There are more cookbooks published every season, but which ones are worth keeping on your shelf? And which ones will you actually reach for, year after year?
This week, we’re joined by Molly Stevens and Kate Leahy, two hosts of the Everything Cookbooks podcast. Both are accomplished cookbook authors and avid collectors, and they know what makes a cookbook worth returning to.
They’re sharing the books they rely on for everything from weeknight dinners to baking, along with underrated finds and cookbooks that open the door to new cuisines and experiences.
By the end of this episode, you’ll discover:
- Essential baking books for beginners and experienced bakers alike
- Cookbooks to turn to for everyday dinners, new cuisines, and inspiration when you don’t know what to cook
- What makes a cookbook stand the test of time, and which trends are worth paying attention to
Press play now to get recommendations from two cookbook experts, and find your next favorite cookbook today!
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Links:
Most used (wouldn’t get rid of) cookbooks:
Molly: All About Dinner, by Molly Stevens
Kate: Dorie Greenspan’s Dorie’s Anytime Cakes, and she especially loves the “Almost Maida Heatter’s Buttermilk Lemon Bundt Cake” (and here’s the original recipe)
Essential cookbooks:
Kate: Sunday Suppers at Lucques, by Suzanne Goin (especially for West Coast cooks)
Molly: Richard Olney’s Simple French Food, Joy of Cooking, The Silver Palate, and Cooking Thai by Pim Techamuanvivit and Andrea Nguyen
Transportative Cookbook:
Kate: Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen, by Elizabeth Andoh
Molly: Amy Thielen’s Company: The Radically Casual Act of Cooking for Others
Baking books:
Molly: Richard Sax’s Classic Home Desserts and Chez Panisse Desserts, by Lindsay Shere
Kate: Holiday Cookies: Showstopping Recipes to Sweeten the Season, by Elisabet der Nederlanden
Underrated Cookbooks:
Kate: I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef, by Vishwesh Bhatt and John Currence
Molly: Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Every Day, by Roy Finamore
Cookbooks for Figuring out Dinner:
Kate: Andrea Nguyen’s Vietnamese Food Any Day
Molly: Nigel Salter’s Eat: The Little Book of Fast Food
Discoveries from the Everything Cookbooks podcast:
Kate: Anna Voloshyna’s Budmo: Recipes from a Ukrainian Kitchen
Molly: Her co-hosts' books like Turtle Island and Kate’s Wine Style, as well as Perfectly Good Food: A Totally Acheivable Zero Waste Approach to Home Cooking by Margaret and Irene Li
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