12 of My All-Time Favorite Cookbooks
I love cookbooks. I sit and read them like others might read novels.
When I worked as a catering cook and baker, I would often visit my local library to check out their cookbook collection for new ideas and inspirations. I’d cart piles of cookbooks home, eager to devour their contents. In their pages, I found a lot more than ideas and inspirations for my catering work. I’d savor stories about the chef/cook’s background and food philosophy, delight in picking up some new tips and tricks to use in my own kitchen, and enjoy drooling over amazing food photography. I will admit that I have amassed over 50 cookbooks in my home collection - and I always feel there is room for more (though my husband and my bookshelf space have different opinions on that)!
In my collection of cookbooks, I have come to notice some trends: 1-There are the cookbooks that are well-worn, and truly, the workhorses of my kitchen, 2-There are those cookbooks that I bought because of the gorgeous photography; they are just so pretty to look at even if I’m not cooking from them regularly, and 3-The cookbooks authored by the thought leaders and founders of the good food movement, serving as beacons and inspirations for generations of cookbooks that have followed in their wake.
While there are many good cookbooks in my collection that deserve a shout-out, I’d like to share with you a selection of my cookbooks that serve as my everyday go-to’s, inspirations for beautiful food photography, and foundations of my food philosophy.
Cookbook Workhorses
These are the cookbooks I reach for again and again. They are the ones with the food-splatters and whose pages are flagged, both with favorite recipes and those that I want to make in the future.
Here are the cookbooks that are staples in my rotation:
The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook - Unlike author Elana Amsterdam, I do not have celiac disease, but I do have a strong gluten intolerance. Her cookbook is my go-to for high protein healthy eats to support my gluten-free diet. It’s packed with delicious recipes that will please even the most ardent gluten-free hater. I have made several recipes in this cookbook over and over and am grateful to now have them in my repertoire. Two of my favorites are her Pistachio Chicken with its tangy combination of mustard and rich pistachios, and her totally addictive and divine Tropical Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Super Natural Every Day - Author Heidi Swanson started as a blogger on her site 101 Cookbooks and has since gone on to become a two-time James Beard Award winner and was named one of the 100 greatest home cooks of all time by Epicurious. This is one of my very favorite cookbooks, and I’m grateful to Chef Jess for introducing me to it during culinary school. I love the way Heidi brings together simple, natural foods in delicious and, sometimes unexpected, ways. My favorite recipes from her book include her coconut-orange scented Granola, her Baked Oatmeal with its creamy bananas and sweet tart blueberries, her Summer Squash Soup with delicious coconut-curry base, and her spicy Spinach Chop which is both filling and comforting.
Blackbird Bakery Gluten-Free - Karen’s recipe for Texas Pecan-Banana Bread is hands down the best one I’ve come across. Every time I make this, it meets with rave reviews from gluten and non-gluten eaters a like. I’m also a big fan of her spicy Ginger Gingerbread, and her savory crepes, which can be filled with a variety of tasty fillings for a satisfying meal.
The Joy of Cooking - This book is a little bit like a cookbook encyclopedia - there’s a recipe for just about everything in there. Plus, is contains a ton of information on techniques, ingredients and kitchen tools. I bought this when I moved into my first grownup apartment in New York City’s Upper East Side after college and it has served me well since. A classic and a keeper.
Barefoot Contessa Foolproof - I’ve been a big Ina Garten fan ever since I had the pleasure of shopping through her Barefoot Contessa store in East Hampton, New York when I first did catering work in my early 20’s. I remember being awed by things I found in her specialty grocery store that I’d never before seen like Witch Finger grapes. Over the years, I’ve also come to appreciate that her recipes really work, turning out well every time - which is not the case with all cookbook recipes. It’s really hard to choose which of her cookbooks I like best. I also have her Make Ahead cook and love it as well. Her Foolproof cookbook contains my favorite cake recipe: Carrot Cake with Ginger Mascarpone Frosting. It is simply divine. Since I follow a gluten-free diet, I substitute the all-purpose flour in her recipe with Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Baking Flour. Because the carrot cake is so moist, I like the denseness of this Bob’s Red Mill flour, which is made with garbanzo bean flour, to help soak up some of the moisture and balance out the texture. I also really like her recipe for Winter Minestrone, with its mix of colors and hearty dose of veggies.
The Whole Foods Market Cookbook - This was one of the first cookbooks I purchased when I moved to California over 20 years ago and got interested in more healthful eating. It’s contains a wealth of knowledge on ingredients and natural cooking. Plus, I love that their recipes are packed with spices, herbs, and bright flavors. Their Turkey Picadillo is both sweet and savory, and a nice change from the traditional beef version. When my kids were younger, I also appreciated their Cooking with Kids section (Peanut Butter Play Dough anyone?) and their Creative Lunch Box suggestions.
