Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Cookbooks

You all know I am a big fan of Anthony Bourdain and this book has him jumping off the page with every sentence. I can actually HEAR him in the book, and that’s just the start of where things get great. All of the recipes in this book are made approachable and all of the tips give ample confidence, even for the seemingly complicated process of poaching eggs. It’s the cookbook every Bourdain fan (or fan of just really good f*cking food) needs on their shelf.

I am a HUGE fan of Half Baked Harvest. I would eat every single thing Tieghan makes. So when she came out with a cookbook title Super Simple, it went to the top of my wishlist. The book is filled with instant, overnight, meal-prep, and comfort foods, which is basically my love language. The recipes are seasonally inspired with unique twists on familiar meals. Plus the photography is mind-glowingly gorgeous.

Boards are the THING right now but it’s hard to know how to switch them up every time. This book answers the question of how to make boards less boring. There’s seasonal inspiration for boards for anytime of day - morning, afternoon, or evening! Plus fun homemade elements that you can add to your boards or just make on the regular as snacks or condiments. 

The Man and I are hoping to get into baking more bread from scratch, so I grabbed this cookbook right away. If you know someone who is just getting into baking bread or wants to start, this is the resource to add to their collection. It’s a great gift on its own, but also can pair with a banneton proofing basket as a fun add-on.

I love cookbooks that I can actually use regularly, and it’s the kind of gift I love to give. If you want to gift someone a collection of recipes they will turn to week after week, this is the one to pick up. These are recipes that they will end up memorizing because they will be making them so often. 

Wondering what book to give the vegetarian in your life? HERE. IT. IS. I love how this book is organized, by flavors versus meal types. It shows fantastic variety of how to use umami staples like soy sauce, mushrooms, miso, caramelized onions, and more. It’s a gift that will even please meat-eaters alike!

Not everyone can hop on a plane to Tokyo to experience Japanese flavors, but this book is the way to give the gift of global flavors without buying the plane ticket. It’s a gateway into Japanese cuisine at home that is approachable for cooks of any skill level. 

We LOVE this cookbook. I have gone back to it many times (especially the Korean chicken thighs - YUM), and it’s honestly the only Asian cookbook you would ever need. It’s adventurous enough for the experienced cook, but even beginners can easily tackle the recipes here. 

For the cocktail lover, this book opens up a whole new world. The approach is so unique and it’s hard to put it down once you start reading it. It’s basically the new cocktail bible that I am always proud to display on my bar cart.

This book is for the baker. The James Beard award-winning baker, Joanne Change, shares her love of baking in all forms. You really feel the passion she has for pastry and it is downright inspiring. I like to note that there are a good amount of gluten free, vegan, and whole grain. This is a benefit for someone like me who likes to bake for others with dietary restrictions!