Cookbooks Worth Waiting for in 2023 - Part One

It’s a new year, so that means more cookbooks worth waiting for! 

These are the upcoming releases in the first half of 2023 that I am most looking forward to. They are all by authors I have already got books from on my shelves and that previous experience has made me all the more excited that these cookbook authors are bringing out new titles. 

When I originally started writing this list in early January, I could only come up with four titles that I was most looking forward to. Then thankfully prior to when I was planning on posting this, I was reminded of a couple of others and now the list is a rather hefty six! Hopefully amongst the list you will find at least one book to add to your wish list too. 

I’ll be back with a recap of this list once all the books have been released and I’ve had time to have a good look through. Plus another cookbooks worth waiting for list will be on it’s way for the second half of 2023. And just a disclaimer, opinions expressed in my cookbooks worth waiting for series are my own and all books have been purchased by me (links below are just for your reference/further research - links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024). 

Let me know in the comments if any of these cookbooks are on your wish list for 2023, and if not which ones are?

1. Dark Rye and Honey Cake: Festival Baking from the Heart of the Low Countries by Regula Ysewijn (February 2023) - I bought one of Regula’s previous books, ‘Oats in the North Wheat in The South’, about a year ago and I found it so interesting in terms of food history, that I have since also bought ‘Pride and Pudding’ and have preordered ‘Dark Rye and Honey Cake’. Books like these that focus so heavily on the history of food in a particular area, sit at a neat intersection between two of my favourite topics, food and history. They are probably not completely unique in terms of bringing a historical focus to a cookbook, but the fact that it is done so well, with amazing photography (also by the author) and well written too makes Regula’s first two cookbooks really stand out, and gives me no hesitation in feeling like her next will be just as good. Whereas Ruglua’s first two cookbooks are about British food and food history, ‘Dark Rye and Honey Cake’ is about the food of the Low Countries - which consists of Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg . I am particularly interested in this as I can’t think of any cookbook that focuses on the food of this area, and it’s definitely not an area I know very much about (I had to Google what countries the ‘Low Countries’ consists of so that probably says it all regarding my lack of knowledge about this region!). 

2. A Table Full of Love by Skye McAlpine (February 2023) - Similar to Regula’s previous books, I really like Skye’s first two cookbooks. We use ‘A Table for Friends’ regularly (see here for a Off The Shelf post about it), so I am imagining this next book will bring more family favourite recipes to our table. The combination of Skye’s recipes and food styling and photography is always such a joy, I am really looking forward to this new book. 

3. Sweet Enough by Alison Roman (April 2023) - Ok, I have to be honest here. While I am in some way looking forward to this book, I am not looking forward to it as much as I would like. When Alison first announced she had a new book in the works, my mind went straight to all the amazing dinners we’ve had from her recipes (see here for my Off the Shelf post on Nothing Fancy) and the cool savoury recipes she has shared in her newsletter that I have made again and again (A little eggplant Parm I’m looking at you!). I don’t associate Alison’s cooking with much baking or sweet stuff, so I was a little disappointed her next book would solely focus on that. I’m sure based on the quality of her recipes generally, and knack for great flavour combinations, that this book will be good. I just think I need more time (I guess I have until April…) to get over the fact this isn’t the book I thought it would be, and open my mind to the (most likely great) possibility that I will enjoy this book just as much as the two previous ones from Alison.

4. Love is A Pink Cake by Claire Ptak (April 2023) - Claire’s book ‘The Violet Bakery Cookbook’ has been a firm favourite of mine for years, and is one I always recommend when anyone is looking for a book about baking that’s a bit more interesting (check out my Off The Shelf post about it here). I recall seeing on Instagram what feels like ages ago (maybe during 2020?), that Claire was working on a new book, and apparently this one has taken a while to work on, 5 years according to Claire, so it’s really exciting to see a release date for it. I love the title, which is taken from an illustration by Andy Warhol of the same name, and cover image, which is a close up of a pink flower with a yellow centre. It’s a little different from many cookbook covers, which makes me even more intrigued to discover what is inside the book. I am obviously keen to see what recipes this book contains, not only due to the cover, but as I have really enjoyed cooking from Claire’s recipes over the years, and everything she posts on her Instagram for her London bakery Violet looks dreamy. Finally visiting Violet Bakery is quite high on my ‘one day if I ever go to London again’ to do list, so a new book from Claire should do the trick for now.

5. The Flavour Thesaurus More Flavours by Niki Segnit (May 2023) - I discovered Niki’s first book ‘The Flavour Thesaurus’ at a workshop years ago, and I bought it straight away. The premise is that you can look up a flavour and see what other flavours complement it, using Niki’s categorisation of flavours via her flavour wheel. It has remained a great cookbook shelf investment since, especially for someone like me who works as a recipe developer too. A new version of the flavour thesaurus concept isn’t something I thought I needed, but based on how useful Niki’s books are (her book ‘Lateral Cooking’ is also great if you love developing or fiddling around with recipes), I don’t doubt it will be beyond useful in my kitchen. 

6. Heartbake by Charlotte Ree (May 2023) - also a special mention to this part memoir part cookbook by Charlotte Ree, which feels like it will be a deeply personal voyage of life’s tough bits through food. I’ve followed along with Charlotte’s journey of creating this book via Instagram, and I have so appreciated her honesty in sharing how these things come about and how emotional the whole process can be (especially so with a memoir). I am imagining this book to be somewhat in a similar vein to those cookbook/memoirs by Ella Risbridger, but also something quite different from those as well. Sharing a look at a final copy of the book on Instagram, Charlotte showed how the first section of the book is the memoir and the second is the recipes, and with the bright yellow cover I think seeing a copy will make anyone want to pick it up and see what it’s about. Reviews of the early copies of the memoir section distributed by Charlotte have been immensely positive and make me even more keen to see more. 

