By Mary Beth Lawlor

Colu Henry’s approach to cooking is centered on joy, connection, and meals that feel effortless at home. Split between Hudson, New York, and Nova Scotia, Henry has spent more than 20 years in the hospitality industry, yet she has found that the best meals often happen in one’s own kitchen.Her new cookbook, Better at Home: Recipes for Big Nights In (Abrams, $40), captures that philosophy with recipes that are sophisticated yet approachable, designed for both food lovers and home cooks. The book offers a playful mix of cocktails, snacks, sides, and hearty main dishes. Guests might try a Fizzy Negroni Pompelmoes or an Amaro Spritz, snack onItalian Shrimp Toast or FriedSausage–Stuffed Olives, and explore deeply satisfying vegetarian sides like Butter Rice withRoasted Tomatoes. Signature dishes range from Cappelletti in Brodo with Mortadella Meatballs to Roast Carrots with Cilantro Yogurt and Roasted Pistachios, each reflecting Henry’s focus on seasonal ingredients and thoughtful flavor combinations. With Better at Home arrivingMarch 10, 2026, Henry shows that home cooking can be elegant without being intimidating. Better at HomeAbove, a before image of what has been transformed into the atrium.