Cooking (and eating) for pleasure

After some very heavy subject matter, it’s been refreshing to change up my reading to something joyful. The Editor is the story of Judith Jones, an editor at New York’s Knopf Publishing. Through the course of her incredible career, she brought us some of the finest literary fiction ever written and worked with authors such as Anne Tyler, Sylvia Plath, and John Updike.
 
But more than that, Jones shaped culinary culture at a time when food and cooking were seen as drudgery, something not fit for good conversation. Bringing Julia Child’s first masterpiece to print, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, was only the beginning. Jones went on to bring Indian, Chinese and other international foods to American consciousness and was responsible for elevating food writing, and an appreciation of culinary pursuits, to what is now a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. Jones knew cooking and eating bring us together to create cherished memories.
 
To celebrate the abundance of fantastic new cookbooks, here is a roundup of volumes that would make great gifts for friends and family at the holidays.
 
CELEBRITY CHEFS
Ottolenghi Comfort by Yotam Ottolenghi
This Israeli British chef has always inspired us to go beyond our comfort zone in the kitchen. Try his Caramelized Onion Orecchiette with Crispy Sage (vegetarian) or Chicken Meatballs, Potatoes, and Lemon—a great one-pot dish.
Justine Cooks by Justine Doiron
Brooklyn chef Doiron tells us, “These are the recipes I wish I had when I started cooking: innovative and fun.” Taste her Lime-Roasted Cabbage with Tumeric White Bean Mash or Fava Beans with Preserved Lemon Ricotta.
Soups, Salads, Sandwiches by Matty Matheson
The Bear’s beloved actor and producer dedicates his fourth cookbook to the home cook. The text is as great as the recipes. Who could resist Broiled and Burnt Roasted Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Crostini Thing?
Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten
The queen of American comfort food (with lots of butter) reminisces about her journey through an incredible career filled with what she calls luck, attained through passionate dedication. It’s both a love story and an homage to the joys of sharing meals with others.
What I Ate in One Year by Stanley Tucci
Actor Tucci is a warm, funny guide to unforgettable meals and culinary disappointments. In this delightfully candid memoir, he shares his enthusiasm for how food is inextricable from daily family life, and his experiences on the road.
 
AROUND THE WORLD
Crumbs by Ben Mims
A global look at sweets including Icelandic Gingerbread, Nigerian Coconut Macaroon Balls, and Pakistani Cumin Seed Cookies. Take a trip around the world—more than 100 countries are represented in these delicious desserts, suitable for day or night.
Chinese Enough by Kristina Cho
From the award-winning author of Mooncakes and Milk Bread comes a celebration of Chinese American cooking. Full of comforting dishes like Miso Pork Meatballs, this cookbook is great for an easy weeknight din or a weekend project (see the “It Takes a Village” chapter for dumpling recipes galore).
My Egypt by Michael Mina
California restaurateur and TV personality (he’s cooked for three presidents) Mina returns to his Middle Eastern roots with recipes like Feta-Brined Spatchcock Chicken with Mint and Green Onions— informed by French techniques and fresh California flavors.
Wafu Cooking by Sonoko Sakai
Sakai introduced classic and accessible Japanese cooking to folks with her first book Japanese Home Cooking. Now she’s back with recipes that combine global flavors in “fusion” dishes like One-Pot French Onion Soup with Toasted Mochi.
EAT NYC by Yasmin Newman
An Australian foodie captures New York signature dishes in a survey of all five boroughs with some of their iconic offerings. For locals and visitors alike, enjoy  recipes from Carbone’s Rigatoni all Vodka to New York Cheesecake gathered from her many visits to the Big Apple.
 
And of course, your favourite scribe still has copies available of 52+ Weeks of Soup and 52+ Weeks of Appetizers & Party Foods. Available at a few retail outlets in Crowsnest Pass and Pincher Creek or shoot me a message and I’ll mail you a signed copy. Nothing says the holidays like food. Stay warm, stay safe.

And in the meantime, happy reading!
Joni