The Best Cookbooks of 2023

This yearly list of mine could probably be renamed to ‘My Favourite Books of [insert year]’ as that’s really what this is. I’m obviously not comparing all cookbooks that were released in 2023, only the ones I personally own that were released last year. My tastes in food, flavour and cookbooks, as well as my knowledge of what’s out there across varying markets, obviously limits what books I will personally purchase in any given year and therefore what might make this kind of list. 

Lots of great cookbooks were released in 2023, and this is a small selection of them. This list comprises the books that have captured me the most from last year and I can’t stop thinking or talking about. If I added everything I really wanted the list would be ridiculously long and since brevity is not my strong suit when writing, I limit myself to around five books to avoid writing too many essay length blog posts 🤣. Though if you do want more cookbook chat paid subscribers to my newsletter get even more of that! You can sign up here if you’d like to.

I’ll be back next week with the first instalment of Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2024, but for now lets round out 2023, another great year for cookbooks!

The Plain Cake Appreciation Society by Tilly Pamment - To say I love this book is an understatement. A cookbook has not captivated me so much in a long time. Yes, I adore other cookbooks. But something about Tilly’s book keeps me coming back and actually baking from it. For me whether I have made lots or nothing from a cookbook isn’t necessarily an indication of how good the book is - cookbooks can be useful and worthy of a place on our bookshelves for more reasons than how many recipes have been cooked out of it. However, with this book it does feel like something to mention, as so few baking focused cookbooks have drawn me in so completely and actually had me baking multiple things from them in a long time.

As I’ve mentioned previously, the photography and styling is stunning in this book, combined with the colour palette used it really draws me in and I think makes me want to try the recipes even more. Since I last spoke about this book, the Raspberry-Studded Tea Bars (p.36) have been on high rotation in our household. I think we’ve made them at least half a dozen times since September 2023. We use a friand tin as I don’t have a suitable bar tin to use, and after the first batch decided to omit the ground up tea in the recipe which makes them even simpler to make. We often have a batch in the freezer as they freeze well, and make a great gluten free, lactose free, low fodmap treat (which is why we started making them in the first place). I highly recommend this recipe and so many others from The Plain Cake Appreciation Society! 

Portico by Leah Koenig - This was a long awaited release for me, as I recipe tested for this book back in 2021 (and I am doing the same for Leah’s next book!). I really like the story and the history Leah weaves through this book, which places a spotlight on Rome’s longstanding Jewish community and the food that has shaped their lives and history in such a well known culinary city as Rome. I personally really love a cookbook that does a deep dive on a particular city, area or community so Portico helps add to my collection and knowledge on Italian and Jewish cuisines in a way that shows their similarities and differences. This is done in a way that has seriously added to my recipes I want to try list, though I can highly recommend the Fennel Gratin (p.79) as this is a recipe I tested back on 2021 and loved. It’s different to a traditional gratin as there is no cream in the recipe, which is great if you are lactose intolerant or just don’t like creamy things like me. And if you love arancini, you should try the Mozzarella-Stuffed Risotto Fritters (p.140-1) also known as Suppli al Telefono as they are like the Roman Jewish cousin to arancini!

Recipes in the Mail by Amy Minichiello* - After hosting the Sydney launch of this book with Amy, I feel I can call her a friend, so my thoughts on this cookbook may be a little biased. However if you have an interest in old fashioned family recipes and connecting with the stories around those recipes you must add this book to your collection. This book has so much heart and soul, it feels like a personal invitation from Amy to join her in discovering and baking these recipes. And if you have met Amy, you’ll know that’s exactly how she is in person too. I think everyone who attended the Afternoon Tea we hosted back in August 2023 would agree (you can read more about the event and how the book came about here). The recipes in this cookbook mostly fall into the baking category with a couple of exceptions, where recipes fit for dinner are also included.

In preparation for the Afternoon Tea Amy and I hosted, we made many recipes from the book and I was able to try a few too. Standouts were Ma Lyn’s Fruit Slice (p.71) which I have made since then too, Nanna Joy’s Sausage Rolls (p.151-2) which I have also made again since the Afternoon Tea, and showing my bias completely now, I would also say my Grandma’s Pavlova (the recipe for which I shared with Amy when the Recipes in Mail project was not yet a book) with Amy’s addition of a creamy strawberry topping (p.46-7) was also a standout. Since then, one recipe has become a clear favourite for me, and that is Catherine’s Grandma’s Pikelets (p.22). In October 2023 I think I made these every week, and have made them so many times since then as well. To me they are the perfect breakfast, and any leftovers will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days ready to be heated up and topped with fruit and maple syrup (my personal topping preference) for another breakfast.

