December 2023 New Cookbook Review

December 21, 2023 by
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December has arrived and is nearly vanished. This month’s books are few in number with many related to health and weight loss which is typically what we see in January as well.

Recently, I published the preliminary 2024 Cookbook Preview and don’t forget that you can create a wishlist and share it with your loved ones. Our December 2023 EYB Cookbook Club Summary and January 2024 Great Big Cookbook Club Summary can be found at the links provided.

In May we announced that we have connected the EYB database to ckbk’s library of digital cookbooks. ckbk is a cookbook subscription site where you can access the full content of almost 800 great cookbooks, the majority of which are indexed here on EYB (and more will be indexed every week). For all the details, please see Jane’s post. If any of this month’s books are a part of the ckbk library, we have identified them as such: ckbk.

If you would like to order any of these titles (or preorder/order any other books or items) using our affiliate links below or BUY BOOK button on the book details page, earns Eat Your Books revenue as an Amazon Associate from qualifying purchases when using our links:

USA * Canada * UK * Australia 

Please also remember your local bookstores – for preorders as well.

If there is an   available for a cookbook, look for the orange icon in the blurb. Clicking on that link will take you directly to the Preview.

Lastly, if events are planned for particular books/authors, I have included a link. Be sure to check our Calendar frequently for new entries there are loads of events around the world as more in-person and virtual events are being planned.

To jump to a particular country’s listing, please click on the links below.

United States

Effortlessly Elevated Eats: Unique, Flavorful Recipes for Everyday Cooking by Jenny Hurley: Through 60 decadent recipes, the author who is the creator of Sunny With Shadows, shows that simple food, easy techniques and readily accessible ingredients don’t have to mean boring flavors. Each recipe is elevated by unique flavor combinations, interesting ingredients and surprising twists so astounding that readers won’t believe how easy it is to prepare with most recipes coming together in less than 30 minutes!

Elegant Hungarian Tortes and Homestyle Desserts for American Bakers (Volume 6) (Great American Cooking Series) by Ella Kovacs Szabo provides more than fifty recipes on how to bake Hungarian tortes, cookies, pastries, and cakes, from elegant old-world pastry-shop classics like Linzer Torte and Esterhazy Torte to easy homestyle desserts, many of them from recipes that have never been published before. Try your hand at delicate nut-flour tortes made from walnuts, almonds, and hazelnuts: Almond meringue torte with coffee-cream filling, Walnut wedding torte with hazelnut filling, and Chocolate roulade with hazelnut cream. You’ll also find a complete section on ingredients, equipment, and techniques, as well as several historical and contemporary photographs. And a bonus: most of the recipes for fine nut-flour tortes are naturally gluten-free.

Vegan Baking Made Simple: The Ultimate Resource for Indulgent Cakes, Cookies, Cheesecakes & More by Saloni Mehta delivers straightforward, low-cost recipes, so it’s never been easier to bake the decadent vegan cakes, cupcakes, cookies, donuts and sweet breads of your dreams. Saloni Mehta, creator of Pastry by Saloni, guides you through each simple step to create delightful desserts for every occasion.

The Nourishing Asian Kitchen: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Health and Healing by Sophia Nguyen Eng features over 100 delicious recipes that utilize whole foods, classic ferments, hearty broths, and healing herbs and spices. This title presents an innovative approach to experiencing Asian cuisine while promoting nutritious, garden-to-plate meals that are easy to make.

Oakville Grocery The Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes from the Heart of Wine Country by Oakville Grocery: Enjoy more than 100 carefully curated, original recipes from the oldest continually operated grocery store in California, Oakville Grocery. With simple elegance in mind, each recipe is influenced by the fresh and flavorful ingredients Oakville Grocery has provided its patrons since 1881, with the store’s unique character and charm captured on every page. ckbk

Donut Love: 60 Versatile Recipes for Every Kind of Craving by Sloane Papa: With 60 recipes meant to satisfy every sweet tooth, the creator of Sloane’s Table, brings you the ultimate cornucopia of flavors, donut textures, glazes and fillings. Take a bite out of all the variety on hand, from brioche and old-fashioned to croissant, choux and more.

Bite-Sized French Pastries for the Beginner Baker: Includes Tarts, Sables, Madeleines and More by Sylvie Gruber is a collection of mouthwatering French pastries that pack all the flavor of your Parisian favorites and none of the fuss. Using simple language and detailed directions, Sylvie helps you learn the ins and outs of French pastry on bite-sized canvases. By shrinking the scale of these delightful baked goods, you get more practice at the foundational techniques to make expert level delicacies. These little tarts, cakes and cookies are faster to make and easy to share so are perfect for any beginner baker.

