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Cookbooks for Christmas!

Is there someone on your gift list that loves to cook or bake? Here are a few of our favorite cookbooks, most new, but a few older titles as well, that someone on your list may enjoy exploring. If you hesitate to choose, consider a Whole Earth gift card so they can pick out their favorite.

Southern Grit by Kelsey Barnard Clark

First up, Southern Grit: 100+ Down Home Recipes for the Modern Cook by Kelsey Barnard Clark. This cookbook is filled with traditional Southern recipes updated for modern cooks. The dishes are familiar but with Clark's tips and tricks, flavors are enhanced and elevated. The photos are beautiful and inspirational. Clark covers the basics of Southern food. For example, she includes four recipes for deviled eggs, appropriate for picnic fare or a holiday meal at the dining room table. The recipes include Happy Hour Bites and Sips, Greens, Potatoes, Grains and Pasta, Seafood, Eggs and Poultry, Pork and Beef, and Breads and Pastries.  The recipes are detailed so you won't be left wondering quite what to do, but they are also written in an easy to follow fashion. Have fun cooking your way through the 100 recipes in the book!

How to Grill Vegetables by Steven Raichlen

The grill master Steven Raichlen has taken on the art of grilling vegetables with some remarkable results. How to Grill Vegetables: The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables over Live Fire offers an excellent introduction into the basics of grilling in nine easy steps: how to choose a grill, find fuel, gather gear, mastering the basics of grilling and smoking techniques, specialized techniques, firing up the grill, dialing in the right temperature, good grill management, and how veggies differ from other grilled foods. And how will all this knowledge be put to work? The book includes recipes for appetizers, dips, salads and slaws, pizzas, quesadillas and sandwiches, vegetable plates and sides, grilled eggs and cheese, and desserts! Give a copy to your grill meister and introduce them to a new world of flavor.

Pie Academy by Ken Haedrich

Know someone who is longing to make pies? Perhaps they grew up with a family member who baked delicious pies for all seasons, but somehow they never got around to learning how to do it. Or they've been enjoying pies at restaurants and bakeries, but are daunted at the thought of learning to make them on their own. Or perhaps they already can already make a good pie but are wanting to refine their skills and try new flavor combinations. Well, here's the cookbook for all three. The subtitle for Pie Academy by Ken Haedrich says it all: Master the Perfect Crust and 255 Amazing Fillings, with Fruits, Nuts, Creams, Custards, Ice Cream, and More; Expert Techniques for Making Fabulous Pies from Scratch. Yes, here is the information for making a delectable pie for any occasion. Haedrich offers detailed instructions that are easy to follow and yield excellent results. Pie Academy will be welcomed by those just learning as well as the experts.

Nadiya Bakes by Nadiya Hussain

If you were among the many who were cheering Nadiya Hussain on to victory during the sixth season of The Great British Baking Show, here's a book where we get to know her through her recipes. Nadiya Bakes: Over 100 Must-Try Recipes for Bread, Biscuits, Pies, and More: A Baking Book is based on her Netflix and BBC series of the same name. She has a gift for unexpected flavor combinations that lift a recipe into a new taste experience. This book includes recipes for cakes, mini cakes, and one-pan cakes; no-bake cakes; tarts and pies; desserts; celebration cakes; cookies and bites; breads and buns; and savory bakes. Nadiya has come a long way from the days when her oven was used to store pots and pans. Now she lives, breathes and even dreams baking. See what she's dreamed up in Nadiya Bakes.

Sheet Cake by Abigail Johnson Dodge

Sheet pans are often being used for roasting meats and vegetables these days, so it's good to see someone offering an updated version of using a sheet pan for sheet cakes. Sheet Cake: Easy One-Pan Recipes for Every Day and Every Occasion by Abigail Johnson Dodge, has found a home on several lists of the best cookbooks of 2021, including The New York Times. The cake recipes are straightforward and include lots of classics. They can also be transformed by stacking or rolling. There are recipes for fillings and frostings as well as soaks, glazes, sauces and accompaniments. Both newbies and experienced bakers should avail themselves of the information in the opening section which also includes making cake croutons and cake crumbs. By being properly prepped and following Dodge's recipes, deliciousness lies ahead!

The Infused Cocktail Handbook by Kurt Maitland

Take your cocktails to the next level by infusing liquors with added flavors. Learn how in The Infused Cocktail Handbook: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Own Signature Spirits, Blend and Infusions by Kurt Maitland. The book is divided into sections based on different spirits: whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, mezcal, rum, wines and liqueurs. You'll also learn to make syrups and cordials. Some are ready within minutes. Others can take a week or even a month or two to be ready for use. Maitland's infusions are created with fruits, spices, herbs and even vegetables. Please note that the book is filled with recipes to create infused liquor, but does not include recipes for using them in cocktails. Here's your opportunity to create your own unique cocktails.

My Mexico City Kitchen by Gabriela Cámara

Be inspired by My Mexico City Kitchen: Recipes and Convictions by Gabriela Cámara. The book is filled with fresh flavorful recipes for the home cook and is beautiful to behold. Cámara has her feet both in Mexico at Contramar in Mexico City and in the U.S. at Cala in San Francisco. The emphasis both in her restaurants and the cookbook is fresh, sustainable food and seafood. The book includes recipes for basics, breakfast, first courses, main dishes, desserts and drinks. Cámara includes fascinating commentary about ingredients and traditional cooking techniques and shares her convictions on the importance of sustainability in all aspects of cooking. This Mexican modern cookbook will be a treasured addition to a cookbook collection.

The Curry Guy Bible by Dan Toombs

Dan Toombs loves curry. A transplanted Californian, he has spent most of the past 30 years in England.  In 2010 he began a blog on curry, posting recipes and photos. He fielded lots questions as to why home cooked curry was so different from what was available in restaurants. After conferring with chefs, traveling widely, and lots of practice at home, he has mastered the art of creating British Indian Restaurant (BIR) cooking at home. He has five rules for making BIR food: fresh ingredients, prepare basic ingredients ahead of time, use ingredients in order, have fun, and experiment (but learn the basics first). The Curry Guy Bible is filled with colorful photos and over 200 recipes that include many curries as well as recipes for grilling, barbecue and roasting, bread, rice and sides, and pickles, chutney and sauces.

The Campout Cookbook by Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson

Marnie Hanel and Jen Stevenson have happy memories of camping in their younger days. But now they're looking to car camp with some of the comforts of home, especially good food. The Campout Cookbook: Inspired Recipes for Cooking Around the Fire and Under the Stars is dedicated to "survivalists with standards." The authors understand that cooking over a fire is a skill that develops gradually so there are recipes that can be prepared or prepped at home and are ready to go at the campsite. The introductory chapter gives information about what to take and what to look for in a campsite. Recipes include trail snacks, sides and salads, campfire mains, s'mores and more, fortifications (including cocktails), and the morning meal. The authors believe that campouts can be the best parties ever where everyone pitches in to create feasts in the forest and happy memories for all.

These are just a few of our cookbook offerings you'll find in our stores and online. We combine new cookbooks with old favorites. We hope you'll come browse with us!