*my copy of this book was gifted to me by Amy as I contributed a recipe that was included in the book. There is no link to where this book can be bought as at the time of writing, I could not find anywhere that had it in stock (except for a $80+ copy via Amazon that would be shipping from the USA). I have seen it in some bookshops recently (Dec 23/Jan 24) Dymocks Chatswood and Novella Fine Books in Wahroonga (both in Sydney), however I would recommend asking your local/favourite bookshop if they can order it for you. Edit 26/02/24 - To find books such as Recipes in the Mail in local bookshops, use https://yourbookstore.io to find your nearest stockist or one that can ship to you, thank you to Kelly for alerting me to this great way of supporting our local bookshops online.

The Flavour Thesaurus More Flavours by Niki Segnit- A running theme you may notice about some the cookbooks I talk about in lists like this one is my appreciation for research and the work that an author does to really provide an educational element to their work. This new instalment of The Flavour Thesaurus is a massive work of research, and like the first book, this research provides so much to any one who likes cooking and wants to understand food and flavour more. I am mostly enjoying the complementary nature of The Flavour Thesaurus More Flavours with the original Flavour Thesaurus, as the second instalment continues on with the more flavours researched and explained in the same style as Niki’s first book. Between the two books there is a wealth of knowledge to work with when learning about how to pair flavour together, and The Flavour Thesaurus More Flavours included flavours I had hoped I would find in the first one but were not included. This is a great book for anyone interested in cooking beyond recipes, or like me, does recipe development work.  

Malta by Simon Bajada - As mentioned above I love a book that does a deep dive on a particular place, cuisine or area so Malta immediately appealed to me. It also appealed to me as I knew basically nothing about Malta or Maltese cuisine and felt my cookbook collection could benefit from a book like this. The photography is really stunning, and between the food images and location images the reader gets a really great feel for Maltese food and a taste of what Malta would be like to visit. It looks sunny, hot and has a very Mediterranean vibe that made me feel like I was on a mini holiday looking at all the photos. 

The introductory section has a really good overview of Malta, Maltese history and how Malta’s geographic location and geography itself have influenced Maltese cuisine over time. Of course the brevity means there would be so much more to discover and learn, but it is a great starting point if you like me, know little about Malta and Maltese cuisine. 

Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024

Ginger Oat and Raisin Slice

This recipe is loosely based on the Ma Lyn’s Fruit Slice in Amy Minichello’s cookbook Recipes in the Mail (p.71), which in turn comes from Christine O’Neill (and Ma Lyn of course!). 

When I was making the slice for the afternoon tea Amy and I hosted in August, the recipe really reminded me of how ANZAC Biscuits are made. The recipe refers to the slice base as a cake, but it really reminded me more of a biscuit. 

I enjoyed the slice so much, that the following weekend I made it again, and used Singing Magpie Produce’s Quince Syrup in place of the golden syrup, which added a lovely flavour and gave the slice a slighter deeper golden colour. When I was making the slice, the thought suddenly occurred to me, what would this slice be like if I added oats and ginger?

Something about the recipe’s similarities to ANZAC Biscuits, and me having not long used crystallised ginger in another recipe (I made these biscuits here but with crystallised ginger not stem), had my brain thinking up adaptations to Ma Lyn’s Fruit Slice and creating something new. 

I admit I sometimes do find it hard not to think about changes I can make to a recipe, or how a recipe could influence the creation of a new one. It’s not that the original recipe actually needs any changes, it is really really good as it is. However, recipe development and adapting recipes to work out how they could accommodate different flavours and ingredients just comes naturally to me. Recipe ideas come always come from somewhere, and sometimes one perfect recipe can bring many others to life. 

I took some of this slice to my work and one colleague said it reminded them of something their mum used to make, which was lovely to hear that a newly created recipe had some nostalgic value to someone else. Which ties back nicely to Amy’s cookbook and the nostalgia that I believe is what keeps all of us making and enjoying family recipes like those shared with Amy, that have in turn been shared in her book Recipes in the Mail. 

