I own more than 150 cookbooks, so when it was time to choose the best cookbooks of 2023, I thought of those I tried this year and wish to add to my personal collection. You might think I don’t need to increase the number of cookbooks I have, and my husband and the bookshelves would agree with you. But I’m always on the lookout for new dinner ideas or what I can bring to a dinner party.
Instructions to Become a Better Cook by Sola El-Wiley
The cooking school – in this economy? Start here, a massive cookbook with 650 pages from Sola El-Wiley is not only a costlier option but much more enjoyable. It guides you through cooking basics with a reassuring hand from a kitchen friend, organizing chapters by technique, such as “Break it and Get a Sauce” (how to cook and kitchen) and “Whip It (And Stretch It) Good: Take Your Desserts to Fluff City.” Her goal is to teach readers how to cook, in the best way she learned, “with deep dives and full knowledge and context behind the steps of each recipe.”
El-Wiley has disregarded the approach that limits to memorizing steps only. It didn’t serve her well, and her natural curiosity would take over. El-Wiley writes, “Digging a little doesn’t make me the smart one that everyone already thinks I was (though some of my previous chefs might disagree),” “It allows me to understand bigger concepts that can be applied to many dishes rather than trying to memorize a random set of commands for one recipe.”
Dishes like “I Promise You It’s Good! Poached Chicken Breast with Everything-flavored Broccoli” teach the right basic skills. While others, like “Spicy and Sweet Watermelon Chat” that I made, take those foundations to flavor heights. El-Wiley writes, “The key to chat is chatpati flavor, which is very tangy and spicy,” “It will make your tongue twist and make your mouth pucker, just enough sugar and salt to keep that sharpness in check.” Adding salty cumin and ground black pepper mixed with honey did just that – and you can bet she hadn’t been taught that in any culinary school.
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Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More by Yossi Arefi
Yossi Arefi, the renowned baker, is someone who advocates for sweets. In her book, which is a follow-up to the hugely successful “Snacking Cakes,” Arefi is committed to her promise that almost every recipe can be prepared in under an hour, in one bowl.
No special equipment or dough resting required, allowing you to go from “zero to cookie” in no time. The steps are incredibly simple, and Arefi breaks down the barriers to baking. She writes, “These recipes make it so easy to roll up your sleeves and make something delicious,” “when you want to celebrate a great day or unwind in the kitchen at the end of a tough one – even if you don’t have much time or energy to do so.”
The simple yet stunning recipes, such as Cocoa Crispy Brownies and Cheesy Jalapeño Cornbread, are exactly the type of dishes that please everyone and win cake sales, parties, and cookie exchanges. With gluten-free and vegan options, the recipes offer a range of flavors to suit every occasion. If you’re not quite sure what you’re in the mood for, consult Arefi’s wish filter and let this chart fulfill your craving. Craving a fruity bar? Try Raspberry Mazurkas or Blueberry Swirl Blondies. Want something chocolatey or perhaps warm and toasty? The scientific chart will guide you in the right direction.
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Spiritual Recipes to Celebrate the Big and Small Moments in Life by Jocelyn Delk Adams with Olga Massov
Jocelyn Delk Adams has a lively personality that you would expect from someone who regularly appears on television and morning shows. So it’s no wonder that her jewel of daily life is filled with joy and recipes that provide Southern comfort.
For her, celebrating food is a reaction even if the event isn’t significant, like a wedding or anniversary. When her daughter took her first steps, she baked a cake; when her favorite show returned after a long absence, she cooked up a wonderful meal. She encourages readers to do the same, adding options for each recipe for potential moments to celebrate.
For instance, to celebrate the first sip of coffee or to welcome new neighbors, she urges readers to bake “Elvis Banana Bread” – a decadent loaf packed with chocolate chips, peanut butter, and chopped bacon. Had a tough work week? Then you should greet the weekend with “Ultimate Mac and Cheese,” a flavor bomb that guarantees the longest cheese pull.
No matter the occasion, she has a dish for everyone, every day. And if you can’t think of an occasion, you’ll find plenty of inspiration in the pages.
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Recipes and Stories from the Island Nation by Clarissa Wei with Ivy Chen
When journalist Clarissa Wei, based in Taipei, decided to write a Taiwanese cookbook, she could not ignore the elephant in the room: a population of 1.4 billion. She had to set things straight: “Taiwanese food is not part of Chinese food because Taiwan is not part of China.”
Through interviews with island residents and her extensive research, Wei demonstrates that Taiwanese cuisine stands on its own. Like its culture and politics, Taiwanese food should not be lumped under the vast umbrella of China – even though China refuses to acknowledge the sovereignty of this small island off its southeastern coast.
