Kendra Winchester is a Contributing Editor for Book Riot where she writes about audiobooks and disability literature. She is also the Founder of Read Appalachia, which celebrates Appalachian literature and writing. Previously, Kendra co-founded and served as Executive Director for Reading Women, a podcast that gained an international following over its six-season run. In her off hours, you can find her writing on her Substack, Winchester Ave, and posting photos of her Corgis on Instagram and Twitter @kdwinchester.
Leading up to this holiday season, I’m sharing some of my favorite books that I think are PERFECT for gift giving. Like a lot of book lovers, I have my go-to recommendations. And as someone who loves to cook, a lot of them highlight all things food and cuisine. This year was an incredible year for food writing and cookbooks. Three authors of some of my go-to gift books came out with new titles this year. So let’s chat about them!
What Goes With What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities by Julia Turshen
Every holiday season, I find myself buying a copy of Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food for someone in my life. There’s just something special about her down-to-earth recipes. Now she’s back with another cookbook, What Goes With What. It’s full of new recipes, focusing on the different parts that make up a meal. She separates the cookbook into six sections that break down different kinds of meals, helping readers create the perfect pairings of their favorite foods. Plus, there are plenty of charts that help cooks of all experience levels create their best and most comforting dishes.
What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts) by Stanley Tucci
When I first read Taste: My Life Through Food, I found myself mesmerized by Tucci’s description of his life as he highlighted all of the incredible food that has made up his life. This year, he’s back with What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts). In it, he presents a journal of sorts where he describes the food he’s eaten, blending that with thoughts on life and all the goings on he’s been experiencing. What I Ate in One Year is a great gift for readers who love a book that gives you a little something to read every day. Plus, the physical edition has stunning endpapers, making it a beautiful object as well as an incredible read.
Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
I ADORED World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks, and Other Astonishments. I loved how Nezhukumatathil connected her love of creatures from around the world and her own life. In Bite by Bite, she writes essays that center around one of her favorite foods. They can be ingredients or finished dishes, but they all hold a special place in Nezhukumatathil’s heart. In one essay, she describes how she has so many wonderful memories around eating mangoes. In another, she shares how her mother taught her that it’s not a party without lumpia. The physical book is something to behold. The book includes stunning illustrations by Fumi Nakamura that make each essay pop. Just a stunning gift for any food lover.
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