The Sweet Polish Kitchen: A Celebration of Home Baking and Nostalgic Treats by Ren Behan is a collection of traditional and modern Polish baking and dessert recipes including babkas, cheesecakes, tarts, pastries, and all things sweet and celebratory. Ren Behan takes you from everyday baking to celebrations in this comprehensive, modern take on Polish sweet treats, and draws on influences from across central and Eastern Europe. I love Ren’s first book Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes and this one is just as amazing.

Single AF Cocktails: Drinks for Bad B*tches by Ariana Madix: When the author famously discovered her partner was unfaithful, the incident – known as Scandoval – captivated audiences worldwide. She has now reclaimed her power, channeling her pain into a resounding statement of strength and resilience in Single AF Cocktails, a collection of alluring drinks that follow the trajectory of a relationship that starts beautifully but ends in disaster. The newly solo Ariana serves up her own recipes and perspective in a unique exploration of the stages of a doomed relationship. In her own words, Ariana takes back the narrative of her very public breakup while inspiring others to find inner strength in their own troubles. Each drink tells part of the story from her point of view, from when she first met her ex, through the insidious affair and its painful aftermath, and to her present state, coming out the other side, stronger than before.

Compact Cooking: Big Flavor from Small Kitchens by Jenna Hunter: If you find your small kitchen, or no kitchen at all, is hindering you from cooking balanced and nutritious meals, popular TikTok creator and registered dietitian Jenna Hunter has the perfect solution with her new cookbook, Compact Cooking. For apartment dwellers, dorm residents, and busy people on the go, Jenna’s budget-friendly, time-saving recipes bring big flavor to your small living space!

Sober Curious: 65 Recipes for Fauxtails, Mocktails, and Free-Spirit Cocktails (Everyday Wellbeing) by Luke Basso: Whether you’re observing a month of sobriety for wellness reasons, you’re hosting a gathering and want to offer plenty of options, or you’re just plain curious what all the nonalcoholic fuss is about, Sober Curious features satisfying mocktails for any occasion. Each recipe features clear photos of individual ingredients, simple instructions, and tantalizing photos of the finished drink. Based on homemade syrups and mixers (such as Hibiscus syrup, Lavender syrup, Basil syrup, and more), sweeteners, teas, and spices such as chile and star anise, and fresh ingredients like key limes, cucumbers, and rosemary, you’ll be able to create unique booze-free drinks.

Dinner Tonight: 100 Simple, Healthy Recipes for Every Night of the Week by Alex Snodgrass: Known for her “cleaned up” weeknight comfort food, Alex Snodgrass knows how important it is for healthy food to be accessible both in flavor and in preparation. When you get to the end of a long day in a long week, you just want to whip up a low-fuss, delicious meal that makes up for the stresses of the day. Alex’s recipes prove that you don’t have to be an expert or spend hours in the kitchen to eat and live well. With meals that are flexible for a variety of different diets – paleo, Whole30, and more, always clearly marked for ease – Alex’s food is perfect for people who are on the “food freedom” stage of their health journey. She provides all kinds of meals from soups and salads to pasta, seafood, poultry, and beef, along with desserts and convenient condiments.

Vegan Party Planning: Easy Plant-Based Recipes and Exciting Dinner Party Themes (Beautiful Spreads, Easy Vegan Meals, Weekly Menu Ideas) by Nicole Vranjican: Like a good dinner party, this book abandons the stuffy, rigid attitudes of yesteryear, and instead showcases refreshingly practical ways to create a cozy and inspired ambiance and menu. In this book, Nicole includes 8 dinner party themes, alongside drink and food recipes and DIY decor instructions and it’s all vegan. Complete with menus, grocery lists, and schedules to act as a timeline leading up to the party, this cookbook doubles as an entertainment guide, helping readers schedule time to grocery shop, clean, decorate, and prep the recipes before the party to guarantee smooth sailing. In addition to recipes, she’ll share how to create a space that feels warm and inviting, as well as simple tricks for plating and garnishing food to make it look more elevated and sophisticated: herb bouquets, decorating with edible flowers, and cleaning up spills.

Lebanese Cuisine, Second Edition: More than 185 Simple, Delicious, Authentic Recipes by Madelain Farah and Leila Kirske: Middle Eastern cooking has become increasingly popular due to its unique flavors, healthfulness and to the variety of vegetarian dishes. Pita bread, tabbuli and hummus have become so popular that they have lost their association with their originating culture. Leila Habib Kirske’s mother Madelain Farah wrote the original edition of Lebanese Cuisine as a means to memorialize the Middle Eastern recipes from her mother. Now in its new edition, Leila continues the family tradition adding her own recipes and updating her mother’s and grandmother’s in this one-of-a-kind collection.

