It’s the year of the huge cookbook. Sure, the new “Joy of Cooking” came out last year, but that classic will now have to share shelf space with a new breed of giant. So, let’s begin:
“The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink,” edited by Andrew F. Smith, $49.95. Nearly 700 pages of Americana on the table, this reference work is the gift for the culinary student, chef or Food Network groupie on your list. It’s fun to flip through — “the mimosa is one of America’s first designer cocktails” — or burrow into (the “pies and tarts” entry goes on for three pages).
“How to Cook Everything Vegetarian,” by Mark Bittman, $35. The master of minimalism turns his pared-down approach to meat-free cooking. Sure to be a reference for vegetarians and omnivores alike.
Bittman admits he’s not a vegetarian, but says this on his blog: “I wrote ‘How to Cook Everything Vegetarian’ not to convince you to become a vegetarian but to make it easier for you to create a diet that includes more of what’s good for us all.”
“Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone,” by Deborah Madison, $40. Clearly written recipes from a meatless cooking pro, whose bio states, “I happily eat vegetarian most of the time, but I also eat meat, fish, and fowl every so often.” With 1,300 recipes with helpful ingredient notes and serving ideas.
“1080 Recipes,” by Simone and Ines Ortega, $39.95. Straightforward translation of Spain’s “Joy of Cooking” published in 1972 and now updated by the author’s daughter.
“Cooking,” by James Peterson, $40. Lush photos and sophisticated recipes with a focus on culinary classics from this veteran cooking teacher and author.
“The Ultimate Cook Book,” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, $34.95. Authors of 10 other “Ultimate” books, Weinstein and Scarbrough bring it all together, offering basic recipes with lots of twists.
“The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The Original Classics” and “The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics,” $35 each. Leave it to Martha to make it complicated. If you only have “The New Classics,” you’ll find yourself continually irritated by the index, which refers to recipes in the other book. Just get ’em both.
“Cook with Jamie,” by Jamie Oliver, $37.50. The Food Network’s “Naked Chef” bares it all in his collection of 175 recipes aimed at the amateur cook. (The “Naked” moniker comes from his stripped-down approach to food.)
“The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Cuisine,” by The French Culinary Institute, $75. If you can’t make it to Manhattan for one of the institute’s six- or nine-week courses, this book will lead you through 250 techniques from the curriculum.
“The Bacon Cookbook,” by James Villas, $35. No publishing season is complete without a bacon book. (Last year’s sizzler: “Seduced by Bacon” by Joanna Pruess.) This one has 168 recipes, from spaghetti alla carbonara to bacon-peanut butter truffles.
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com
