I hope you had a joyous Thanksgiving. For me it was a dual celebration, celebrating my parents’ 68th anniversary, as well. They are snowbirds, so it is a great opportunity to enjoy some warm weather and explore Florida’s food scene while in the Sunshine State.
Visiting local bookstores to check out their cookbook shelves, especially those books by local authors and restaurateurs, has been time well spent. One thing I learned years ago, don’t take Mom along when I am scouting out cookbooks, since mother is not like son when it comes to cookbooks and cooking.
To Mom’s credit, she still saves the food section from her local newspaper, so upon my arrival, I have plenty of columns upon which I need to catch up. Dad, who is 91, on the other hand, enjoys cooking, however, he won’t follow a cookbook recipe, so cookbooks are out for him. I am his go-to when it comes to recipes.
With the eight days of Hannukah beginning Thursday evening and Christmas about three weeks away, the race is on to find that desirous, perfect gift.
I am asked by many people, “What cookbook do you recommend for my foodie friends and relatives?”
It isn’t easy to pick just a few suggestions. My list is quite extensive; cookbook collecting for me is addictive — I read cookbooks the way one would read a novel. I am sure I am not alone; some people on your gift list — perhaps you, too — are like this. Some of these will fit the bill for a welcome addition to one’s cookbook shelf. And a cookbook gift won’t be hard on your wallet.
For Pennsylvanians, or those that wish to explore the culinary scene in the Keystone State, “Pennsylvania Good Eats: Exploring the State’s Favorite, Unique, Historic, and Delicious Foods,” by Brian Yarvin (2021, Globe Pequot, $21.95) gives the recipient the tip of the iceberg of Pennsylvania’s eclectic and vast food culture.
The author gives the perfect starting point for exploration. For those who crave food prepared by older relatives now long gone, there is a place out there preparing those dishes, perhaps using techniques now not common.
“Pennsylvania is so filled with nooks and crannies that any food, no matter how archaic or obscure, can find an out-of-the-way place to thrive,” he writes. “Anytime you hear somebody say, ‘Nobody cooks that anymore!’ you can be sure that somebody in the Keystone State is preparing it.”
He mentions scrapple, buckwheat cakes, smoked sausage and fried noodles. His exploration via car, foot and train made him realize there is no best. From John’s Roast Pork Shop (Philadelphia), Appel Valley Butcher Shop (Lancaster), Caputo Brothers Creamery (Spring Grove, York County), Patterson Maple Farms (Westfield, Tioga County) to Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum & Candy Emporium (Orrtanna, Adams County), you’ll visit food landmarks, where some of your food memories can be rekindled again.
Those interested in food and history will welcome “The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories From America’s Golden Era,” by Becky Libourel Diamond (2023, Globe Pequot, $34.95). This excerpt was contributed by food historian and culinary stylist Dan Macey:
“Theatrics were an integral part of fine dining,” he wrote. “Lavish centerpieces, ranging from floral arrangements to ornate sugar molds and plaster-cast animals, were front and center on the banquet table. This same pageantry was often applied to the centerpiece of the meal — the main meat course.”
It gives a glimpse of that “perfect” table that impressed guests in the day and still do. I enjoyed the tasteful combination of recipes that are approachable, the artistry and history.
The recipient of the book will get a sneak peek of what the Gilded Age looked and tasted like through the beautiful pictures, historic menus and recipes.
My friend Diane Jacob, the author of “Will Write for Food,” gives the book her thumbs up by saying: “A beautifully designed and photographed cookbook, filled with intriguing stories. The parties and events may have been excessive, but the classic recipes here look simple and doable to make. Bring back a bit of the past and celebrate it today with a copy of ‘The Gilded Age Cookbook.’”
Those on your list who enjoy entertaining, perhaps it is you, a copy of “Butter Boards: 50+ Inventive Spreads for Entertaining,” by Alejandra Diaz-Imlah and Jamison Diaz-Imlah (2023, Cider Mill Press, $27.99) is a must.
The board craze is amazing. A plethora of books, websites, and videos, teaching the art of creating food boards (charcuterie, cheese, dessert) are available. There’s even a company that ships beautifully prepared gift boards.
Boards make entertaining easy, whether it be for a formal dinner, brunch or a casual afternoon tea.
A new concept is butter boards. You might be thinking, what is this? It’s quite simple…softened butter is spread on a board and paired with ingredients, savory or sweet or both. Then, take a piece of bread, a cracker, vegetable or fruit and swipe some delectable butter spread on it. I suggest you use good quality butter for the best flavor.
The author describes cultured butter, Irish and European butter as well as plant-based butter, the latter welcomed by vegans and those who don’t eat dairy products. Savory recipes include: bacon butter with bacon and maple biscuits; Christmas butter with radishes and cranberries; pesto butter with rosemary focaccia; dill, caper and cream cheese butter with lox and bagels. For those with a sweet tooth: cinnamon and honey butter with butter rolls and candied almonds; lemon and ginger butter with strawberry rhubarb jam; Spanish chocolate butter with churros.
