It’s never and easy task to pick what I think are the best books of any particular year. Each year brings us amazing cookbook releases, and each release brings something different to our kitchen tables and cookbook collections.
My choices are always based on my own personal preferences, these books are ones I am enjoying the most so far, and have brought something new to my cookbook collection.
Ok, on to my top picks for 2025!
Sour Cherries and Sunflowers by Anastasia Zolotarev (Quadrille)* - I think this just might be my favourite book from 2025! It’s certainly been one of my most used books this year. I am really enjoying the recipes from this book, and a few have already become family favourites (the crumble (p.190), the fried hand pies (pp.114-116) and the Beetroot Prune and Walnut Salad (p.158) are top of this list!). As I have written about before, I have attended a couple of cooking class with Anastasia that focused on recipes and techniques from Sour Cherries and Sunflowers, which has really helped get into the book and recipes, and give me confidence to try new recipes and cooking techniques. I’ve gone from never having tried sauerkraut before, to making my own in the space of a few months! I love the illustrated cover of this book, and the photography and styling is stunning. If you like cooking with fresh vibrant ingredients Sour Cherries and Sunflowers will be a great addition to your collection.
Handfuls of Sunshine by Tilly Pamment (Murdoch)* - It probably comes as no surprise that I love this book! I have of course talked about it previously, along with Tilly’s first book The Plain Cake Appreciation Society which I have cooked so many recipes out of now. I really enjoy the overall feel of Handfuls of Sunshine, it’s not only the recipes that are bright and cheery, but the entire book from design, to photography and styling. It’s a joy to look at, let alone bake from. I also enjoy Tilly’s use of flavour, there is a heavy focus on citrus, fruits, nuts and the like to give flavour to cute small bakes - to be honest the kinds of flavours I like to bake with and eat - and nothing, in my view, that’s boring or something I feel I’ve seen elsewhere before. Sometimes baking books can either be a bit same same, or be too ‘baking project’/aspirational for my liking. Handfuls of Sunshine doesn’t fit in either category. Tilly brings something new to the baking space in cookbooks (no mean feat considering the size of this category!), with her fresh, vibrant and colourful approach, which brings us another book filled with recipes you actually want to make and eat, and that are achievable to create in a home kitchen by bakers of all levels of experience.
Boustany by Sami Tamimi (Ebury Press) - All of the books Sami has been involved in have been excellent, and Boustany, Sami’s first solo publication keeps to that same high standard. Sami’s recipes are vibrant and interesting, and while there are many vegetable forward/focused books around, Boustany stands out to me as one that brings something different to the table. Maybe it’s partly that Palestinian food is just so tasty and interesting to begin with, but I also think Sami has a real knack for flavour and bringing out the best of the produce he cooks with and writes recipes for. I think there’s something about Sami not only writing a book on Palestinian food that makes this book one of his best, but that he’s done it on his own and shared what he wanted to share about vegetable based Palestinian cuisine makes this book so special. For me a good vegetable forward cookbook, doesn’t try to convince you of why we should eat more vegetables or push a totally vegan diet on us. Sami doesn’t do either of these things, he just lets the food, the recipes, and the flavours speak for themselves. The recipes are so eye catching and the photography so inviting, there’s no convincing needed that these vegetable based recipes are things you should cook. It’s a book where you can totally forget that it’s vegetable based as not only do you not miss the meat based dishes, the recipes are so interesting and varied Boustany feels like the complete package.
The Japanese Pantry by Emiko Davies (Smith Street Books) - Similar to Sami Tamimi above, Emiko’s books are always created to such a high standard. The quality of the recipes, the level of research that goes into them, the way Emiko tries to preserve recipes and stories and her creative vision for her projects, means I always know I will like whatever Emiko publishes next. The Japanese Pantry is no exception, it is so well thought out and researched. And the cover design is based on prints Emiko did herself! Emiko created this book to make Japanese cooking more accessible, even if you don’t have access to a large variety of Japanese ingredients, a few key pantry staples will enable you to make quite a number of dishes. With Emiko as your guide, you are in good hands, and if you like sitting down and reading a cookbook as well as cooking from them, you will definitely enjoy The Japanese Pantry.
*Thanks to Anastasia and Hardie Grant/Quadrille, and Tilly and Murdoch Books for gifting me copies of their respective books.