The Best Cookbooks of 2022

Fortunately for people like me (and maybe you too if you are reading this?!), 2022 was another great year for cookbooks. I have created a slightly more succinct list this time to round out what I thought were the best cookbooks of 2022. This list is by no means exhaustive, and is very much based on my personal opinion right now. 

I toyed with adding more books to the list, but if I didn’t give myself a limit I’d never finish writing it. 

So below are my top four. A diverse selection, but all ones I think would make great additions to your cookbook shelf (or shelves… let’s be honest here!). 

As always the links to the books are not sponsored, just for your reference. Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Let me know in the comments what you think of my selections, and what books would be on your personal list for the best books of 2022?

1. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsky - How could I not include this book on this list? It delights and surprises in the best possible way, and maybe one of the few books I genuinely think would delight the majority of people regardless of their cooking abilities. It’s bright, colourful and joyful - just like Alice seems herself! So it really feels like you are getting Alice in your kitchen explaining things and encouraging you to be an enthusiastic cook and eater.

2. Mabu Mabu by Nornie Bero - When I first mentioned this book on my blog, I said after reading this book Nornie’s restaurant was on my list of placed to go whenever I next went to Melbourne. I ended up going to Melbourne in December of 2022 and unfortunately a migraine attack thwarted my attempt to eat there (as so often happens). So now it’s still on my list for next time which is disapointing, but ‘Mabu Mabu’ the book can certainly keep me company until then. It looks like lots from the restaurant is in the book, and coupled with the really informative ‘The Native Pantry’ section which helpfully explains many Indigenous ingredients and the list of where such ingredients may be found, ‘Mabu Mabu’ really gives a great experience of what (I imagine) eating at Nornie’s restaurant would be like. I also really enjoy the colourful design of the book and the images are glorious as well.  This is definitely a cookbook for every Australian kitchen. 

3. A Good Day to Bake by Benjamina Ebeuhi - I know I’ve sung Benjamina’s praises for this book already, but I really do love it. I am still so enjoying the use of flavour in this book and I really just love that it stands out from many other baking books because of that. Sometimes when I get a new book that is just about baking, I feel it gives me a sense of de ja vu to many other baking books I already own or have seen. ‘A Good Day to Bake’ doesn’t do that at all (even when I already own Benjamina’s first book) and it’s just so refreshing to see something a bit different, a bit interesting, yet not overly complex or intimidating. This book has a really calm vibe and it, along with the lovely photography, makes me lose time wandering through the book and contemplating what I could bake next. 

4. Nistisima by Georgina Hayden - I think only Georgina could make me like a book essentially about vegan food, and it be so good, I would have to include it on this list. Georgina’s enthusiasm for food is infectious and the research behind this book really makes it shine. This book isn’t just about vegan cooking for the sake of it, but documents the recipes and traditions from many countries when those following the Orthodox Church observe much time during the year where they fast and abstain from foods using animal products (thus they are eating vegan). I found this perspective a really interesting way to view a particular diet, as to me, it looks like those engaged in this form of eating enjoy everything, just not all at once, so their diet would probably end up quite balanced overall rather than constantly restrictive. And based on the recipes in this book the potentially restrictive nature of eating nistisima food (fasting foods) is not obvious at all. If you saw the recipes without knowing the context of the book, I doubt it would be obvious at first glance that it was a vegan book. As Georgina says in her introduction, this book isn’t a religious or diet book, and she’s not interested in telling anyone how to live or eat - “this book is for everyone…Why and how you use this book is up to you.” 

Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2022 Part Two - A Recap

These were the new release cookbooks I was most looking forward to in the second half of 2022, you can read the original list here. Now that I have (almost) all of them, and had some time to read through them, it’s time for a recap of the list.

Just a note - The links to the books are for reference only and are not sponsored, I’ve just included where I bought them from or where I wish I had bought them from! Though its always best to search around for the best price as it can vary depending on when you are buying as well. Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Did any of these books get a place on your bookshelf last year? What did you think of them? Let me know in the comments below. 

