Dear Home Cook,
I have perused thousands of cookbooks in my time, from 19th century favorites such as The Virginia Housewife to genre must-haves such as American Cookery to modern classics such as The Union Square Café Cookbook. But when it comes to holiday gift-giving, I am looking for a cookbook that also has a sense of style, has a voice, feels good in the hand, and, at its best, also inspires. I make no claims regarding the reliability of each and every recipe in these books, but I do stand by the books as offering something that most cookbooks don't—an approach, a view of the world that is both different and refreshing. In these times, that is quite an achievement.
Seven Fires, Francis Mallmann
The Food of Spain, Claudia Roden
A Platter of Figs and Other Recipes, David Tanis
Canal House Cooking volumes, Hamilton and Hirsheimer
The Art of Simple Food, Alice Waters
Tender, Nigel Slater
At Elizabeth David's Table, Elizabeth David
Plenty, Yotam Ottolenghi
All About Roasting, Molly Stevens
Essential Pepin, Jacques Pépin
Cordially,
Christopher Kimball
Founder and Editor
America's Test Kitchen
Full Text with expanded descriptions.