Italy Cocktails: An Elegant Collection of Over 100 Recipes Inspired by Italia (City Cocktails) by Paul Feinstein: With over 100 recipes and dozens of bartender profiles from Italian hot spots, you can drink like a local whether you’re just visiting or entertaining at home. From ritzy rooftop bars with views of the Colosseum to stylish Japanese-inspired haunts, locals and tourists alike will discover new watering holes that are sure to satisfy all tastes. With signature creations by prominent mixologists in the region, this book offers a detailed rundown of the best locations Italy has to offer.

Other titles of interest:

Canada

Everyday Mediterranean: A Complete Guide to the Mediterranean Diet with 100 Simple, Nourishing Recipes by Vanessa Perrone shows us that the Mediterranean diet is a lifestyle characterized by plant-forward meals made with delicious quality ingredients and cooking with healthy fats. Vanessa Perrone, a Registered Dietitian, offers her expert guidance and more than 80 exciting and simple-to-prepare recipes that will bring the power of the Mediterranean into your daily life. Sharing meals with loved ones is another important part of this lifestyle, and these are recipes the whole family will enjoy together.

United Kingdom

Jean Imbert: My French Recipes by Jean Imbert is the first cookbook from the rising French chef whose cooking and charm have won the hearts of celebrities the world over. Chef Imbert reveals more than fifty of his favorite home recipes, which he prepares for his family, friends, and the world’s most famous celebrities.

Make it Vegan: Simple Plant-based Recipes for Everyone by Madeleine Olivia: Whether you’re looking to up your fruit and veg intake, a flexitarian, vegan curious or taking that leap from vegetarian to full-on vegan, this book will bring flavorsome, fool proof and fuss-free meals to your table – whatever your budget. With recipes including plant-based Pain au chocolat, 10-minute Mac and cheese and Vegan paella, Madeleine will teach you how to cook a variety of delicious, simple and affordable meals taking you from breakfast right through to lunch and dinner (with some tasty treats thrown in for good measure!).

Dirty Vegan Fast and Easy: Totally Awesome Vegan Recipes by Matt Pritchard delivers 80 recipes for proper plant-based grub, ideal for anyone who wants more veg in their diet, whether fully vegan or not. With this book you can say goodbye to long hours in the kitchen, as it is all about cutting out the faff so you can eat a balanced, tasty meal in no time.

Baking for Pleasure by Ravneet Gill is packed with more than 80 tried and tested recipes for brownies, tray bakes, cookies, tarts, puddings and cakes. Chapters are divided to help you easily choose what to bake when – whether it be quick batch bakes and classic crowd pleasers or impressive dinner party dishes and wholesome weekend baking, you’ll always be covered with the perfect bake for any occasion. For the first time, Ravneet also includes her most sought after savoury bakes including ‘nduja puff pastry sausage rolls, vegetarian samosas, and a chicken pie that will have your friends and family coming back for more.

Thrifty Vegan: 150 Budget-Friendly Recipes That Take Just 15 Minutes by Katy Beskow: In as little as 15 minutes you can have a delicious meal on the table using readily available, budget-friendly ingredients and fuss-free cooking techniques. With 150 recipes to satisfy at any time of day, this book is not only the go-to cookbook for new and established vegans, but also for home cooks looking for effortless and wallet-friendly ways to bring plant-based meals into their kitchen.

Slimming and Speedy: 100+ Quick, Easy and Tasty Recipes Under 600 Calories by Latoyah Egerton is packed with creative ways to save time cooking. You’ll find recipes which are ready in a flash for breakfast on-the-go, or speedy midweek dinners for busy evenings. There are also life-changing ideas for ‘speedy-prep, slow cook’ meals which you can whack in a slow-cooker (or oven on low) in the morning, so you can come home to a delicious feast after a long day. And when you’re in meal-prep mode there are plans for batch cooking at the weekend so you can cook once for speedy meals all week; and recipes which are perfect for popping in a freezer bag for quick reheating on another day.

Hamlyn All-Colour Cookery 200 Air Fryer Recipes by Denise Smart provides 200 easy recipes for you to enjoy with your air fryer, with delicious ideas for breakfast, light bites and sides, meat and fish mains, vegetarian and vegan meals and sweet treats. Whether you want a healthier alternative to traditional frying, or a faster and cheaper way of cooking than the oven, your air fryer will help you save time, money and calories – all with minimal clean-up.