The book “Made in Taiwan” captivates readers with stories and images of colorful dishes tinged with nostalgia. The kumquat comes from scallions from Tun Yu-Chou, a former air force soldier born in 1934 who was stationed in Taiwan when he was 16. The caption on the accompanying photo explains that the scallions have been shot in a way that reflects “what breakfast might look like in an old military home – the quarters where veterans like Yu-Chou were placed when they first arrived on the island.”
The same care is applied in tracing the evolution of the national Taiwanese dish, beef noodle soup. Wei found that this iconic dish dates back to the late 1940s when a wave of Chinese refugees came to Taiwan during the Chinese Civil War. They brought with them the slow-cooking technique for meats known as “red cooking.” To understand how the dish evolved, she spoke with Chef Hong Qinglong, a five-time beef noodle soup champion and owner of the global beef noodle soup restaurant chain. According to Hong, the noodle soup started as a humble street food dish characterized by spices to mask the poor quality of the meat. In the current version, the spices have receded to the background, allowing cooks to use high-quality meat that gives the broth its deep, concentrated flavor.
The publication of “Made in Taiwan” comes at an opportune time as it coincides with the rising popularity of Taiwanese restaurants and chefs in the United States. Wei’s insights into how the past has shaped this distinct cuisine provide a rich context for the foods we enjoy today.
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Nigerian Cooking at Home and Abroad by Yewande Komolafe
“We step out of the car and are welcomed by the warmth and the glorious glow of antique lamps, the fading lights, and the greenery that fills every empty inch of our yard,” writes Yewande Komolafe in an evocative cookbook, so you can almost feel the radiant energy from the pages. “Lemongrass, wild oregano, and scent leaf fill the air as I walk up to the front door.” Welcome to Lagos, the vibrant heart of Nigeria, as seen through the eyes of the celebrated New York Times food writer.
When Komolafe visited her homeland for the first time in 20 years, it turned out to be a transformative journey – one that gave her a new perspective on how to cook Nigerian food beyond the borders of this West African country. Like Dorothy entering the land of Oz, once Komolafe touched down in Lagos, everything transformed into vivid colors and the flavors she thought she knew became more intense and clear. With time and the influence of different cultures, the food evolved from what she remembered.
While Komolafe retains the key ingredients deemed essential to the cuisine (ferments, herbs, and spices), she gives herself – and readers – the freedom to experiment based on taste and availability. This could be a different pepper you find at the market or the individual char of each ingredient in the earthy spice mix. Once you mix this peanut-based powder, use it as a seasoning to elevate many dishes. A blend of ground ginger, chili, and garlic powder makes your grilled meat shine.
Komolafe does not claim to be the ultimate authority on Nigerian food. “My Daily Lagos Cookbook” is merely part of the dialogue surrounding what the cuisine could be. Consider it an invitation to sit down and join this conversation.
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Relaxed Cooking by Molly Baz
Molly Baz, a former editor at Bon Appétit magazine, has built a career on her strong culinary opinions. Her second book, “More is More,” is filled with bold statements about food: everything tastes better with sauce; the secret to restaurant food is salt; “you might not be using enough herbs.” Trust that the recipes in the book are as big and bold as Baz herself.
The unstoppable approach leads to scrumptious food that boasts all the precision of home cooking – with Baz ready to hit you over the head with powerhouse ingredients. For example, she seasons feta cheese with chopped pickles and pickle juice to slather over crunchy bread, reducing a whole bottle of red wine into a sauce for cacio e pepe. Fried clams require more lemon juice and olive oil than necessary, and there’s no remorse (nor do I after tasting the dish). However, Baz writes, “Excess is not what this book is about; it’s about finding more confidence in the kitchen, gaining more trust in our own cooking abilities, and the audacity to go for bigger, bolder flavors.”
In less capable hands in the kitchen, there are QR codes on the recipes that take you to “audio experiences” that guide you through the steps. Regardless of your culinary expertise level, “More is More” takes you on a journey rich with big flavors that you won’t want to end.
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Nigel Slater Essentials
Some cookbooks feature writing so rich that you want to swallow the words as much as you want to devour the recipes. This is exactly what happens in this hefty 560-page tome that includes 150 essential recipes from Nigel Slater, along with stories about what inspires each one. The British food writer describes his food as “simple, everyday things, the kind of food you might crave coming back home after a busy day,” a humble description to say that these recipes are comforting, ordinary, and incredibly delicious.
