Year in Review 2018

Darcie bid adieu to 2018 yesterday and I wanted to add a few final words before closing the book on last year. My job here at Eat Your Books has made me painfully aware of how fast the days are flying by. It seems as if I just hit publish on the preview of 2018 cookbooks and here we are in 2019.

This year will be another incredible one for cookbook lovers (see my 2019 preview outline which has been updated this evening). I see this year delivering many books devoted to the air fryer and the Instant Pot. These two appliances have changed the way cooks prepare meals for their families.

We had an exciting and very busy year at EYB. We launched EYBD Previews and EYBD Books in the spring and summer, respectively. At this time we have 319 EYBD Previews that provide a glimpse inside older titles, new releases and books to be published as well as dozens of EYBD Books.

On our Calendar here at EYB we share author, bookstore and cooking school events. Every month we prepare a preview of upcoming releases as well as a final cookbook review. Each week our Featured Recipes post highlights recipes, member photos of the week and new EYBD Previews. Darcie keeps us up to date on all culinary news with her daily posts and each month we prepare a summary of our Cookbook Club activities. If you ever miss our monthly newsletter the archive can be located here.

Jane’s Best of the Best, Best Cookbooks by the Experts, and my personal picks for 2018 have been published. I have to mention Estela by Ignacio Mattos. This book is the next best thing to being able to have Ignacio cook for you himself. Ignacio ispictured below (left) next to David Tanis at a Workman book party Jane and I attended in February. Now that the holidays are over I am anxious to recreate the Panna cotta with honey we had at the restaurant in April. Over the summer I made his Endive salad (photo left) and last month used his spice mix for pork ribs – so many layers of deliciousness. Every recipe begs to be made – be sure to check out this title. 

Giveaways have been plentiful over the last twelve months with dozens that share cookware, cutlery, appliances and more. We have completed over 160 giveaways and currently have thirty promotions open! Please see my January roundup for the latest summary of giveaways. 

Our first annual cookie collection produced a number of recipes for our members to try. This year, I will put the call out in early October so it isn’t such a rush!

Last January, I wrote a post about cookbooks that I would love to see published entitled Cookbook Dreams. Some of those dreams have come true. Gesine Prado published Fantastical Cakes in November (and it is amazing!). Mark Isreal’s Doughnut Plant cookbook is slated for release this fall and I’m working with Mette Blomsterberg to find a US or UK publisher to distribute her gorgeous books! We also learned from Claudia Fleming that her highly sought after The Last Course will be reprinted (I will be sure you are aware of the particulars when available).

Jane and I attended the IACP conference in New York in February as well as the James Beard Awards in April. We had a great time meeting with authors and publishers on both trips.

We said goodbye to culinary greats in 2018, including: