste. With color photographs throughout, this cookbook ensures that the magic of a summer barbecue or a night around the campfire can ignite your taste buds all year long. (Da Capo Lifelong Books)

<b>The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook</b> To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the Kansas City Barbeque Society presents Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook by Ardie Davis, Paul Kirk, and Carolyn Wells. Featuring more than 200 mouthwatering recipes, this 25th anniversary edition includes tips for competitive barbequing and tons of beautiful photographs. (Andrews McMeel Publishing)