1. Pasta Grannies Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison - If you loved the first Pasta Grannies book, or just love pasta this is the book for you. This time Pasta Grannies ventures into some rice based dishes, pizzas and desserts too, so there is slightly more variety in the recipes compared with the first book. The stories of the grannies are just as heat warming as the first book, and the photography is just as excellent too. I realised when reading this book, that is one of the few I have looked through of late that isn’t focused on the author themselves. Vicky Bennison is showcasing the food of others, preserving recipes and writing down the history of peoples everyday lives. There is something genuinely comforting about that, and by the success of Vicky’s first book (she won a James Beard Award for it!), and the popularity of the related Pasta Grannies You Tube channel, many others must feel the same.

2. Home Is Where The Eggs Are by Molly Yeh - the Australian release of this book has been very delayed, and I still don’t have my preordered copy :( I will add my thoughts here once it arrives!

Update (May 2023) - I have now had Molly’s book for a little while, and it is pure joy which is what I have come to expect from her. I love the colour scheme, and the fact that this book feels typically ‘Molly’ but has just evolved to suit her different phase of life (in comparison to her first book which was pre kids for her and her husband). The focus on family food and things that can be made more quickly is noticeable, but not in a way that excludes people who don’t relate to that part of Molly’s life. The illustrations scattered about the book are delightful, and I really like the food photography as well. Molly’s style of cookbook is very different to the usual American style cookbook, that always feel very different to their European, British and Australian counterparts. I’ve noticed many US based cookbooks utilise a really different style of food photography that looks like artificial light and flash is used and everything can be quite intensely bright and over exposed. Molly’s aesthetic is the total opposite to this. It is calm, yet vibrant, and the images have noticeable shadow creating depth and clearly utilising natural light that really makes the food sing.

3. Home Food by Olia Hercules - When I first got this book, I wasn’t super impressed with it. Looking back I think it was more because I had preordered it from Booktopia, then once the book was released it took them ages to actually ship it to me. It was annoying, and I think it created more frustration than excitement around getting a new book. Now it’s been a few months since then, and I can see it really was the general frustration impairing my view of Home Food. At first I struggled to find recipes I wanted to make, now I’m not sure how all the recipes I’d like to try didn’t stand out to me back then. Many recipes are influenced by Olia’s Ukrainian heritage, and others from her time living in Cyprus, Italy and the UK. This book encapsulates what comfort food means to Olia, and she explains it so well in the longer form writing in the book. The photography by Olia’s husband Joe Woodhouse is also excellent and combined with her writing makes a wonderful book to pursue through (once you’re over the initial frustrating shipping delays of course!). In terms of cover design for once I think the US cover is nicer than the UK/Australian one, but really, that doesn’t detract from all the goodness that is inside.

4. Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour- As I expected these recipes look like they are flavourful and will bring a bit of Persian cooking to your kitchen. In the introduction Sabrina, says her style of cooking has changed more recently as she is now married with two step sons. She says she now gets the need for quick tasty meals and this book is a product of that. I think this is a good book for those looking for a different take on the meals you might want to make midweek, as the recipes don’t look overly fussy and you might try a few new flavours along the way. The photography is also nice in this book, with an image per recipe, plus I just really enjoy the vibrant cover design and the embossed pistachios on the cover.

5. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsky - This cookbook really is joyful, and as I’ve said before it is just trademark Alice. This book positions itself to help you in the kitchen, but it also has things for those more experienced too. It seems to be able to cater for everyone, I think because Alice really walks the reader through each recipe is very generous with her cooking knowledge and explanations, but the recipes themselves aren’t those super basic things that more experienced cooks may wonder why they bothered with the book at all. The recipes are interesting, and might even challenge the generally favoured flavour and technique profiles of more experienced cooks. For some more info about the book and Alice’s cooking style more generally, you can check out the her segments on ABC News Breakfast (on iView or have a look at Alice’s Instagram as she shares them there as well). 

Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2022 - Part Two!

Because one list per year just isn’t enough! 

For the first time I am writing a second cookbooks worth waiting for list, because it’s not just the first half of the year that sees an influx of new cookbook releases.

Below are the titles I am most looking forward too in the second half of 2022, and in some cases have already pre ordered. 