Cook Smart Microwave: 90 Fast and Fresh Energy-saving Recipes by Dean Edwards: The perfect companion to small and large kitchens alike, microwaves are one of the cheapest appliances to run and can deliver so much more than reheated food and ready meals. With a microwave, cooking a delicious dinner from scratch is as simple as pressing a button!
With 90 recipes, including lightning lunches, speedy suppers, family dinners and more, this title will help save you both time and money in the kitchen.

So Vegan Easy: Quick, Nutritious and Delicious Plant-based Recipes Using Ingredients That You (Probably) Already Have at Home by Roxy Pope and Ben Pook: The authors believe the food we choose to eat can have a positive impact on our planet and our health. But not just any old food. They’re talking about simple and speedy plant-based meals, which you’ll find right here in easy – a collection of 100 irresistible vegan recipes designed to be nutritious, delicious and totally fuss-free.

The Official Veganuary Cookbook: 100 Amazing Vegan Recipes for Everyone! by Veganuary: Delicious food is at the heart of the Veganuary ethos so, whether you’re vegan, veggie, flexi, or simply want to try a few more veg-centric recipes, we’ve included something for absolutely everyone in this book. From one-pots and traybakes to sweet and savoury breakfasts, creamy pastas, crunchy burgers, fresh and seasonal salads, warming pies and mouth-watering desserts – you won’t know which to pick first! We’ve included a handy list of store-cupboard essentials and zero-waste inspiration to make your mealtimes as efficient, eco-friendly and economical as possible.

Twochubbycubs Full-on Flavour: 100+ Tasty, Slimming Meals Under 500 Calories by James and Paul Anderson: Having lost over ten stone (140 lbs) each, the Cubs know the importance of not only losing the weight but also keeping it off. There’s no magical mystery: it’s about enjoying your food and your meals being something you look forward to, not endure in the name of ‘healthy eating’. As a result, every single meal in their new book might be low-calorie, but you’re guaranteed wonderfully tasty meals that leave you satisfied.

Pinch of Nom Express: Fast, Delicious Food by Kay and Kate Allinson is a gorgeous, full-colour cookbook contains one hundred super-fast, super-easy recipes designed to fit around busy everyday life. From satisfying breakfasts and tasty fakeaways to big one-dish roasts and indulgent puds, this book features all the incredibly delicious and hearty food you’ve come to expect from the bestselling authors of the Pinch of Nom titles – but with an Express twist.

Feel Good in 15: 15 Minute Recipes, Workouts and Health Hacks by Joe Wicks: We all live busy lives, so let me show you how just 15 minutes a day can make all the difference. Joe has taken 10 years of experience helping people to get fit, strong, healthy and happy and shared it all here with: simple, nutritious 15-minute recipes; awesome, mood-boosting 15-minute home workouts; quick health hacks and 15-minute small daily wins. This is the feel-good way to bring some joy, energy and happiness into your life by doing the simple things well – all you need is 15 minutes.

Vegan One-pan: 70 Easy & Satisfying Vegan Recipes for Every Day by Ryland Peters & Small: The recipes here rely on a rainbow of fresh produce, alongside tasty vegan sources of protein, such as beans, lentils and nuts. Seasonings and sauces take their inspiration from all around the world, creating hearty and nourishing meals with eye-popping color and irresistible flavor. Each dish is perfectly balanced and provides a complete meal all cooked in one pot/pan for ultimate ease.

Grow, Cook, Nourish: 400 Seasonal Recipes from the Ballymaloe Cookery School Kitchen Garden by Darina Allen (reprint of 2017 Grow Cook Nourish): You may note that the subtitles are different in these books – the book actually has 460 recipes. Often times, publishers have a recipe count that may be different than the indexed recipes as we index variations and sub-recipes.

Australia

Eat Easy Gluten-Free by Eat Easy Titles: Gluten-free is easy with 200+ beautiful recipes that you can make in just 5 steps or less. Serve up winning gluten-free breads, cakes, treats and desserts, classic dinners and takeaway-style meals that don’t break the bank or take forever to prepare. This is gluten-free as it should be – easy affordable delicious meals for everyone to enjoy.

New Zealand

Healthy Kelsi Travel Kitchen: Plant-based Recipes from Around the Globe by Kelsi Boocock is another vibrant collection of 100+ quick and easy recipes with punchy flavours that take inspiration from the author’s travels. Packed with dozens of summery travel pics, featuring Kelsi cooking at ethnic markets with the locals, sourcing fresh ingredients, and of course surfing, diving and hanging out on the beach! After a long period of people not being able to travel, people are looking for inspirational books like this one. Includes plant-based takes on everyone’s faves, including Pad Thai, easy curries, quick pastas, vibrant smoothie bowls and of course delicious desserts and sweets.

Category: New Cookbooks

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