The use of mason jars has gone beyond making and storing preserves. “Mason Jar Cocktails” by Shane Carley (2022, Cider Mill Press, $19.95) is perfect for those on your list who would like, as the book jacket says, “to combine the best aspects of your favorite creative cocktails with the rustic simplicity of the Mason jar; you’ll be sipping at that martini with country-living style.”
Included are cocktails based on a variety of liquors as well as creative mocktails such as Mason Jar Fuzzless Navel and a virgin mudslide.
For the bakers or want-to-be bakers on your list, “I’ll Bring the Cake: Recipes for Every Season and Every Occasion,” by Mandy Merriman (2023, Harvest/HarperCollins, $40) will be a welcome addition to their baking cookbooks, especially those who enjoy or want to learn the art of decorating.
The beautiful cakes that are truly works of art, begin with a boxed mix and then several ingredients to the mix.
She said, “There’s a special way to make a cake mix taste like it’s from scratch, and my recipes are the best way to make that possible.”
What is handy about her recipes is that they can be converted to make cupcakes, Bundt cakes, 9-by-13-inch cakes, etc. The section on buttercream essentials, baking tips and troubleshooting, assembling, and frosting are accompanied by step-by-step photos.
One tip that she shares (and I agree with) is to avoid substitutions, with the exception of those avoiding ingredients for allergies.
She writes, “I don’t recommend changing a recipe the first time you make it. If you change an ingredient, know that you may end up with a different result.”
The flavor combinations are mouth-watering: Cannoli Cake with Cinnamon Mascarpone Buttercream and Ricotta Filling; Creme Brulee Cake with Vanilla Bean Buttercream and Custard Filling; Grapefruit Poppy Seed Cake with Grapefruit Poppy Seed Buttercream and Grapefruit Curd; Gingerbread Cake with White Chocolate and Ginger Buttercream; Eggnog Latte Cake. The stunning photos of every cake will entice the recipient want to make them all!
If you’ve noticed, small plates and tapas are appearing on menus like never before. For many people, this is the preferred way to eat, grazing on a few small plates to experience flavors of different food. Entertaining this way at home, rather than preparing an elaborate meal is the trend.
“The Complete Small Plates Cookbook: 300+ Shareable Tapas, Meze, Bar Snacks, Dumplings, Salads, and More,” by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen (2023, $34.99) explains how to put it all together…think about what each dish “brings to the table” (no pun intended), flavor, texture, and color.
The recipes are categorized into nibbles, little bites, and heartier bites. The editors give pointers on how to create a small plates menu by asking…What’s the occasion? How much to serve? How much time do you have?
The editors share strategies to use when choosing what small plates to prepare. Sample menus, some themed, along with recipes, are provided to make the decision easy. For example: Indian Tea Party (Orange-cardamon spiced nuts; Pakoras with cilantro-mint chutney; Naan with ricotta, sundried tomatoes and olive tapenade; Gajarachi Koshimbir; pine nut macaroons; Masaka chai). Maybe the recipient will invite you to enjoy the small plates prepared from this gift!
A recent study has shown that Chinese food is the most Googled cuisine in the United States The research, conducted by foodfirefriends.com, analyzed Google search data. Chinese food is Americans’ most-liked food. The ingredients used in preparing Chinese food are now available in many supermarkets due to the popularity of the cuisine, and the number of folks preparing it at home.
To assist in this endeavor, Kevin Pang and Jeffrey Pang, the father-son hosts of the video series “Hunger Pangs,” teamed up with America’s Test Kitchen and published “A Very Chinese Cookbook: 100 Recipes from China & Not China (But Still Really Chinese),” (2023, America’s Test Kitchen, $35).
From General Tso’s Chicken and dumplings to not so well-known dishes, this gift is perfect for people who love Chinese cuisine and would like to prepare it at home. The tips, techniques and step-by-step instructions and illustrations along with the authors’ stories, hosting a Chinese New Year party just might be on the horizon.
With New Year’s Eve around the corner, “Friday Night Cocktails: 52 Drinks to Welcome Your Weekend,” by A.J. Dean (2023, Collective Book Studio, $19.95) is perfect for those cocktail afficionados on your list, especially if they are staying at home to celebrate and wish to experiment with new cocktail ideas.
The 52 recipes are a collection of classic, contemporary and unique drinks. They are divided by season and month, so the libation can be matched with the weather and holidays.
This time of year, the Pumpkin Pie Cocktail, Cranberry Mule or Apple Jack Sour would be appropriate to celebrate the season. The Summer Shandy would be a good choice for the warmer weather.
The author writes, “With a little understanding of the roles of the main components —alcohol, water, sugar, bitters — you can begin to experiment on your own. For example, the French 75 cocktail (gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, sparkling wine); Why not try grapefruit juice in place of the lemon? Or make the same recipe but use different gins?” This joyous holiday season, try something new, but don’t forget the tried-and-true.
Let the shopping begin!
Stephen Fries, is professor emeritus and former coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 15 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Email him at [email protected] For more information, go to stephenfries.com.