I have a big round-up of this year’s canning cookbooks coming next week, but I have a few favorite cookbooks from this year that I wanted to call out before the holiday shopping season wraps up. These three are worthy of gifting or getting for yourself and would each bring fresh inspiration to your December table.
First up is Smorgasbord by Johanna Kindvall. I was a huge fan of Fika, Johanna’s first book (co-written with Anna Brones) I am just as delighted with this one. Much like the first book, it unpacks a beloved Swedish culinary tradition. We in the US think of a smorgasbord as a giant buffet, but it translates more specifically to open sandwich table.
If you’re looking to liven up your holiday gatherings this year, make sure to open Smorgasbord up to the celebrations chapter. Bake up a loaf of Christmas Malt Bread (page 40), set a batch of Gravlax with Fennel (page 124) to cure, and cook up some Creamed Kale (page 154).
Readers of the blog Simple Bites will know that no one sets a more appealing table or makes cooking with the whole family seem more delightful than Aimee Wimbush-Bourque. Her new book, The Simple Bites Kitchen, packages up all that I love about her site and lets me carry it right up to the stove.
There’s a lot about this book that makes it worth the price of admission, but a few recipes you should not miss are the Spelt Date Scones (page 35), the Overnight Spiced Stollen Swirl Buns (page 37 and pictured above), the Roast Chicken with Bay Leaf and Barley (page 199), and the Fig, Rosemary, and Pistachio Crisps (page 239).
Last up is Stella Parks’ Bravetart. I have long been a fan of Stella’s work on Serious Eats and am so happy to have her wisdom gathered up in a book because she is truly a baking genius. This book serves up classic American treats, from cookies and cakes, to pies and ice creams.
This whole book is a worthy investment, but the pie section is the one I find myself turning to most often. I’ve been using Stella’s pie crust recipe since she shared it on SE last year and love it for its flexibility, durability, and crazy flakiness. I have a feeling you will too.
What a beautiful collection of cookbooks!!