The best cookbooks of 2014 by the experts

Who knows cookbooks better than the owners of specialist cookbook stores? They stock and sell thousands of cookbooks and because their stores are focused on food and drink books, they are true experts.  They read the books, cook from them and then share their knowledge with their customers.  When shopping for cookbook gifts this holiday season, think about supporting your local bookstore.  

We asked for best cookbook lists from the cookbook stores that feature in our directory.  All these lists will be included in our Best of the Best list, which is being unveiled shortly. 

USA

Omnivore Books – owner Celia SackMrs Wheelbarrow's Practical Pantry

Tacolicious by Sara Deseran
Heritage by Sean Brock
The Banh Mi Handbook by Andrea Nguyen
Flour + Water: Pasta by Thomas McNaughton
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page
Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry by Cathy Barrow
A Boat, A Whale and a Walrus by Renee Erickson
Shrubs by Michael Dietsch


 

Kitchen Arts & LettersNach Waxman &  Matt Sartwell Prune

Liquid Intelligence by Dave Arnold
Heritage by Sean Brock
Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour
Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry
Sugar Rush by Johnny Iuzzini
My Paris Kitchen by David Lebowitz
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
The Banh Mi Handbook by Andrea Nguyen
The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page

 

Rabelais Books – owners Don & Samantha Lindgren Heritage

Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
Apples of Uncommon Character by Rowan Jacobsen
Eating With the Chefs by Per-Anders Jorgensen
Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry by Cathy Barrow
The Fat Radish Kitchen Diaries by Ben Towill, et al.
Shroom by  Becky Selengut
Heritage by Sean Brock
A New Napa Cuisine by Christopher Kostow
Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich
Eat: The Little Book of Fast Food by Nigel Slater

 

 

The Book Larder – owner Lara Hamilton

A Boat, A Whale, and A Walrus

A Boat, A Whale, and A Walrus by Renee Erickson
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour
A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry
Flavor Flours by Alice Medrich
Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
Shroom by  Becky Selengut
Sherry by Talia Baiocchi
Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte
One-Hour Cheese by Claudia Lucero

 

Powell’s City of Books – cookbook buyer Tracey T.

The Forest Feast

One-Hour Cheese by Claudia Lucero
Dumplings All Day Wong by Lee Anne Wong
The Banh Mi Handbook by Andrea Nguyen
Asian Pickles by Karen Solomon
Salad Samurai by Terry Hope Romero
World Spice at Home by Amanda Bevill and Julie Kramis Hearne
The Forest Feast by Erin Gleeson
Huckleberry by Zoe Nathan and Josh Loeb
Preserving by the Pint by Marisa McClellan
Saveur: The New Classics Cookbook by James Oseland

 

The Cookbook Stall – owner Jill Ross

Huckleberry

Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook
Heritage by Sean Brock
Sugar Rush by Johnny Iuzzini
Huckleberry by Zoe Nathan
Death & Co by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald & Alex Day
Never Trust a Skinny Italian Chef by Massimo Bottura
Mallmann On Fire by Francis Mallman
Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan
Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte

 

CANADA

All the Best Fine Foods – cookbook manager Alison Fryer

North

Made in Quebec by Julian Armstrong
North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland by Gunnar Karl Gislason and Jody Eddy
Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
Make It Ahead by Ina Garten
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
JK: The Jamie Kennedy Cookbook
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook
The Great Lobster Cookbook by Matt Dean Pettit
Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan

 

Barbara-Jo’s Books to Cooks – owner Barbara-Jo McIntosh

Baking Chez Moi

Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding by Justin Gellatly
The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page
Salmagundi by Sally Butcher
Indian For Everyone by Anupy Singla
Baking Chez Moi by Dorie Greenspan
Relae: Book of Ideas by Christian F. Puglisi
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
My Portugal by George Mendes
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry

 

 

