#The Complete DIY Cookbook for Young CHefs

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Holiday Cookbooks: The Gift That Keeps On Cooking........

I know that I’m not alone when it comes to reading cookbooks similarly to the way one would read a novel. The cookbooks that interest me tell a story about the recipes and the author, or have a unique theme. Who else is a fan of single-subject cookbooks? Those that feature a certain ingredient in each of its recipes.  

There are those who follow comedian Rita Rudner’s quote, “I read recipes the same way I read science fiction. I get to the end and say to myself, ‘well, that’s not going to happen.” However, they still enjoy a cookbook as a “prop”, or appreciate a beautiful coffee table book, where not one recipe is used, but the glossy cover has mouth-watering visuals.  

This is the time of year when so many cookbooks are released; just in time for gift-giving season. Going through my ever-increasing collection, I picked some for you to consider as a gift for the cooks on your list. I am sure you will find one to buy for the cook-in-you too.

With kids spending more time at home these days, it is important to keep them occupied with fun activities. And, what child doesn’t enjoy spending time in the kitchen, and then enjoying the results of their efforts?  Written for 8 to 13 year olds, “The Complete DIY Cookbook for Young Chefs,” by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen (2020, $19.99)  teaches them to prepare common store-bought items from scratch.  From peanut butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, and apple sauce to bagel chips, cheddar cheese fish crackers, and strawberry Pop Tarts, to vanilla no-churn ice cream, hot fudge, pancake mix, hot cocoa mix, they probably won’t go back to store bought! The symbols for each recipe denote if the recipe is for a beginner, intermediate or advance recipe, and if the recipe requires the use of a knife, microwave, stove, oven or no knife or heat required. I found the pages dedicated to secrets for “Success in the Kitchen,” “Decoding Kitchenspeak,” “What’s Up With Ingredients?,” “How to Measure and Weigh,” and ”Essential Prep Steps,”  provide the perfect introduction to cooking. The “DIY Mixes” chapter details ways for kids to make homemade holiday gifts.

A companion book to the above title, is “Kitchen Explorers: 60+ Recipes, Experiments, and Games for Young Chefs,“ also by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen (2020, $12.99. The workbook format structures at-home learning, making it easy for parents to use the kitchen as a classroom. Experiments using food, interactive games and kid-centered recipes, allow youngsters to practice skills in a fun way. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on science experiments and activities, as I learned a few things along the way.  Experiments include “What Makes Fizzy Drinks Fizzy?,” “The Gooey Science of Melting Cheese,” Amazing Emulsions.” After the experiments are completed, the “Understanding Your Results” helps the learning process. The “For Grown-Ups” chapter, created by educational experts, helps guide learning and connect lessons in the workbook to school curriculum.  With “STEAM,” kids will learn how cooking involves Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics.  

Bakers and dessert lovers will appreciate “Holy Sweet!: 60 Indulgent Recipes for Bigger, Better Desserts,” by Peabody Johanson (2020, Page Street Publishing, $21.99).  Like the author, I have a sweet tooth too, so it has been added to my collection. This book was inspired by the author’s childhood favorites. Her introduction, mouth-watering photos, fun-to-read headnotes to each recipe, and  the creative creations drew me to the book. Johanson takes pies, cakes, cookies, and cupcakes and infuses them with flavors of cereal, ice cream, candy and booze. Think, Milky Way Pie, Cookies and Cream Ice Cream Bread Pudding, Cap’n Crunch Boston Cream Pie Layer Cake.  And perfect for the holidays, Peppermint Bark Red Velvet Layer Cake. Now don’t you feel like a kid in a candy store?

Brunch seems to have reemerged as a new craze. During the winter months, I prefer eating brunch, especially on Sundays. “Let’s Brunch: 100 Recipes for the Best Meal of the Week,” by Belinda Smith-Sullivan (2020, Gibbs Smith, $24.99) celebrates the meal that isn’t going away. The author writes in her introduction, “brunch just might become the new dinner party.” When life gets back to normal, this book will be a welcome addition to those who like to entertain. In the meantime, they have many recipes to explore. The chapter “Breads & Toppings,” has a recipe for one my favorites, Sweet Potato Buttermilk Biscuits.  Pannettone Grand Marnier French Toast, Brisket –Stuffed Herb Cornbread, with recipes for jams, syrup and flavored butters to round out the chapter. Starters include Smoked Salmon Blinis, plus Jumbo Shrimp and Lump Crab with Vodka Cocktail Sauce. Of course, Smith-Sullivan includes many egg dishes and sides. Desserts run the gamut with Lemon Curd and Gingersnap Trifle, Savory Spice Olive Oil Loaf Cake among others. And what brunch is complete without a cocktail? Pomegranate Mimosa, and Chef Belinda’s Creole Mary should fit the bill.

Cheese aficionados on your list will welcome I Heart Cheese: A Cookbook, 60 Ooey, Gooey, Delicious Meals for Serious Cheese Lovers, by Mihaela Metaxa-Albu (2020, Page Street Publishing, $19.99). The vivid photography of the dishes coupled with the elegant plating will make the reader want to get right to work, preparing the mouth-watering dishes using a variety of cheeses. I found the breakdown of the chapters by type of cheese helpful. Before each chapter’s recipes, there are details and nuances about the cheeses in the chapter with suggestions on how to draw out the best flavors of each cheese. Both sweet and savory dishes are included, such as Ricotta Coconut Almond Cake, Savory Chili and Grana Padano Cookies, Deconstructed Cheese Board Salad, Savory Pancakes with Crumbled Feta and Chives. The recipient will enjoy their journey to cheese heaven with these recipes.

One doesn’t have to be vegetarian or vegan to enjoy plant based cooking. This style of cooking is popular because of the growing interest in healthier eating and sustainability. “The Complete Plant Based Cookbook: 500 Inspired, Flexible Recipes for Eating Well Without Meat,” by the editors of America’s Test Kitchen (2020, $34.99), is the book to help its recipients prepare meals that are not only healthy where vegetables take the center of the plate, but in a tasty and creative way. I found the makeovers of comfort foods quite interesting. For example, PB & J transforms into Sautéed Grape and almond Butter Toast, featuring fresh grapes sautéed with lemon and thyme, topping crusty bread slathered with almond butter. The book gives the reader inspiration to create plant-forward meals that don’t use processed ingredients. And, those beautiful photos are inspiring, as are their renown signature headnotes; “Why this Recipe Works.”

What cookbook roundup list would be complete without one for chocoholics? I am sure you or someone on your list is one. From everyday recipes to more extravagant treats, Sabine Venier, author of “The Chocolate Addict’s Baking Book,” (2020, Page Street Publishing), shares tips and tricks on how to make it easy to incorporate chocolate into a plethora of dessert recipes. Now, who wouldn’t savor S’Mores Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, Zucchini Chocolate Olive Oil Bars, White Chocolate Carrot Cake Blondies, or Sweet Potato Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Pie, or Apple Cider Chocolate Macadamia Toffee? Venier’s flavor combinations are creative and meld well. For those that prefer standards, there are recipes for Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Chocolate Frosting, Brooklyn Blackout Chocolate Cupcakes and Flourless Chocolate Cake.