Oat Raisin and Ginger Slice

Ingredients: 

50g rolled oats (not instant oats)

80g golden raisins, chopped 

45g desiccated coconut

155g self raising flour

105g caster sugar

80g crystallised ginger, chopped

1 tsp ground ginger

125g unsalted butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

Method: 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line a 30 x 20cm slice tin with baking paper, ensuring some hangs over the sides so you can easily get the slice out of the tin later.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, golden raisins, coconut, self-raising flour, sugar, crystallised ginger and ground ginger with a wooden spoon. 

In a small saucepan melt the butter and the golden syrup over low/medium heat until the butter has just melted. 

Add the butter mixture, and the vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and mix together until combined with the wooden spoon you used earlier. 

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin, and press it out so it reaches the edges of the tin and has a relatively smooth top. You can use your wooden spoon for this or a spatula.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the slice is nicely golden brown. 

Allow the slice to cool in the tin for about 15-20 minutes, then using the overhanging baking paper, gently transfer the slice to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

Once the slice has cooled completely, you can cut it into however many portions you would like, or you could just cut of bits as you want to eat it.

Makes about 12-15 portions, store in a airtight container. Will keep for 4-6 days. 

Recipes in the Mail Sydney Afternoon Tea - August 2023

Last month I had the great fortune to host the lovely Amy Minichiello to celebrate her cookbook Recipes in the Mail with an afternoon tea filled with baked goods from the book and a room full of wonderful like minded people.

When Amy’s book was released, and I saw she was doing a launch event down on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria I dearly wished I could attend. I knew I couldn’t have been the only Sydney-sider thinking the same thing, and asked Amy if she had any plans for book events in Sydney. Amy mentioned something was in the works for an event outside of Sydney much later in the year, and I insisted she must do something else before then, and to let me know if she wanted help organising.

Not long after, Amy messaged both myself and Dimi (@celebratebydimi who also owns the linen brand Inspired Table), asking if we had any ideas for venues etc for a Sydney based event to celebrate the launch of her book.

I suggested we could use my family’s home, as we had enough space for a few people and Amy could have access to a kitchen to bake all the treats from her book. I was so happy she agreed, and the three of us went on organising all the elements of the afternoon such as date, time, what costs we needed to cover and most importantly, which recipes we would make from Recipes in the Mail to share with those who chose to join us.

The day before the afternoon tea Amy and her Mum Lisa (after many delayed and cancelled flights from Melbourne!), arrived and we got to baking!

We had decided on making My Grandma’s Pavlova (p.46), Ma Lyn’s Fruit Slice (p.71), Nana Bebe’s Simplicity Chocolate Cake (p.82), Aunty Linda’s Milk Tart (p.97), Nonna’s Jam Rolls (p.101), Aunty Tricia’s Ginger Fluff (p.104), Granny’s Scones (p.111) and Nanna Joy’s Sausage Rolls (p.151).

Amy and I got to making everything, and Dimi made Nanna Joy’s Sausage Rolls and dropped them off - they were the most perfect looking sausage rolls I have ever seen! Dimi also left some of her lovely linens with us from her brand Inspired Table so they could be sold on the day. The apron Amy wears in the images in her book is one from Dimi’s collection, and it was so nice to see them in person as they are just gorgeous.

It was really lovely to share our kitchen with Amy and Lisa, Lisa also did an amazing job at arranging flowers to decorate the table for the afternoon tea. As Amy said her in recent blog post about the afternoon tea, it was wonderful to share a kitchen with someone as mostly we bake alone. Amy and I had known each other for a few years via Instagram, but had never met in person before the Saturday! It was a real treat to bake together and catch up in person.

Flowers by Lisa!

Ma Lyn’s Fruit Slice and Nonna’s Jam Rolls

The next day the last minute things were done, mostly without much help from me as I was in the midst of a migraine attack and could barely communicate or function. Amy and Lisa got a real insight into what my life is like most of the time! Everyone including my Mum got everything ready, and all I had to do was top the Pavlova I’d made the evening before, with cream and strawberries (which had been prepared by Amy and Lisa - if only I always had this many people to pick up the pieces when a migraine attack strikes).

Kath with her Pavlova ready for cream and strawberries

Our guests patiently waited at the gate while the last things were done, and once they were opened everyone walked down the garden path to the room we had filled with cake, tea, cookbooks and flowers.

It was really nice to see people I’d only known via Instagram, or catch up with those I hadn’t seen for a long time, as well as meet a whole lot of new like minded people - everyone was there to support Amy and her cookbook, and have a joyful afternoon with lots of cake.