The one thing all these cookbooks have in common for me is that I already have at least one other book from each author. So I already have an idea about how these authors write recipes, use flavour etc. And I like all of their previous books (that I own) enough to be excited to see what their next book is like!

I have linked each book to the listing on Booktopia. This is not sponsored or an affiliate link, that is just where I mostly purchase cookbooks from. Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Are any of the below titles on your cookbook wish list?

1. Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison (7th September) - The second Pasta Grannies cookbook looks right up my alley. Comforting recipes from Italian Nonna’s, yes please. I really like the first Pasta Grannies cookbook, and one of the gnocchi recipes in that book is the one I reach for every time I want to make gnocchi. I really enjoy the story behind the Pasta Grannies project generally, and the premise of preserving these recipes and sharing them with others.

2. Home is Where the Eggs Are by Molly Yeh (27th September) - I have very much enjoyed Molly’s first book, Molly on the Range (you can read more about this book here), and her blog, My Name is Yeh, for years now, and when I heard Molly was finally writing a second cookbook I was so excited! Molly has such a unique style of recipes and a really fun way of walking you through them too. Since this is a American based publication it is worth shopping around to find the best price as titles like these can cost more than your average cookbook - for full disclosure I haven’t pre-ordered this title via the link above (yet) , I am going to wait it out and see if it comes down in price a little!

3. Home Food by Olia Hercules (7th July) - I have enjoyed Olia’s first three books, the photography, the stories, the snippets of life from Ukraine and surrounding nations. I have been following Olia more closely in the last few months as she has been sharing lots of information about the current conflict in Ukraine, doing lots of fundraising and using her work to personally support people in Ukraine (you can support Olia in this by joining her on Patreon). While I don’t think Olia’s next book focuses on her Ukrainian roots and family quite as much as her earlier books, I think this book will show us more of how Olia cooks at home whilst drawing on her wide ranging cooking and food influences.

4. Persiana Everyday by Sabrina Ghayour (9th August) - I have really enjoyed bits of the behind the scenes of creating this book that Sabrina shared on Instagram, and I really like the idea that some of these recipes are designed to be a bit easier or quicker to make. Sabrina’s books, which draw much influence from her Persian heritage, always have a sense of vibrancy to them and I am looking forward to seeing what flavour packed recipes fill this new book.

5. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsky (5th October) - If there’s a word I would use to describe Alice it would be joy. I love her enthusiasm for food, and I think her next book sounds perfect. With the subtitle ‘Life-changing skills & thrills for enthusiastic eaters’, I think it will be a great book for many - I mean I’m sure I’m not the only one who could describe themselves as an enthusiastic eater, and I’m sure if there’s anyone who can teach us a few new things and make things a bit easier in the kitchen it’s Alice.

Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2022 - A Recap

Earlier in the year, I compiled a list of cookbooks due to be released in the first half of 2022, that I was really looking forward to. 

Now that all of them have been released, and I’ve had time to bake a couple of things and read through the books, I thought it would be nice to come back to the list and see how they faired after looking forward to them so much.

1. Cinnamon and Salt: Cicchetti in Venice by Emiko Davies - This book is as lovely as you might expect if you have any of Emiko’s other books. I especially like the in depth history about cicchetti in Venice, it is clear a lot of time and research has gone into this book. The recipes are interesting, but I have to say there aren’t many I will probably make. Sometimes down to the fact that I can never be bothered to deep fry anything, and also they are things that I would enjoy in small quantities at a restaurant, but maybe not make myself - here is a recipe from the book Emiko shared via her newsletter which will give an idea of the types of recipes in this book. Having said that, I don’t think this book is any less useful. As I said the history is very interesting, and it’s almost like being in Venice again when I am immersed in it all.

2. Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron - As I suspected, I am really enjoying this book. It has a cosy calm vibe and there quite a few recipes I want to make. I have already made the Pot-Roasted Rhubarb (p.70) which was a great way to cook up some rhubarb very easily. We also made Angela’s Chicken (p.162), however was a little underwhelmed by the flavour (feedback was maybe it needed some dried black olives to up the flavour, or my personal favourite capers and/or anchovies). I guess some recipes won’t hit the spot with everyone, but I am still looking forward to trying more from this book, and would still highly recommend it.

