IIt’s the best time of the year!
I’m sharing my favorite cookbooks of 2022 just in time for you to make a Christmas wish list. I hope you will see one or two of these titles waiting under the tree.
I love that a simple cookbook can start a culinary journey that you can experience from the comfort of your own kitchen. This list is full of prospects…the only question is where do you want to go? Greece? India? Romana? Prince Edward Island?
Read on for the summary.
Favorite cookbooks 2022
Between the war in Ukraine and my recent trip to Greece, it’s safe to say that my cookbook obsessions have mostly focused on Eastern Europe this year.
In the spring, I added “Summer Kitchens” to my collection and delved into the stories and recipes of the very same civilians who were bombed by Putin.
I mourned in the kitchen, diving into Olia’s photos and essays when I needed a break from the news, but still wanted to stay connected to my Baba’s homeland.
Home food and budmo! came in the fall as the Ukrainian military was excavating mass graves and rockets kept falling. Cooking my ancestors’ recipes becomes so much more than comfort food.
It became – and still is – an act of defiance.
These two cookbooks are a testament to Ukrainian culture and its enduring, living traditions. If you can, support a Ukrainian author like Olia or Anna this holiday season.
Eastern European cookbooks
Home cooking: 100 recipes to feel good and connect – Olia Hercules (and check out her entire cookbook list)
My favorite cookbook of the year. Olia writes with all her heart and soul, an intimacy that is repeated with every thoughtful recipe and captivating photo. This is a timeless book that celebrates travel, curiosity, family and love. Home Food is a book to be treasured.
Budmo!: Recipes from a Ukrainian kitchen – Anna Voloshyna
This cookbook wins Best Cover of the Year, and yes, I love bright colors. Buy this cookbook for the “Bread, Crepes and Dumplings” chapter, where varenyky, blini and donuts will transport you to a heavenly place.
A Ukrainian Christmas – Nadiyka Gerbish and Yaroslav Hrytsak – The cover alone is worth the price of this unique book!
Tava: Eastern European Baking and Desserts from Romania and Beyond – Irina Georgescu
This beautiful cookbook will blow your mind and take you to Transylvania. Prepare to be wowed by tender strudels and comforting dumplings, delicious donuts and nostalgic cakes. As a fan of everything I just mentioned, it was impossible to put this cookbook down.
Nistisima: The Secret to Delicious Mediterranean Vegan Food – Georgina Hayden
Georgina’s books are always stunning (as is her Instagram) and her latest book just won a major UK award! I love seeing plant-based cuisine from this region.
Happy home cooking
Make Every Dish Delicious: Modern Classics and Must-Have Tips for Total Kitchen Confidence Lesley Chesterman
Lesley’s book has it all: Basic recipes, dinner inspiration and dreamy desserts. I love their no-nonsense approach (it’s basically the same), which includes tips on how to set up your kitchen (smart!) and zero-waste tips for the home husband.
A Good Day for Baking: Easy Baking Recipes for Every Mood Benjamina Ebuehi
My favorite baking book of the year! Benjamina and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to baking projects in the kitchen. So far the kids and I have loved the banana tahini rum cake as well as the honey glazed cumin cilantro cornbread(!!).
Southern Inspired: 100+ Delicious Meals from My American Table to Your – JBernhard A Wells
I met Chef Jernard on my press trip to Greece where we met over feta overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. He may have southern charms, but it’s his absolute heart of gold that I will always remember. That love comes through the pages of his book and is one hundred percent the real thing.
More Home Cooking Favorites:
Asian cuisine
The vegan Chinese cuisine: recipes and modern stories from a thousand-year tradition – Hannah Che
This beautifully written and presented cookbook is such a welcome addition to my collection! I devoured it recipe after recipe. My kids love tofu so much, and this book has an entire chapter devoted to this fascinating ingredient in all of its many forms. I know Hannah’s cookbook will have a permanent place in my kitchen.
New Indian Basics: 100 Traditional & Modern Recipes from Arvinda’s Family Kitchen – Preena Chahuan & Arvinda Chauhan
Our winter curry nights just got a whole lot better thanks to this long-awaited cookbook from the mother-daughter duo behind Arvinda’s Spices. Now we’re cooking whole wheat garlic sesame naan, vegetable biryani with saffron and nuts, and a variety of Indian dishes. Spice up your meals with this beautiful and accessible cookbook.
That Noodle Life: Soulful, Savory, Spicy, Slurpy – Mike Le & Stephanie Le
Pasta fun for everyone! We could eat pasta every day — and Steph’s beautiful book encourages just that. Note that this covers all types of noodles, not just Asian ones.
100% Canadian cookbooks
Where the River Narrows: Classic French and Nostalgic Québécois Recipes from St. Lawrence Restaurant – Chef JC Poirier with Joie Alvaro Kent.
For many reasons, I rarely spotlight restaurant cookbooks, but this is an exception. St. Lawrence is my favorite restaurant on the west coast of Canada. Chef JC is an old friend and former collaborator from my days in the kitchen at the famous Toque! in Montréal.
Where the River Narrows is a sensual culinary journey with recipes that are equally challenging and accessible. I know from experience that French food takes passion and discipline to execute and JC balances both perfectly. His heart and soul are expressed in this beautiful cookbook collaboration.
The Lemon Apron: Seasonal Recipes for the Curious Hobby Cook Jennifer Emilson
Canada’s popular food blogger has her debut cookbook and it’s full of warmth, as is Jenn. Her personal style is very reassuring to the home cook, a wonderful attribute for a cookbook. The photos are absolutely captivating and the recipes are clearly written. I’ve bookmarked the manchego and black pepper gougeres for my next Christmas party!
The Miracle of Salt: Recipes and Techniques for Preserving, Fermenting, and Transforming Your Food Naomi Duguid
Salt might be my favorite ingredient in the kitchen! And I’m learning so much from Naomi’s new cookbook because it takes me on a trip around the world. This book is required reading for any curious cook.
Canada’s Food Island: A Collection of Stories and Recipes from Prince Edward Island – by the farmers and fishermen of the PEI.
I love a cookbook that takes the reader on a journey, and this book transports that from cover to cover. You’ll feel like you’ve traveled to PEI the moment you open the cover, and the recipes will make you feel like a local.
You are human and need cake – Julie van Rosendaal
Inspired by a Blackout poem she wrote from hate mail, this cake cookbook is Julie’s latest work! It doesn’t disappoint with creations like Joe Louis Cake (It’s a Canadian thing) and familiar comforts like Carrot Cake. The book is gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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Share your favorite cookbooks of 2022 in the comments!