Amy and I also had a little interview so we could all learn more about how Recipes in the Mail began and how to book came to be. When I asked Amy about how the initial idea for Recipes in the Mail came about, which started with putting a call out on Instagram for people to send their family recipes to Amy via the post (and there was no intention for it all to become a book at that time!), Amy said it came from a desire to connect with people, and to preserve family recipes that might have otherwise been lost.

Amy and our table of baked goods from Recipes in the Mail

In terms of deciding which recipes made it into the book once that portion of the Recipes in the Mail journey came to life, a lot of it came down to whether a recipe had any copyright issues (i.e. had already been published in a book or online), and whether the recipe turned out well when being tested. We also might have established that there are more recipes to share, so maybe we’ll see a second Recipes in the Mail cookbook in the future (no pressure Amy!).

We discussed which recipe from the book that wasn’t already a family recipe within Amy’s family, had become a new family favourite. Amy and her family love Catherine’s Grandma’s Pikelets on page 22, shared by Catherine Redman. Amy’s kids love them and sometimes have them in their lunchboxes. Amy’s eldest is also starting to have a go at making them too (heavily supervised of course!).

We then spoke about actually getting the book published. A large part of the cookbook publishing process for any prospective cookbook writer is either finding a publisher or committing to self publishing. Amy knew self publishing wasn’t an option at that time for her, so she set out finding a publisher who would see the value of this book and to help bring it to life. Amy said it was difficult to stay motivated during this time as there were many times she felt the book wouldn’t be taken on by a publisher. She said the support from people via Instagram who believed in Recipes in the Mail and wanted to see it as a book really helped keep her motivated. The support and advice from mentors like Belinda Jeffrey and Julie Gibbs also proved pivotal in getting Recipes in the Mail published.

Amy and Kath with the finished Pavlova

That community of people online, who wanted to see Recipes in the Mail as a cookbook they could hold in their hands and cook from in their kitchens was essential to Amy bringing this cookbook to life. As one attendee said, this community of people is because of Amy - we were there that Sunday as we felt a connection to Amy, and to her cookbook. Amy has an amazing ability to connect with people and to make people feel welcome and seen. That sense of community radiates from the Recipes in the Mail cookbook, through the stories shared and the recognition of names above the recipes, maybe people we ourselves know via social media.

The best piece of advice Amy felt she received during the process of getting her cookbook to publication, was not to give up. Amy acknowledged it is always easier said than done, and imposter syndrome will likely try and get in the way, but it is important to keep going and not be hesitant to ask questions. Amy found many people she made connections with over social media were happy to answer questions she had and give her a little of their time. Amy also said that creating a community via social media was key to bringing these kinds of projects to life. Amy also talked about the fast paced nature of publishing once the book had been accepted, and how if she were to work on another book that knowledge would help her plan for a tight and busy deadline period.

I then asked Amy about what her hopes were for her future work in food, and Amy instantly said she wanted to do ‘more of this’ - in person events, connecting with people in real life and hosting people in her home. Since the day of the afternoon tea fell on Amy’s birthday we were all able share that with her in person, as I surprised Amy with a giant birthday biscuit topped with lit candles (very much helped by my Mum).

I made a giant biscuit as I thought there was probably enough cake to go around that afternoon, and it was something people could take a little home if they wanted. It was so nice to celebrate not only Amy’s cookbook but her birthday as well, on a cake filled day with so many lovely people.

The aftermath!

Once all our guests left for the day, we began the clean up and stored away the little food that was left over. Amy and I stood and ate pieces of my Grandma’s Pavlova, and expressed how wonderful the event had been. We lamented having to say goodbye so soon, and expressed hopes that we could do this kind of thing again sometime soon.

If you don’t already follow Amy on Instagram I highly recommend you do. Amy’s cookbook Recipes in the Mail is available at all good bookshops or via her online store. I also highly recommend you take a look at Dimi’s linen range via her brand Inspired Table.

Dimi very generously gifted me one of her aprons that weekend, and it is most definitely the nicest apron I’ve ever had! When I said it was probably too nice to use, Dimi assured me it can withstand a lot and washes up really well. I have gotten into a bad habit of not wearing aprons when I am baking, so I’m hoping I can change my ways with this lovely new apron!

Dimi’s Inspired Table Apron and Linens