The Heritage Cook 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

The Holidays are a wonderful time to show people how much they mean to you. Whether you make them something special, write a poem, or shop for that perfect gift, everything is more memorable at this time of the year. But that can also bring a lot of stress, and we certainly don’t want to add that to your list! So I have compiled a list of some of my favorite cookbooks that you can give the food lovers in your life.

There are books that will help ease the holiday pressures, if you are making your own gifts, throwing an incomparable party, or preparing everything in advance, these will help you actually enjoy your own celebrations this year. You’ll get recipes and gift ideas perfect for every occasion, including plans to wrap and present them in spectacular ways. You can learn how to make festive cocktails to put everyone in a jovial mood and then serve a meal that will have people talking for weeks on end.

There were hundreds of books published in 2011 that the foodies in your life would love to receive. They span the globe and feature wonderful restaurants, bakeries, and regional specialties. You can learn to cook like a restaurant chef, make the most unusual ice creams imaginable, recreate memories from your childhood, and emulate some of your favorite food celebrities. I have picked out a few of the most popular and a few of my favorites to help you navigate the choices.

For the sweets lovers in your life, I have compiled a list of some of my favorite baking and dessert cookbooks. Some of these have been in my library for many years and others are relatively new, but all of them are well worn and splattered from making the delightful recipes they contain.

For those who want to learn why ingredients behave the way they do and learn the chemistry behind cooking and baking, I recommend both CookWise and BakeWise from Shirley Corriher. She delves deep into the interactions of foods and helps you figure out why sometimes your cakes soar high and other times they fall flat. These are a must in any inquisitives cook’s book collection.

Then there are some of the books that I consider my must-haves. I turn to these time after time for everything from appetizers to entrees and cocktail parties to sit down feasts. The Joy of Cooking is the first cookbook that I got and it should be in every cook’s kitchen. If you find ingredients at the farmer’s market that you don’t know how to prepare, there are illustrations and recipes that utilize them. It is perfect for beginners and advanced cooks alike.

And finally, if you have people in your life with dreams of finding a job in the culinary fields, here are four guides that will help them figure out which is best suited to their personalities and skills. Written by some of this country’s finest authors, they cover a wide variety of ways you can incorporate food into your career path.

As a food lover, I would be delighted to receive any of these cookbooks:

HOLIDAY SPECIFIC COOKBOOKS

NEW COOKBOOKS FOR 2011

MY FAVORITE BAKING / DESSERT COOKBOOKS

SOME OF MY FAVORITES, PERFECT FOR FOOD LOVERS

WORKING IN THE CULINARY INDUSTRY

I hope these selections will make your holiday shopping a bit easier this year. Remember to take some time to breathe, enjoy the season and have fun with your family and friends!

Disclosure: Some books were sent to me for review and others I purchased myself. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email at: heritagecook (at) comcast (dot) net. Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, www.theheritagecook.com.

Thank You!