Much better than a tie

On Sunday, fathers in many countries will open the obligatory Father’s Day present and pull out a tie, a set of golf club covers, or maybe a new tool with an LED light on it. Being good-natured, loving fathers, they will profusely thank their sons and daughters, hang the tie in the closet with the dozen other ties received as gifts, then forget about it.

Why not get Dad something different, and more memorable, instead? Men are increasingly becoming the main cooks in the household, and it appears that cooking shows featuring popular male chefs may be playing a role in this trend. There is no better gift to give a cook than a new cookbook. If your father already has several cookbooks or lots of online recipes, of course an EYB membership is the perfect present!

If your father is a fan of a television cooking show, you can always get him a book by a celebrity chef like Gordon Ramsay, Bobby Flay, Jamie Oliver, or even The Hairy Bikers. If your dad is looking for something more challenging, you could go with a book by Heston Blumenthal or René Redzepi. Classics from Julia Child, Harold McGee, or tomes like Joy of Cooking are great for beginners and experts alike.  Guys often relish the role of “grillmeister,” so you could find a great book on barbecue or grilling – there are many new ones on the market, as our recent Cookbook roundup shows. A few prime examples are Barbeque: A Global History, The Essential New York Times Grilling Cookbook, and Fire and Smoke: A Pitmaster’s Secrets.

Let’s not stereotype, however; men love to bake, too. Several great new baking books have come out recently, including The Southern Cake Book, Pâtisserie, and Paul Hollywood’s Pies and Puds. Whatever type of cooking your father likes, you’re sure to find something that fits him better than a new tie.