3. A Good Day to Bake by Benjamina Ebuehi - Benjamina has done it again! I am really loving this book, Benjamina’s use of flavour is so exceptional, and again (like her first cookbook, A New Way to Cake), makes this book different from other baking books. I have already made the Miso and White Chocolate Cookies (p.168), and the rhubarb Ginger and White Chocolate Cake (p.80) - both will be made again! To find out more about this book check out this review from Shipshape Eatworthy which I found really helpful.

4. The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger - The most recent release of all in this list, so I haven’t made anything from this book yet. There are of course many recipes I would like to try, but beyond that I am so enjoying Ella’s writing and the beautiful illustrations by Elisa Cunningham as well. I have been enjoying reading though the book so much, that I ended up purchasing the hardcover version of Midnight Chicken (Ella’s first cookbook) - I already own the paperback version, however after seeing Ella’s new book in all its hardcover full colour glory, I could see how much I was missing out on in her first cookbook!

5. Nistisima by Georgina Hayden - When I added this to my cookbooks worth waiting for list, I said I had a feeling that this book, being all vegan recipes, would be the exception to my general distain for all vegan cookbooks. I was right, and would recommend this book to everyone. I have really enjoyed getting to know more about the process of fasting as part of the religious year, and the variety of recipes there are in this book. This book was picked as one of the cookbooks of the month in Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Club on Facebook in April, so if you are interested to see some more you can find more there - here is Jamie introducing the book for April.

Did you add any of these books to your collection too? Let me know what you think of them in the comments below!

Keep an eye out for my next cookbooks worth waiting for list, which will feature the cookbooks I am most looking forward to in the second half of 2022. 

Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2022

This time of year always makes me think, ‘I can’t wait till we get to March’. Not only as I hate Summer, and I have hopes that it might cool down in March, but it’s that month that we always see new cookbook releases flooding on to the shelves. 

March seems to be a popular time of year to release a new cookbook - something about it’s proximity to the lead up to Mother’s Day maybe? - but whatever the reason, I really enjoy having something to look forward to. And as you can see by my list below, most of the titles I think are worth waiting for this year come out in March.

All of these titles are by authors whose previous books I have very much enjoyed, so I highly recommend their previous works as well. 

I have linked each book to the listing on Booktopia. This is not sponsored or an affiliate link, that is just where I mostly buy cookbooks from. Links to Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.

Let me know in the comments below what cookbooks you are looking forward to this year.

1. Cinnamon and Salt: Cicchetti in Venice by Emiko Davies (30th March) - I love Emiko’s books. They are filled with stories as well as recipes, that transport you to another place, and sometimes to another time. I also really enjoy Emiko’s photography and the design of her books as well. And I suspect this next book will be no different. 

2. Around the Kitchen Table by Sophie Hansen and Annie Herron (29th March) - Sophie’s cookbooks are favourites of mine, with her recipes always being the kinds of things I really want to eat. And that combined with the calm reassurance of her Mum Annie’s guidance to all things drawing and creativity sounds like perfection. 

3. A Good Day to Bake by Benjamina Ebuehi (2nd March) - Benjamina’s first book, A New Way to Cake, is a favourite of mine for interesting and flavourful cakes. I really enjoy Benjamina’s use of flavour in her first book, and the fact that it wasn’t a baking book that resembled so many others. I am really looking forward to this new book and some new recipes from Benjamina. 

4. The Year of Miracles by Ella Risbridger (31st May) - I think we all loved Ella’s first book, Midnight Chicken. So naturally I want to see what Ella’s next book contains. Unlike many cookbooks, photography doesn’t play a part in Ella’s books, but her writing will be what transports you to her kitchen and give you a comforting and real look at how food and cooking has supported her in life’s hardest moments. 

5. Nistisima by Georgina Hayden (29th March) - Although this book is full of vegan recipes, which is not my usual go to, I trust that this book will be the exception to my general distain for all vegan cookbooks. Georgina has collated and researched vegan recipes from parts of the world where fasting from animal products for periods of time is part of the religious year. This to me makes the book so much more interesting, and I am really looking forward to seeing what types of recipes Georgina has in store for us.