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). 

Recent Cookbooks Worth Chatting About - October 2022

I’ve added a few new cookbooks to my shelves recently and I thought I would share my initial thoughts about them with you.

There are so many new cookbook releases at the moment, it’s hard to keep up! And I think it’s always nice to hear what others thought of cookbooks and recipes. I know it helps me decide whether I actually want to purchase them or give them a go. 

If you like me, love cookbooks I recommend following a few accounts on Instagram (in addition to mine!) - @shipshapeeatworthy, @coffeecanelescookbooks & @lambsearsandhoney - which in addition to my thoughts below (and more cookbook chat here on the blog), should provide lots of cookbook reviews and recommendations to help inspire your cookbook collection or live vicariously through someone else’s!

1. From Scratch by Fiona Weir Walmsley - I like the sheer breadth of recipes in this book. If you want to make something from scratch (e.g. red wine vinegar, harissa or ghee) you’ll probably find it in here. I am really liking the look of the baking chapter, it’s not filled with the same old recipes, yet somehow covers the classics as well. I’m not loving the writing in this book so much, however and as long as the recipes have been well tested and work, I think this book will probably be worth it for the recipes alone.

2. Off to The Market by Alice Oehr - This is actually a children’s book not a cookbook. It’s a sweet story about shopping at the markets and of course the illustrations by Alice are excellent. I think it would make a great gift for any young child in your life.

3. Pasta Grannies Comfort Cooking by Vicky Bennison - This second instalment of the Pasta Grannies books is as heart warming as the first. The photography also stands out in this book, as while the recipes are the focus the human element of this project is also captured in a lovely way too. This book still has pasta recipes but also a few other bit and pieces like rice dishes and pizza recipes. I’ve already earmarked The Butterfly Pasta with Peas and Sausage from Romagna (page 116) to make ASAP.

4. The Joy of Better Cooking by Alice Zaslavsly - Released just last week, this book is just trademark joyful Alice. With its focus on creating more confidence in the kitchen, I wasn’t sure this book would hold recipes that I would actually want to make, I was worried they might be a little basic or simple. I am happy to say I was really wrong to worry about that, as there is not a boring or basic recipe in sight! There are lots of detailed explanations about substituting ingredients and things like that, which I think would be helpful for any level of cook. Definitely a book for everyone!

5. Around The Table by Julia Busittil Nishimura - When I heard Insta buddy Amy (@amy_minichiello_) say this book was Julia’s best yet a few weeks ago I knew this book was actually worth checking out. I had held off purchasing this one as I haven’t loved Julia’s second book and wasn’t enthralled with her first either. After ordering a copy on online, I started with the Spaghetti alla puttanesca (page 130), which with a combination of anchovies, garlic, olives and capers would never be short on flavour. I will have to try a few more recipes to really gauge how much I like this book, but it’s been a good start!

Have you added any cookbooks to your collection recently? Let me know in the comments below.

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

New Additions to my Cookbook Shelves

Separate to the new release cookbooks I have been most looking forward to in 2022 (you can find part one and part two of those lists here), there have been a few additional titles that have been excellent additions to my cookbook shelf. 

Some of these books are fairly recent, while others have been out for a little while. All have been added to my shelves in late 2021/early 2022 and I have found all of them extremely interesting. This list is a pretty mixed bag in terms of the types of cookbooks that make up this list, however they all have the common link of telling excellent stories and having a slightly educational element as well. 

1. Mabu Mabu by Nornie Bero - I had never heard of Nornie’s Melbourne based restaurant of the same name, however it is now on my list of places to eat at whenever I next go to Melbourne. In this book Nornie shares her Torres Strait heritage and upbringing with us so openly and how where she grew up influenced her cooking. I particularly liked the section called ‘The Native Pantry’ where Nornie itemises many Indigenous ingredients and explains how and when to use them. This is definitely a cookbook for every Australian kitchen. 

2. Oats in the North Wheat from the South by Regula Ysewijn - This book is subtitled ‘ The History of British Baking, Savoury and Sweet’ and it really lives up to that. Regula is from Belgium, however became enamoured with Great Britain at a young age. She has thoroughly researched the recipes in this book, and given them modern adaptations when needed. This book really preserves the baking history of Great Britain in a wonderful way. 

3. Too Good to Passover by Jennifer Felicia Abadi - This is another book that has been meticulously researched. Jennifer spent years interviewing people from the Sephardic Jewish diaspora from Africa, Asia and Europe about their Passover customs and recipes. This book is self published which is why the price is quite high, however if you have a keen interest in Jewish food and recipes this book is well worth the investment.

4. Venetian Republic by Nino Zoccali - In this book, Nino explores the food of the former Venetian Republic which existed between the 8th and 18th centuries. The food is influenced much by the sea, and the territories outside of modern day Venice that were part of the Republic over it’s life. These territories included part of Croatia and some Greek Islands, so the recipes in this book are quite diverse. Nino has divided the book into the regions of the Republic and has given much background on the region and the history as well. 

5. Pardiz by Manuela Darling-Gansser - This book was completely unexpected to me as I didn’t realise the author wasn’t from Iran (the setting of this book), but actually from Switzerland. Manuela’s family moved there in the 1950s, and this experience gives quite a different perspective on the Persian recipes in this book. The family history around Manuela’s time living in Iran is immensely interesting and the mix of food photography, on location images and family photos makes the book even more interesting and inviting.

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

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.