GIFT GUIDE: 5 Unique Cookbooks for the Cookbook Fan
When you have a person in your life who you know likes to cook, or likes to eat, then you also know that one of the best gifts you can get for them aside from an all-paid dinner at Nobu is a cookbook.
Cookbooks make great gifts because they offer a lasting source of inspiration, allowing recipients to explore new flavors and cooking techniques. They also provide a personal touch, connecting the gift-giver to the recipient through shared culinary experiences. Plus, a beautifully crafted cookbook doubles as both a functional guide and a visually appealing addition to any kitchen.
It’s no surprise then that this season we want to recommend these five unique editions that we think they will enjoy as much as we have.
BUTTER, FLOUR, SUGAR, JOY
Celebrity TV chef Danielle Kartes‘ fourth cookbook, Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy: Simple Sweet Desserts for Everyone, is a true treasure! Understanding the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, Danielle has packed her latest cookbook with easy, straightforward dessert recipes featuring clever shortcuts. These one-bowl recipes make it simple to create delicious treats for family, friends, and co-workers during the most wonderful time of the year.
Throughout the book, Danielle shares personal stories that highlight the most important ingredient of all—joy! She reminds readers that baking is more than just a recipe; it’s about connection and sharing something sweet with those you love.
Beloved for her hit food blog, Rustic Joyful Food, Danielle Kartes brings her approachable style to baking in Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy, a perfect guide for anyone, regardless of skill level. While many claim that baking is a precise science requiring special tools, Danielle proves otherwise with her easy-to-follow, one-bowl wonders that focus on fun and joy. At its heart, baking is about creating moments of connection, and Danielle believes anyone can master that.
Living in Seattle, Washington, with her husband Michael, a photographer, and their two sons, Danielle is an author, food stylist, and recipe developer. Together, they run their boutique food photography business, Rustic Joyful Food, and host food styling workshops across the country. Danielle is also a frequent contributor to The Kelly Clarkson Show and appears on national TV, spreading joy and teaching the art of simple, delicious cooking.
Every chapter of Butter, Flour, Sugar, Joy offers easy and mouthwatering dessert recipes, including Danielle’s famous dump-and-stir cake method, which allows anyone to create stunning treats with minimal effort. Welcome to a world where baking is casual, messes are celebrated, and joy is always the main ingredient!
BUTTER, FLOUR, SUGAR, JOY
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Sourcebooks
CONDIMENTS: PRESERVED
In Preserved: Condiments, these often overlooked culinary essentials take center stage. Through stories, history, and delicious recipes for sauces, spreads, relishes, and chutneys, the book brings a world of flavors to your kitchen, adding spice, depth, and excitement to your cooking.
Condiments have played a key role in food preservation throughout human history. In fact, the term originally referred to substances used to prevent food from spoiling. However, condiments have since evolved far beyond their practical origins, now possessing the ability to transform even the simplest dishes into something extraordinary. Picture adding fiery, aromatic zhug to creamy yogurt for the perfect sauce to complement grilled meats, or a vibrant ruby-red horseradish alongside tinned fish at your next picnic. When faced with end-of-season tomatoes, why not try making your own ketchup? With less sweetness and more tang than store-bought varieties, this homemade version may just replace the bottle in your fridge.
PRESERVED: CONDIMENTS
by by
Hardie Grant North America
FRUIT: PRESERVED
Preserved: Fruit is a vibrant guide packed with history, culinary inspiration, and mouthwatering recipes, all beautifully photographed to spark new adventures in your kitchen. While fruit’s fleeting nature often leads to traditional jams and jellies, this book goes beyond the expected, exploring unique and exciting ways to preserve fruit. Discover bold combinations like the Mexican chile sauce Chamoy to drizzle over ripe mangoes, or pickled green strawberries adding a zesty brightness to your cheese boards. Try pomegranate molasses for a sweet-tart finish on grilled meats, or indulge in the classic sweetness of brandy-soaked Tutti Frutti, perfect for topping ice cream or baking into a cake. For a more delicate touch, there’s cherry and rose petal jam, a fragrant delight. Preserved: Fruit offers fresh ideas and flavors, transforming fruit preservation into a dynamic culinary experience.
PRESERVED: FRUIT
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Hardie Grant North America
THE UNOFFICIAL WEDNESDAY COOKBOOK
Welcome, woeful readers, to the wonderfully weird world of Wednesday Adams! Since her first appearance in 1938, Wednesday Addams—with her iconic double braids and delightfully dark demeanor—has captivated outcasts everywhere. Now, you can join her latest adventure through the eerie and magical halls of high school with The Unofficial Wednesday Cookbook, created by fans for fans.
This spine-chilling cookbook is packed with recipes inspired by Wednesday’s spooky family, gothic escapades, macabre plots, and the dark literary works she adores. Inside, you’ll discover frightfully delicious dishes like:
- Taxidermied Mushrooms
- Gorgon-zola and Pear Salad
- Spaghetti al Nero
- Goo Goo-lash Muck
- Piranha Punch
- “Secret” Ginger Snaps
- Death by Chocolate Birthday Cake
- And many more eerie delights!
Indulge your inner goth with these quirky, creepy culinary creations!
THE UNOFFICIAL WEDNESDAY COOKBOOK
by Iphigenia Jones
Ulysses Press
ONCE UPON A RIND IN HOLLYWOOD
Whether you’re a dedicated cinephile or a Netflix marathoner, Once Upon a Rind in Hollywood has the perfect movie-themed snack for you! This one-of-a-kind cookbook presents 50 creative snack board ideas, ranging from classic cheese and charcuterie boards to candy spreads and cocktail pairings, all inspired by iconic films.
With stunning and tantalizing photos, the book guides you through crafting cinematic pairings (with plenty of cheesy puns) like:
- May the Fromage Be with You (Star Wars)
- Draw Me Like One of Your French Gruyères (Titanic)
- I’ll Harvarti What She’s Having (When Harry Met Sally)
- Quesoblanca (Casablanca)
- Brie-king Dawn (Twilight)
- Roquefort Horror Picture Show (Rocky Horror Picture Show)
No matter if you’re watching an AFI classic or a so-bad-it’s-good flick, snacks are essential, and Once Upon a Rind in Hollywood offers you a great source of inspiration.
ONCE UPON A RIND IN HOLLYWOOD
by Rachel Riederman
Ulysses Press