Cookbooks with Drool-Worthy Photos
There are several cookbooks in my collection with beautiful photos, ones that make you want to make every dish in the book. When it came to narrowing it down to a few top picks, I selected these three for the way that they make me feel when I read the notes from the author and the recipes, as well as look through the photos. Through words and images, each one of these provides me with inspirations, whether to hone my skills, use vibrant ingredients, plate my dishes more artfully, or even to plan my next vacation. Ok, that last one is mostly aimed at the Margaritaville cookbook because the Florida Keys are one of my favorite places on Earth, but visiting the Basque region, where Aran is from and, Israel, where Yotam is from, are both on my travel goals list.
Here are 3 of my cookbooks that I reach for when I need some inspiration:
Plenty - Yotam Ottolenghi has made a big name for himself with his creative and inspired vegetable and grain-forward dishes, although, interestingly, he himself is not a vegetarian. While I don’t cook as often as I would like from this cookbook or his Plenty More that I also have, I love looking through the photos and reading through the vegetarian recipes with vibrant flavors. His Green Pancakes with Lime Butter with green onions, green chiles, cilantro and lime, and his Bittersweet Salad which features blood oranges, radicchio, ricotta and pine nuts get me salivating every time I read through the recipes. There aren’t photos on every page, but the ones that are in there are like little works of art on a plate. Take the cover photo as an example even - it could be framed and hung up on the walls of your house. It’s that pretty. This book is a keeper for inspiration and aspiration.
Margaritaville, The Cookbook - I picked up a copy while on a family trip to the Florida Keys - one of my favorite places on the planet. The fresh and tangy flavors of the cuisine they call “GulfCoast Floribbean” shine through in the recipes of this cookbook, packed with seafood, lots of lime, spices and bright colors. Just opening the pages, with its gorgeous photography of palm trees and turquoise waters, transports me right back to the tropical beauty of the Keys. Margaritaville, as Jimmy Buffet shares with us in the book’s introduction, is a synonym for paradise and all “about kicking back and a great time.” He goes on to say that “food is at the center of that feeling” and I totally agree! Their recipes like Brunch Rum Punch, Avocado and Papaya Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing, Key West Omelet with Key Lime Hollandaise, and Coconut Tres Leches Cake are sure to transport you right off to Margaritaville.
Small Plates & Sweet Treats - Aran Goyoaga is a master of gluten-free baking and 3-times James Beard Award finalist. She brings her years of polished professional cooking and baking experience, plus long-time blogging and food styling experience at Cannelle et Vanille, to the gluten-free realm - and it shows. Her baked treats are not good for gluten free, they are just plain good. Every page in her book is a visual treat; her food styling is gorgeous with its vibrant colors and fresh herbs. Her beautiful dishes are served up along side pretty and feminine touches like Liberty floral napkins and plaid cutlery that gets you wanting to make every dish in the book. I’ve loved this cookbook so much over the years, both to cook from and for its inspirations. Her other cookbooks, Cannelle et Vanille and Cannelle et Vanille Bakes Simple may soon be making appearances on a bookshelf near me.
Cookbooks from Food Revolutionaries
There are cookbooks and then there are the books that started a whole food movement. There are several people who have changed the face and the course of food and cooking as we know it. These people I call Food Revolutionaries. In their cookbooks, you will find not only recipes but inspirations and tips for a whole new way of eating and thinking about food. The three I have selected here have influenced the way that I cook, the ingredients I buy, and the way I approach food.
Here are cookbooks from my collection, authored by 4 people who have changed the landscape in food:
The Art of Simple Food - The founder of the food-to-table movement, James Beard celebrated chef, and owner of the iconic Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, Alice Waters’ philosophy is simple: buy great ingredients and prepare them simply, with care. I have come to learn that she’s right. With high-quality seasonal ingredients, you don’t have to do much to them (and frankly, you shouldn’t) to make them shine. As an example, consider how much a store bought strawberry in winter pales in comparison with a juicy bright red berry picked at the height of ripeness in summer. Hands down, no contest. The former would need a lot of help, typically in the form of sugar, to even attempt to approximate a summer ripe berry. The Art of Simple Food is equal parts philosophy, notes about technique, and recipes. In addition to her cookbook, if you have access to MasterClass, hers is worth watching, as she shares tips for shopping at farmers markets, sourcing great seasonal ingredients, and simple preparation techniques to make those ingredients really shine.
Julia & Jacques Cooking at Home - As long-time household names, neither of these people needs a big introduction. There are several cookbooks from both Julia Child and Jacques Pepin that would qualify as must-haves for any home cook, such as Julia’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Jacques’ Essential Pepin: More Than 700 All-time Favorites from My Life in Food. What I like about this particular collaboration is that it brings together two food icons to share their his and hers commentary for each dish. I love hearing their different perspectives and different preparation approaches for the same conceptual dish.
Moosewood Cookbook - A classic in the world of wholesome, healthy and vegetarian cooking. Handwritten and hand-illustrated by Mollie Katzen, it was originally published in 1974 as a cookbook from the now iconic Moosewood in Ithaca, NY. Moosewood began as a collective-run restaurant, helping to pioneer local and seasonal eating, and sustainable agriculture practices. As of 2022, the restaurant is under new ownership, moving from a collective to wholly owned by Danica Wilcox, the daughter of one of the original collective founders. It is my hope that they will continue on for another 50 years, to inspire the next generation of cooks and eaters alike.