Fall is a wonderful time in the cookbook world – the holiday season is just around the corner and publishers start pushing out the big hitters to get ready for the gift-giving frenzy, but seriously, this Fall? Hold on to your wallets people, because there’s going to be lots of spending going on!
With names like Alton Brown, Anthony Bourdain, Ina Garten, Thug Kitchen, Jamie Oliver, Pierre Herme and many, MANY more releasing cookbooks in the next few months, you can be sure there’s something (or several things) for cookbook lovers to drool over.
After a lot of difficult deliberation, here are the top 11 cookbooks (well, 9 cookbooks and 2 food writing books) that are at the very top of my ‘must-buy’ list.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post. I just love sharing cookbook news with you. However, I am part of The Book Depository and Amazon affiliate programs and the product links shared in this post are affiliate links – if you click them and purchase something, I will receive a tiny commission fee (at no extra cost to you) which helps me keep this site running.
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SUSHI: JIRO GASTRONOMY Jiro Ono & Yoshikazu Ono A guide on how to eat sushi by master chef Jiro Ono (the Jiro that was the subject of the award-winning documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi)? Yes please! This comprehensive little guide takes the reader through the seasonal offerings at Ono’s famed restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro. Full-page photography and descriptions of each type of sushi are accompanied by commentary from master Ono. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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ALTON BROWN: EVERYDAYCOOK Alton Brown Paul and I both love Alton Brown. His blend of cooking, food science and food history is right up our alleys. So basically, if he has a book coming out, it needs to be in our hands. This latest cookbook is a more personal collection of recipes, but still includes Brown’s trademark mix of science and humour, plus lots of photos (all taken with Brown’s iPphone!). Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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GRAPE, OLIVE, PIG Matt Goulding Ever since falling in love with the gorgeous Rice, Noodle, Fish (a stunning culinary travel guide about Japan), I have been a fan of Matt Goulding. I’ve never been to Spain myself, but feel like I need to have this book in my collection in case I ever do go. Grape, Olive, Pig promises to reveals hidden gems and enduring delicacies from across this extraordinary country, contextualizing each meal with the stories behind the food in a cultural narrative complemented by stunning color photography. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository |
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APPETITES: A COOKBOOK Anthony Bourdain Anyone who knows me knows I need to have any book by Anthony Bourdain on my shelves. But it has been over a decade since Bourdain put out a cookbook, so I’m looking forward to this collection of 40+ favourites that Bourdain has collected during his many years of cooking and globetrotting. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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BOBBETTE & BELLE Allyson Bobbitt & Sarah Bell I try not to have too many bakery books on my ‘must-buy’ list (mainly because I have quite a few already and also because there are often more ‘practical’ baking books out there) but I can’t resist seeing what’s behind the covers of a book by Allyson and Sarah, the duo behind the beautiful Bobbette & Belle creations. This book features over 100 recipes and variations including classic cookies and bars; cupcakes and layer cakes; loaves, scones, bundts and tortes; crumbles, tarts and pies; French macarons; confections and more. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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COOKING FOR JEFFREY Ina Garten Although I’m a fan of Ina Garten’s books, they aren’t always at the top of my shopping list. However, I love the person feel of this one – just look at the title! There are traditional dishes that she’s updated, such as Brisket with Onions and Leeks, and Tsimmes, a vegetable stew with carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, and prunes, and new favorites, like Skillet-Roasted Lemon Chicken and Roasted Salmon Tacos. Desserts range from simple Apple Pie Bars to showstoppers like Vanilla Rum Panna Cotta with Salted Caramel. I feel like these are the recipes that sit on Garten’s family table and it seems like there’s something everyone will enjoy. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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OTTAWA COOKS Anne DesBrisay One of my favourite series of cookbooks is the City Cooks collection by Figure 1 Publishing. These are a beautiful line of cookbooks featuring the restaurants and chefs of Canadian Cities. Having already been a fan of the previous books, including Toronto Cooks, Montreal Cooks and Calgary Cooks, I’m definitely looking forward to this one – featuring recipes and talented chefs from Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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DORIE’S COOKIES Dorie Greenspan I love baking. However, cookies are not my strong point. So I’m always on the lookout for great cookie recipes and I think this book will cover it. Not only is Greenspan and expert cookie-baker, the variety of recipes, including Portofignos, Blueberry Buttermilk Pie Bars, Snowy-Topped Brownie Drops, They Might Be Breakfast Cookies and Almond Crackle Cookies ensures that there’s something for everyone. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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THE LONDON COOKBOOK Aleksandra Crapanzano Similar to the City Cooks series I mentioned earlier in this post, The London Cookbook is a collection of recipes and restaurants from one of my favourite cities in the world – London, England. From The Cinnamon Club’s Seared Aubergine Steaks with Sesame and Tamarind to the River Cafe’s Tagliatelle with Lemon, and from Tramshed’s Indian Rock Chicken Curry to Nopi’s Sage and Cardamom Gin, this book covers London’s vibrant culinary scene. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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HOW TO BAKE EVERYTHING Mark Bittman I have several of Bittman’s other cookbooks and I love them all for their thoroughness and clear, concise instructions on cooking, well, everything. If you’ve read any of my cookbook reviews, you’ll know I’m not a fan of cookbooks without photos, however Bittman is the exception. His cookbooks are just so darn useful that I completely forgive the fact that there’s no photos in them. I have high expectations for this one since I love to bake so much. Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
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MASTERING THE ART OF JAPANESE HOME COOKING Masaharu Morimoto I JUST learned about this book as I was putting my list together and actually had to bump off ANOTHER book to make room for this one! But I had to. From renditions of classics like miso soup, nabeyaki udon, and chicken teriyaki to little known but unbelievably delicious dishes like fish simmered with sake and soy sauce, this cookbook sounds amazing (the fact that Paul and I love both Japanese food and Morimoto doesn’t hurt either!) Plus, I’m told there’s a poke recipe in here too – I can’t wait to see how Morimoto treats this Hawaiian classic! Order online at Amazon or The Book Depository. |
So there you have it – the shopping list I’ll be waving around the bookstore over the next few months, I’m sure I’ll end up with more than 11 food/cookbooks by December, but these are the ones that I feel like I need to have.
What about you? Which books are you most looking forward to this Fall?
Want even more suggestions? Then check out my calendar of Upcoming Book Releases – it doesn’t cover every new book release, but I update it as often as possible (so make sure you bookmark it!) – it’s a good place to learn about new and interesting titles!
Disclosure: I am part of The Book Depository and Amazon affiliate programs and the product links shared in this post are affiliate links – if you click them and purchase something, I will receive a tiny commission fee (at no extra cost to you) which helps me keep this site running. Please read my disclosure policy for more information.