But
Slater suggests, “ordinary does not mean disrespectful.” He is keen on washing leafy vegetables and drying them thoroughly; he prefers grinding the pesto sauce in a mortar rather than mixing it in a food processor. However, most recipes are simple and easy to execute. The chicken is cooked in the oven with the potatoes to absorb the juices. Heritage cream and a bit of maraschino or vermouth are used to complete the rich sauce that gives a deep, mellow flavor.
Yes, there are serious British dishes, such as the smoked mackerel pie in a chapter titled “Sometimes, you just want a pie.” You will also find recipes inspired by Slater’s travels and food projects, like the warm pumpkin laksa refreshed with ginger, lemon, and chili. Recipe lovers appreciate the weights in the recipes, with grams and ounces given for measuring the imprecise-volume ingredients, like herbs and hefty produce.
As Slater writes, “Cooking – for me at least – is about making something to eat and sharing food with others,” “but also – he whispers – about the quiet moments of joy that can happen along the way.” In the “Cookbook,” Slater has created a serene world that comforts as much as his food does.
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The Art of Ordinary Cooking for Others by Amy Thielen
As someone who lives in the woods of northern Minnesota, when Amy Thielen wants to have a meal with friends, she “doesn’t drive 25 miles to meet at one of the three restaurants in town.” Instead, the chef and television cook gathers people at her home through spontaneous invitations, encouraging readers to do the same.
This spontaneous approach gives freedom: you can shed the burden of trying to impress others with your cooking skills. For entertaining at home, Thielen is like Martha Stewart with a low-maintenance spin. She doesn’t care much about place settings or matching dishes. Her book focuses on ample menus that serve buffet-style, allowing – and even encouraging – guests to fill their plates generously. The menus in the book can serve up to 20 (or more) as in the chapter “Casual Roaming,” although most serve six to 12, generously. “Since we eat with our eyes,” Thielen writes, “having an abundance of food puts everyone at ease and encourages temporary indulgence.”
And who wouldn’t want to indulge when the dishes present such enticing displays? The “Cabin Winter” menu, for example, includes “Egg-Stuffed Pastry Dip” – a clever starter that offers the richness of stuffed egg filling while saving on cooking time. No peeling eggs and stuffing halved egg whites is required.
Other dishes are marked with the chef’s artistic touches (but are doable) from her days in high-end culinary restaurants in New York City. For example, the Bundt chicken is transformed into oven-roasted chicken. The whole bird is given a chic continental take with white wine, garlic butter, and anchovy inspired by bagna cauda.
But perhaps Thielen’s best offering is allowing us to be imperfect when we host. “The kitchen isn’t perfect, but it’s a productive and creative workspace that is rarely perfect,” she writes. “And when people begin to arrive, that’s the feeling they’ll feel and follow.”
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A Cookbook on Vegetables and Unbreakable Family Ties by Hetty Lui MacKinnon
Part cookbook, part cooking memoir, “Tender Hearts” is a tribute to Hetty Lui MacKinnon’s father, a Chinese immigrant to Australia, who passed away when Hetty was 15. He worked at a banana trading company in Sydney and would bring home vegetables – shaping Hetty’s way of eating to this day.
She writes
“I have carried this memory of my dear father next to my heart throughout my adult life,” “Today, in honor of my father, one of my ways to honor his legacy is to carefully and thoughtfully cook vegetables every day.
While Makinnon retains the essential ingredients that are considered foundational to the cuisine (ferments, herbs, and spices), she gives herself – and readers – the freedom to experiment with what suits their taste and availability. This could be, for instance, a different pepper you find at the market or the individual roast amount for each ingredient in the ground yaji spice blend. Once you mix this peanut-based powder, use it as a spice to sprinkle on many dishes. The blend of ground ginger, chili, and garlic powder makes your roasted meat shine.
Makinnon does not claim to be the ultimate authority on Nigerian food. “My Everyday Cookbook” is just part of the conversation about what the cuisine can be. Consider it an invitation to sit down and join in this dialogue.
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Cocktail Recipe Book: Cocktails from African American Food Kitchens for Centuries by Toni Tipton-Martin
If you are pleased to give credit to those who deserve it, food journalist and historian Toni Tipton-Martin should be your hero. She has affirmed that the contributions and stories of African American food creators deserve recognition.
In her book “Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking,” she highlighted African American chefs who shaped American cuisine. In her latest book, Tipton-Martin turns her attention to African American cocktail makers, their recipes, and their hospitality – from Black women who gained agency during the colonial era by selling home-made drinks; to Black bartenders who shake the cocktail
Source: https://www.aol.com/best-cookbooks-2023-according-food-190300637.html
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