There’s a cookbook for everyone on your list
Practically a library’s worth of cookbooks were plunked down on my desk this year. Some didn’t tempt me enough to do more than quickly flip through, but others dished up delicious recipes and mouth-watering photographs that had me dreaming of getting into my kitchen and putting them to the test.
For the home chef and culinary enthusiast on your holiday shopping list, I’ve rounded up some of my favourites for the year.
Any of them will mean a tasty year to come.
Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten Clarkson Potter/Publishers, $40
This is Garten’s seventh book and she’s still putting together recipes that are accessible and straightforward, but neither basic nor boring. Garten takes a wider approach than just the recipes, offering tips on how to put them together to make meals, co-ordinate timing, and what goes into making table settings look effortlessly chic.
The Book of Burger by Rachael Ray Atria, $28.99
Yes, this is a very specific subject, so it may not have the widest appeal. But I have a soft spot for burgers and Ray manages to come up with some rather inventive recipes for this standard diner fare. Think beyond the standard bacon cheeseburger and picture those with ingredients like roasted squash, spinach pesto and fried green tomatoes. And it’s not just red meat; Ray has recipes for turkey, fish, pork and chicken sandwiches as well.
Bouchon Bakery by Thomas Keller and Sebastian Rouxel Artisan Books, $58.95
From the man behind French Laundry and the one who oversees pastries for that restaurant — along with the book’s namesake, Bouchon Bakery — this is not your average baking cookbook. For those who love to play with butter, sugar and flour — and those who perhaps want to push at the boundaries of their skill level — this is both cookbook and inspiration. But it’s also the personal stories and shots of life at the bakery that take this beyond just a standard baking book.
Burma: Rivers of Flavour by Naomi Duguid Random House Canada, $39.95
Part travel memoir, part cookbook, Duguid’s Burma highlights the bright and simple dishes of that country, while chronicling her travels there. It’s a culinary tour of an exotic country whose cuisine is a nod to its neighbours, taking flavours from India, China and Southeast Asia. An extensive glossary helps decipher some of the more unusual ingredients (all of which are available here), while the photographs show off the food, as well as the country and its people.
Fifty Shades of Chicken
by FL Fowler Random House of Canada/Clarkson Potter, $22.99 A cheeky addition to the holiday list, but this book made me laugh and drool at the same time. I would rate it “mature” for the rather risque interludes between recipes — possibly the very definition of food pornography — and occasional profanity, so it’s definitely not for everyone. However, I must also give it credit for having some very tempting recipes. Crispy chicken tenders with cashews and coconut curry? Yes, please. I might even say the writing in this is better than in the trilogy that swept the publishing world this year.
The Preservation Kitchen
by Paul Virant with Kate Leahy Random House of Canada, $34 Beyond pickles, this beautiful cookbook has everything from pickled peppers and cherry mostarda to cured meats, including beef bacon, and also offers seasonal menus and recipes to take advantage of those items tucked away in the pantry. Chef and restaurateur Virant has included detailed instructions for safe canning — especially good for those new to the world of preserving.
Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard
by Nigel Slater Ten Speed Press, $40 Between the poetic prose and gentle, encouraging tone, Slater’s recipes are both tempting and approachable. The book is divided by ingredient (from apples to white currants and many fruits, berries and nuts between) and includes both savoury and sweet recipes, suggestions for flavour pairings and an abundance of information about the different varieties of each fruit, along with gardening tips. Reading through is like taking a garden tour with this British food writer and then having him with you in the kitchen as you cook up something simple and delicious.
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
by Deb Perelman Appetite by Random House, $35 At turns personal and personable, Perelman has produced a downto-earth cookbook with recipes good for both entertaining and trying to impress or quiet nights at home. Her dishes are unfussy, reliable and dependable — good for an easy dinner at home. And yet they could easily be used to entertain without any panic something will go wrong. After all, if she can produce those results in a tiny New York City kitchen with a toddler underfoot, I’d say they’ve been tested under some rigorous conditions.