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10 Cookbook Gift Ideas for the Holidays

It’s the Holiday season and throughout the next couple of weeks, I plan on sharing some of my favorite books and kitchen equipment that I use in my household.

It’s generally during Christmas that I build my book collection.  I ask for and enjoy receiving books as gifts.  I’ve had many people ask me how I come up with different recipes or how to learn certain techniques.  It’s about practice and diving into well written books.  With a “good” book… it’s a gift that will truly last a lifetime.

Like in all genre’s, there are thousands of cookbooks to choose from.  Some great… some not so great.  My favorite cookbooks that I hold onto are books that not only share recipes but teach you about the skill of cooking along the way.  These are the books that will empower you to be a better cook.

All of my favorite books can be found at my newly opened, A Little Bit of Spain in Iowa, Amazon store.



10 Cookbook Gift Ideas for the Holidays


This is one of my favorite Spanish cookbooks.  Originally written in Spanish over thirty years ago, it’s been on the top seller list in Spain and known as the Spanish Cookbook Bible.  My mother has the original in Spanish and it translates well.
Recipes:
Rick Bayless brings tradition and real ingredients to Mexican cooking.  Easy to follow and sublime!  If you want to learn about using chili’s, creating sauces with robust depth and flavor, this is it.  Also a leader in the sustainable, local food movement.
Recipes:
Jennifer McLagan writes beautifully about the history and nutrition of real animal fats.  She writes in a sophisticated manner the flavors that can only be created by using fat.  A true expert with amazing recipes.

Alice Waters, another inspiration to sustainable, seasonal cooking.  In this book, Alice shares techniques in the kitchen to learn by heart. She demystifies the basics including steaming a vegetable, dressing a salad, simmering stock, filleting a fish, roasting a chicken, and making bread.  With an amazing line of contributors such as Rick Bayless, David Chang and Thomas Keller.  A must have book for the seasonal green kitchen!
The authority on baking bread, Peter Reinhart introduces you to the science of bread baking and then teaches you not only how to bake bread but technique in shaping and forming.  I absolutely encourage anyone that wants to learn about bread making to add this to their book collection.
Recipes: 
If you’re interested in smoked meats and charcuterie this is the book!  One that I’m currently going through that comes highly recommended.

Written by Sally Fallon, this book uncovers many truths about what we eat and what we’ve been lead to believe is real nutrition.  This is a must have book for anyone interested in traditional cooking and how it’s drastically changed over the years.  Although I wasn’t excited about many of the recipes included, the information in this book is phenomenol.  You will learn everything about staple ingredients such as celtic sea salt, natural sweeteners, arrowroot powder, raw honey, real syrup and real fats.  She also dives into the benefits of pasturing animals and shows us how to make lacto fermented vegetables and cultured dairy.

My friend and fellow blogger Carrie Vitt from Deliciously Organic just wrote her first cookbook due to be released at the end of this month.  She develops real recipes using real ingredients.  She is an inspiration and gem!  Pre-order this book for the holidays!

By David M. Gitlitz, Linda Kay Davidson


This is an eye opening book that captures what Jews had to endure during the Spanish inquisition.  It includes their traditional recipes and adaptations they had to make in order to show their allegiance to the Christian church.
A book on history, tradition and what held them together… their own culture, faith and food.
Of course I had to include Jamie Oliver!  His recipes are simple, easy to make and use real ingredients.  What’s not to love about Jamie and his food revolution!
I’m sure after seeing my top list of cookbooks you can see the inspiration for my own blog.  It’s only through books that we can learn and begin to embrace and understand tradition and culinary technique.

What are your favorite cookbooks that I should know about.  I’m starting on my list of books to ask for, and would love and am always looking out for hidden treasures!  Please share with me in the comments.

Here’s to cooking real food using real books!

About Diana Bauman

Diana is a mother of three, proud wife, and humbled daughter of God. She finds the most joy meeting with Jesus in her organic gardens. She is completely blessed to be able to call herself a stay at home mom where she home educates her children, joyfully serves her husband, and cooks nourishing, real food, for her family. She loves connecting with people on facebook, google+, pinterest, and instagram.

Comments

  1. Mexico in my kitchen says

    Favorite books. Diana Kennedy's books. The last one in particular is so beautiful. Oaxaca al gusto. Do you have any of her book? I bet you do. My other favorite is "The professional chef"from the CIA, that was a birthday present. And Mr. Jacques Pepin's Complete Techniques.

    As well as you, I also have a wish list of books for Christmas. It is a good excuse to get more cooking books.

    I hope you get lots of books this time around.

    Mely

    Reply

  2. Patty says

    Thanks so much for sharing your list of favorite books! I am always looking for new and inspiring cookbook material – the sad thing is, I live in an apartment and have very little space to store all these books! However, we are in the market for a house, so there may be more room in my immediate future! An excuse to buy books!

    Reply

  7. Brie: Le Grand Fromage says

    ooo, new cookbooks! fabulous list – and i'm super glad to see Fat & Nourishing Traditions on here (two of my favs). i'll be seeking out the Spanish cookbooks for sure to learn some new recipes. thanks!

    Reply

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