The trees are starting to flower. Strawberries are starting to fill the shelves at the grocery store. Easter candy is taunting me at every turn. The combination of cut grass and sunshine feels extra special. It’s Spring, y’all!
(Still experimenting with the word y’all. Hold on tight.)
Now, it’s not that I need any more cookbooks on my kitchen shelves. It’s just that I can’t help myself. These cookbooks feel like works of art to me and everyone needs some kitchen inspiration.
Here’s what I’m loving, besides Pistachio Crusted Asparagus with feta and parsley… just sayin’.
• Date Night In This thoughtful cookbook from Ashley Rodriguez of Not Without Salt is exactly the right book to reach for when it’s time to open a bottle of wine, hop in the kitchen, and chat-cook… a technical term for getting all up in the kitchen and connecting. Wonderful for both romance and friendship.
• Seven Spoons from Tara O’Brady is just gorgeous! The recipes are unique, but not too outside of the box to not feel comforting. I have the Braised Beef Short Ribs on my shortlist.
• Food 52’s Genius Recipes is a staple in my kitchen. This book understands my needs for the perfect pasta sauce on a Wednesday night when all I want to do is eat popchips and pink wine. This book inspires dinner everyday.
• I’m very protective of my good bowls. I have three of them. They’re almost as wide as a place, with a shallow but helpful lip. Perfect for when you want to eat aggressive amounts of pasta, or an embarrassing amount of beans and rice. These bowls + The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl and Spoon. I’m all set.
• I was in Charleston, SC last week and wandered into biscuit heaven: Callie’s Hot Little Biscuits. So buttery. So fluffy. So substantial. It was pretty perfect. So… Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions
• We can never go wrong with a good cookie. Cookie Love from Mindy Segal. Elevated, fool-proof and extra delicious cookies. Don’t forget the salt.
• Aimee Wimbush- Bourque of Simple Bites has written a lovely book about food, homesteading, and family. It’s enough to just abut convince me to plant a tomato tree. I have a black thumb… are they even called tomato trees? Brown Eggs and Jam Jars
• The amazing and brilliant Christina Tosi and her sweet sweet life. Milk Bar Life: Recipes and Stories
• It’s exactly what you need it to be sometimes: Dessert For Two, the pretty and practical new book from Christina Lane. Me and Tron and set for dessert into the future.
• Sasha Martin cooked a meal and fed her family from every country in the world over the course of 195 weeks. It’s the story of food and forgiveness and it’s really beautiful: Life From Scratch
• It turns out that photographers and indie rock stars can make some pretty beautiful and inspiring cookbooks! I have this book pre-ordered and would like to invite you to dinner. K? Twenty Dinners
• Also on my pre-order list is The Dirty Apron Cookbook. Simple dinners, confidence building technique, and plenty of flavor inspiration.
Oh, also… here are some of my favorite cookbooks from last summer. And… now I want ceviche and donuts, separately but in abundance.
alexis horn
I bought the Dessert for Two. I would argue that her brownie for two is definitely for more than two people. Of course, I ate the entire thing myself, so there’s that.
I’m thrilled to see that a few I recently ordered made your list. They must be good!!
Jodi
Take a look at this one and let me know what you think!
https://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Wholesome-Jodi-L-Rhodes/dp/1500557846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428756735&sr=8-1&keywords=homemade+and+wholesome
Jessica
AH! I have two of these ordered from Amazon before I even read this post! awesome-sauce! Great taste in cookbooks and cats! Also, You are my New Orleans inspiration and I am heading there in two weeks for vacation. I am so excited for all the food!
Kate
Thanks so much for giving ol’ Cookie Love a mention. Mindy’s ideas certainly had me baking in ways I hadn’t thought of before during the testing phase. And seriously, you can’t forget the salt.
Hannah
I am so excited for Bowl + Spoon!!!! I haven’t heard of all these so this makes me so excited to find some new ones! :) Thanks, Joy! Always a pleasure
Gracious Store
Every cook book has something unique to offer and that is the author wrote in in the first place. If you like to try out something new always, it is always a good idea to have different versions of recipes as seen in different cookbooks
joythebaker
I love the way you think! I couldn’t have said it better myself.
Jessica
I want them all. Going to need to build an addition just for my cookbook collection soon! Beautiful books- added every single one to my wishlist!
anna@icyvioletskitchen
i am full of envy and discontent. curse you joy the baker! (not really though, universe, she’s great!)
Aimee Wimbush-Bourque
You’re the best, Joy! Thanks so much for the love. So far, 2015 is rocking it in the recipe department.
It’s a tomato plant. Plant.
Lynn @ The Actor's Diet
Yay Christina! I text her whenever I have a stupid baking emergency (which is often).
Kaitlin
Omg the Food52 cookbook I can only imagine what that looks like inside! I’m kinda obsessed with just flipping through and looking at cookbook photos in awe. I could spend hours in the B&N cookbook section…it’s kind of a problem. I just love beautiful food photography! Excited to check out sprouted kitchen too. So many good choices, Joy!
Lydia
I always end up adding lots of cookbooks to my Amazon wish list when you do these sorts of posts! :) Have you heard of the book coming out in September called “The Jemima Code”? It’s about the great–and undercredited–contribution of African American cooks to the Southern food culture. I can’t wait to read it! I think it’s being done through the Southern Foodways Alliance.