12 cookbooks to brighten your holidays and beyond
As I sort through the last of the fall cookbook releases that are crowding my condo, I’m summoning my inner Marie Kondo and keeping only those that truly spark joy. I’ve filled several donation boxes with the cookbooks dominated by recipes that would cost a fortune to make, call for ingredients I’ll never use up or contain exhausting instructions. But I’m keeping the following titles. Some put me in the holiday spirit. Some will make great gifts. All are grounded in practicality, resourcefulness and good cheer.
“Entertaining” (reissued) by Martha Stewart (Potter, $50)
The 1982 tome that made Martha Stewart a household name is back on shelves with every syllable intact. And 43 years later, her personalized approach to hosting stylish yet relaxed get-togethers remains as relevant as ever. Even if throwing an at-home wedding or building a gingerbread mansion isn’t on your bucket list, you can still glean tons of inspiration and time-tested, crowd-pleasing recipes throughout these glossy pages.
“The Christmas Companion: Simple Recipes and Creative Ideas for a Magical Festive Season” by Skye McAlpine (Bloomsbury, $35)
“Cozy, relaxed, perfect and memorable in its utterly human imperfection” is how this popular British-born, Italian-raised author thinks the holidays should be. Her latest book is chock-full of recipes and game plans for making every get-together from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day more joyful. Skye McAlpine offers elegant yet low-stress recipes such as Roast Cornish Hens with Crisp Prosciutto and Sage and Cocoa and Panettone Truffles using blitzed leftover cake crumbs. Readers also learn how to make Christmas crackers in the British tradition, zhuzh-up a basic wreath, gild fruits with gold leaf for a tablescape and other fun ways to make merry with little cost or effort.
“Having People Over: A Modern Guide to Planning, Throwing, and Attending Every Type of Party” by Chelsea Fagan (Ten Speed $30).
This chic and highly readable little volume contains a handful of simple “back pocket recipes” the author considers her go-tos for putting her signature spin on a get-together, even if the rest of the offerings are store-bought. Strategies cover invitations, table settings, cleanup and — most importantly — enjoying the gathering as much as your guests.
“Cookies: The Best Recipes for the Perfect Anytime Treat” by Vaughn Vreeland (Ten Speed Press, $35)
Piggy-backing on the success of their first recipe compilation, “Easy Weeknight Dinners,” the journalists and food experts behind The New York Times Cooking app have pooled their considerable talents into this irresistible follow-up. Curated by video host and baking enthusiast Vaughn Vreeland, this collection runs from nostalgic (Peanut Butter Blossoms) to sophisticated (Lemon Bars with Olive Oil and Salt) to crafty (Neapolitan Checkerboard Cookies).
“108 Asian Cookies: Not-Too-Sweet Treats from a Third Culture Kitchen” by Kat Lieu (Voracious, $40)
Born in Canada to a Chinese mother and Chinese Vietnamese father, the visionary behind the global online community Subtle Asian Baking describes the kitchen she grew up in as “a blend of cultures and a collision of flavors.” The same could be said for her wildly imaginative treats that cleverly infuse familiar sweet doughs with savory Asian twists. Gochujang and Berry Jam Chocolate Thumbprints, Gingersnaps with Sichuan Peppercorns, or marshmallow-topped Miso and Hot-Chocolate Brownie Cookies could be the talk of the cookie swap.
“The Talisman of Happiness: The Most Iconic Italian Cookbook Ever Written” by Ada Boni (Voracious, $60)
In 1915, Ada Boni and her husband launched Preziosa, a monthly magazine featuring recipes she’d gathered from families all over Italy. In 1929, those recipes became “Il Talismano,” a comprehensive cookbook that’s still widely considered indispensable by Italian home cooks and renowned chefs alike. Now translated into English, this hefty, charmingly illustrated volume offers nearly 1,700 recipes and practical culinary insights into pastas, pizzas and other beloved Italian classics.
“Padella: Iconic Pasta at Home” by Tim Siadatan (Bloomsbury, $40). Tim Siadatan spent decades studying the way Italians cook and eat before opening one of the U.K.’s most acclaimed pasta restaurants. The recipes within this handsome volume (Pici Cacio e Pepe, Rigatoni with Spicy Pork, Tomato Ragu and Stracciatella) are written with home cooks in mind, with dried pasta alternatives if you’re not up for rolling your own.
“Seasoned in Appalachia: Delicious Recipes from the Mountains and Hollers” by Jimmy Proffitt (Rock Point, $28)
Years ago, Jimmy Proffitt started a blog called the Appalachian Tale to record memories of his family‘s life in the Shenandoah Valley. Most revolved around the foodways and hand-me-down recipes of his resourceful forebears. One winter, he posted an Instagram reel about making snow ice cream that went viral. A book deal followed, and the result is a charmer, filled with stories, photos and recipes that poignantly capture the soul of the region, from Brown Butter Cornbread to Grandmaw’s West Virginia Hot Dog Chili Sauce to the Snow Cream that made him a book author.
“Make Do with What You Have: 100 Delicious New Recipes From Favorite Old School Meals” by Kardea Brown (Armistad, $32)
The Food Network star’s New York Times bestselling first book, “The Way Home,” told of Brown’s Gullah Geechee forebears’ thrifty ways. Her second is inspired by the lessons she learned while growing up in Atlanta and Charleston, South Carolina, with a single mom who had a knack for creating delicious meals from pantry staples. Along with practical tips and soothing pep talks, Brown shares recipes for quick, budget-wise comforts such as Canned Salmon Hash, Ma’s Cucumber Pasta Salad and Kitchen Sink Blondies.
“Something from Nothing” by Alison Roman (Clarkson Potter, $37.99)
“Gorgeous meals come together with perfect produce and well-marbled meats, but nothing gives me more pleasure than rooting around the cans and tins of a dimly-lit kitchen and emerging with the best tomato soup of my life,” writes bestselling author Alison Roman in the introduction. That sentiment fuels every page with frugal, flavor-packed recipes and shout-outs to her favorite staples (tinned anchovies, Better Than Bouillon, all manner of beans). Along with her viral recipe for Caramelized Shallot Pasta, I’ve bookmarked Crushed-Olive Chicken with Turmeric and Buttered Tomato Soup with Lentils and Fennel.
“The Blue Food Cookbook: Delicious Seafood Recipes for a Sustainable Future” by Andrew Zimmern and Barton Seaver (Harvest, $45)
Encouraged by the PBS docuseries “Hope in the Water,” chef and TV host Andrew Zimmern and leading sustainable seafood expert Barton Seaver created this gorgeously crafted resource to arm home cooks with the information to make better choices — at the market and in their kitchens. Recipes range from homey to cheffy, organized in chapters around species that can be used interchangeably, such as Bivalves (Poached Clams with Pecans, Orange and Basil), Flaky White Fish (Nashville Hot-Inspired Catfish) and Preserved and Canned Seafood (Sicilian Citrus Salad with Anchovies and Mint).
“Athens: Food, Stories, Love: A Cookbook” by Diane Kochilas (St. Martin’s Griffin, $40)
For her 13th book, the host of PBS’ “My Greek Table” takes readers on a sumptuous gastronomic tour through the vibrant, chaotic city Diane Kochilas has called home since she arrived some 30 years ago as a Greek American New York expat. Through evocative writing, photographs and approachable (and largely healthful) recipes such as Noua (Athenian pot roast), Spanakopita Salad and Shrimp Saganaki Risotto, we get a taste of the city’s history and its evolving culture, and a sense of how to navigate the Athens food scene if we are lucky enough to visit.
