As someone who likes to eat and cook and treats cookbooks as their own personal version of culinary school, I do feel quite qualified to speak on this subject lol. I love cookbooks OK. Hopefully, you do too. If not, maybe this can be a sort of gift guide bc everyone and their mother seems to have a birthday in the summertime!
How this will go down - I’ll give you a super quick spiel on why I love each book and tell you my current fave or must-make recipe or recipe I’m making next from each book! Buckle up and hold on to your wallets bc you might want to buy them all if you’re anything like me lol.
1. COOK THIS BOOK By Molly Baz
One of the first cookbooks I acquired (I think). It inspired me and helped me realize how fun cooking can be :) It also has QR codes that take you to mini instructional videos (how to carve a chicken etc.) which is epic.
Current favorite recipe- Salty Date and Cheddar Biscuits! *Really hard choice bc there are SO MANY perfect recipes<3*
2. THAT SOUNDS SO GOOD By Carla Lalli Music
My most cooked from cookbook. Carla has broken the book down into sections like Stovetop Suppers (weeknight vibes), Big Salads, Day Drinking and Lazy Lunches (my fave for obvious reasons), and many more. There is a recipe for any occasion you could ever think of and I love it.
Current favorite recipe- Herbed Rice with Shrimpy-Kimchi Tomato Sauce
3. DESSERT PERSON By Claire Saffitz
Basically the dessert bible. It’s my go-to for anything dessert related.
Current favorite recipe- Strawberry Cornmeal Layer Cake (made last summer with freshly picked blackberries and wow happy tears)
4. I DREAM OF DINNER (so you don’t have to) By Ali Slagle
Got this for my birthday so I haven’t actually cooked out of it yet but it’s amazing, I can already tell. So many quick, easy, delicious-looking dinner recipes, all with very few ingredients. Can’t wait to cook from it ASAP!
Cooking next- Sizzled Pork & Pineapple
5. TO THE LAST BITE By Alexis DeBoschnek
First of all, Alexis lives in upstate New York in the Catskills so you can imagine the dreamy freaking images in this book. Secondly, she emphasizes making the most of your ingredients and eliminating food waste in such a smart way, with footnotes including suggestions for how to use certain ingredients in other ways. So fun!
Cooking next- Whipped Feta and Charred Scallion Dip (give me a flatbread for dipping and leave me alone)
6. THE COOK YOU WANT TO BE By Andy Baraghani
Just came out a couple of weeks ago! Andy’s recipes are often inspired by other cultures which makes cooking his recipes such a fun learning experience and an awesome introduction to using often new (to me) ingredients.
Current favorite recipe- Tangy Pomegranate Chicken (made on my bday and LOOOVED)
7. GJELINA By Travis Lett
Gjelina is a restaurant in Venice, California and this is their cookbook. Easily the most beautiful cookbook I have ever owned. There is a whole section in the book dedicated to CONDIMENTS & PICKLES aka the dream. If I had it my way I would just Julie & Julia the crap outta this book and be reporting how perfect every recipe is but ain't nobody got time for that, unfortunately.
Current favorite recipe- Blackberry, Huckleberry, & Ginger Pie
Cooking next (both bc its the last book lol)- Guajillo-Glazed Lamb Ribs
Hope this was fun for you :) Remember to actually cook out of your cookbooks it's super fun lol
Ciao for now,
Sav :)