There’s something about this time of year that sends us in search of cookbooks to find fresh inspiration. Whether you like to follow recipes exactly or tweak them as you go, a new cookbook can turn your dinnertime into an opportunity for creative thinking and sensory stimulation instead of a dose of daily drudgery. So we went looking and found 10 recently published cookbooks filled with great ideas and gorgeous photos to inspire and feed your soul – or to help you whip up something with whatever is left in the fridge.
So whether you’re sharing a meal with loved ones or simply seeking some solo self-care on a quiet evening at home, the following books offer plenty of options. “Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook” w/ Jose de Meirelles and Philip La Jaunie Twenty years after this book’s initial publication, Bourdain is even more beloved – and missed – so it’s a joy to reconnect with his practical, authoritative voice on these pages. Take, for instance, his warning about preparing escargots: “.
.. occasionally they like to explode, spitting a boiling-hot, napalmlike mixture of snail fluid and molten butter at your face and genital region while cooking .
.. If you are accustomed to cooking while naked, I would strongly suggest covering strategic areas with an apron.
” Raise a glass – and maybe a protective baking sheet – to this wise counsel. “Bodega Bakes: Recipes for Sweets and Treats Inspired by My Corner Store” / Paola Velez w/ Emily Timberlake .