Good Egg – owner Mika Bareket

A Change of Appetite

Heritage by Sean Brock
Relae: Book of Ideas by Christian F. Puglisi
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
A Change of Appetite by Diana Henry
Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
Death & Co by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald & Alex Day
Comptoir Libanais by Tony Kitous and Dan Lepard
Thailand by Jean-Pierre Gabriel
Eating With the Chefs by Per-Anders Jorgensen

 

Appetite for Books – owner Jonathan Cheung

Bitter

Prune by Gabrielle Hamilton
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
Heritage by Sean Brock
Made in Quebec by Julian Armstrong
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Honey & Co. by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich
New Feast by Greg & Lucy Malouf
My Paris Kitchen by David Lebowitz
Nick Malgieri’s Pastry by Nick Malgieri
Death & Co by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald & Alex Day

 

 

The Cookbook Co. Cooks – owner Gail Norton

Calgary Cooks

Calgary Cooks by Gail Norton and Karen Ralph
Whitewater Cooks with Passion by Shelley Adams
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
The Slanted Door by Charles Phan
Gatherings by Jan Scott
Caesars by Clint Pattemore
Bitter by Jennifer McLagan
Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour

 

AUSTRALIA

Books for Cooks – owner Tim White

Sepia

The English and Australian Cookery Book by Edward Abbott
Relae: Book of Ideas by Christian F. Puglisi
Heritage by Sean Brock
Sepia by Martin Benn
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Dabbous by Ollie Dabbous
Phillipa’s Home Baking by Phillipa Grogan & Richard Cornish
A Food Lover’s Pilgrimage to France by Dee Nolan
The Vegetarian Flavor Bible by Karen Page
Mexico: The Cookbook by Margarita Carrillo Arronte

 

Scrumptious Reads – owner Julie Tjiandra

Organum

Organum by Peter Gilmore
el Bulli the Collection
Eating With the Chefs by Per-Anders Jorgensen
Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Bistronomy by Katrina Meyninck
Bar Tartine by Nicolaus Balla, et al
Mr. Hong by Dan Hong
Kitchen by Mike by Mike McEnearney
Adam’s Big Pot by Adam Liaw

 

EUROPE

Books for Cooks (London) – owner Eric Treuille

Plenty More

Favourite Recipes from Books for Cooks 7, 8 and 9
Cooking for Chaps by Gustav Temple and Clare Gabbett-Mulhallen
A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones
The Art of Eating Well by Jasmine & Melissa Hemsley
Party Perfect Bites by Milli Taylor
Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Organum by Peter Gilmore
Green Kitchen Travels by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl
North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland by Gunnar Karl Gislason and Jody Eddy

 

De Kookboekhandel (Netherlands) – owner Jonah Freud

Liever lokaal

Plenty More by Yotam Ottolenghi
Het krokettenboek by Johannes van Dam
Groentebijbel by Mari Maris
Vegetarische Tajines & Couscous (Vegetarian Tagines & Couscous) by Ghillie Basan
Vis uit blik by Bart van Olphen
Liever lokaal by Annette van Ruitenburg and Rene Zanderink
Melk & Dadels by Nadia Zerouali
Honey & Co. by Sarit Packer & Itamar Srulovich
Over Rook by Meneer Wateetons
De Banketbakker by Cees Holtkamp

 

Cook + Book (Netherlands) – owner Riejanne Schimmel

Persiana

Home Baked by Yvette van Boven (English translation will be available in 2015)
Soep (Soup) by Janneke Philippi  (Only available in Dutch)
A New Napa Cuisine by Christopher Kostow
Huxtabook by Daniel Wilson
Persiana by Sabrina Ghayour
Een nieuwe kijk op eten (A Modern Way to Eat) by Anna Jones
Tasty Express by Sneh Roy
Nieuwe klassiekers (The New Classics) by Donna Hay
Mijn Franse keuken (My Little French Kitchen) by Rachel Khoo
Desire by Sergio Herman

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One Comment

  • Breadcrumbs  on  December 22, 2014

    I always enjoy these posts and seeing how similar or varied views are depending on where folks are located. Looking forward to EYB's own picks! Jane, are those your bookshelves?

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