A cookbook lover’s list

and a recommendation for your next cookbook purchase

Sometimes the best-laid plans go awry.

On December 1, I started my annual Cookbook Advent calendar countdown over on Instagram. By no means an original idea, my twist is this: rather than a list of the top new cookbooks of the year, I revisit my own burgeoning collection and share some of my go-to.

Yet this past year - this wonky, tilted, rollercoaster of a year - took a jab at my good intentions. Before I knew it, the month had passed me by, my list - and my posts - far from complete.

But I want a clean slate and fresh start to this bright and shiny January. So, before I shake the dust of 2021 off my feet, allow me to finish what I started. And in the process, I hope to give you some kitchen inspiration to start creating deliciousness the year through.

16 books and five back stories

My annual list is comprised of 25 favourites. To see my first nine picks, visit me over on Instagram at @duckandcake; the remaining 16 are below. As I do on Instagram, I’ve shared a bit of a backstory for a handful, and encourage you to seek out the stories for the rest.

 In Bibi’s Kitchen, by Hawa Hassan with Julia Turshen

This cookbook is a beautiful love letter to the traditions, tastes and tales of eight African countries and the bibis - grandmothers - who carry the through line of their cultures to the table with every dish they cook. It’s also a reminder that many of the foods and traditions we may think of as being of this place really have their roots far far away. ⁣A favourite new dish is Digaag Qumbe (chicken stew), traditionally served with a banana alongside.

Inn on the Twenty Cookbook, Anna and Michael Olson

Long before Anna Olson became a Food Network star, famous for helping us satisfy our sweet tooth cravings, she and her husband Michael were the culinary team behind the restaurant at the Inn On the Twenty winery in Niagara, Ontario. One of the region’s first serious wine country restaurants, the Olsons were also amongst the first to create a network of farmers who produced ingredients for the restaurant. The Dean Martin Shrimp Cocktail is a super fun dinner party appetizer, and when rhubarb comes back into season, be sure to make a few batches of Rhubarb-Leek Butter, here served atop pan-seared pickerel alongside a fresh green salad.

Season, Nik Sharma

Molecular genetics may not seem like a background that would spark a culinary career, but that’s exactly where Nik Sharma started before he began his food and photography blog, A Brown Table. This cookbook is as unconventional as that beginning. Perhaps it is Sharma’s scientific bent that gives his recipes their particular appeal: born of curiosity and driven by a quest for flavour, Sharma’s recipes are creative and inspired. His recipe for shaved Brussels Sprouts with Poppy Seeds, Black Mustard and Coconut Oil is such a recipe.

The Talisman Italian Cookbook, Ada Boni

What The Joy of Cooking was to American housewives, so was Il talismano della felicità, (The Talisman of Happiness) to Italian housewives. Written by Ada Boni, a professional food writer who founded a magazine called Preziosa in 1915, Boni was dedicated to finding and sharing regional Italian recipes. Every month in the magazine Boni featured recipes that she had collected from all over Italy. The Talisman was a compendium of her columns – an encyclopedic volume of more than 2000 recipes. In the 1950s, an English version was published in the United States. Long before Marcella Hazan taught North Americans about real Italian cooking, Boni paved the way.

Dinner in French, Melissa Clark

Published just as the pandemic started, I’m sure this cookbook was a godsend to many, especially in those first few months of angst. With her soothing voice, her evocative prose and her delicious recipes, what better antidote to anxiety than Clark? In this instant classic, she takes a tour through French kitchens, giving her unique stamp to French favourites, with plenty of great tips and tricks along the way. While everything is worth trying at least once, I’m especially enamoured of Clark’s chicken recipes. The one below - Wine-braised Chicken with Orange and Olives - both easy and impressive. Perfect for dining a deux, or a few more.

And the rest…

Savour Cooks Authentic American, eds. Saveur magazine

River Cafe Cook Book Green, Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers

Milk Made, Nick Haddow

Sauce, Sonja Lee

The Food I Love, Neil Perry

Food for Friends, Barbara Kafka

Just Crumbs: Baked, Suzie Durigon

Radically Simple, Rozanne Gold

Tupelo Honey Cafe, Elizabeth Sims

Home Made, Yvette Van Boven

A Platter of Figs, David Tanis

Happy New Year and happy cooking!