There’s something really satisfying about making a recipe from start to finish using a cookbook. In this digital age, it’s easy to find how to make almost anything you can imagine online, but we love the art of the cookbook. Beyond being little nuggets of wisdom from bonafide food professionals, they’re ridiculously beautiful creations. If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably a foodie just like us and enjoy the gorgeous culinary photography and design that goes into modern cookbooks. If you’re looking for recommendations, we’ve got ‘em. Here are some of our favorites:
The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from My Cabin in the Woods
This completely vegetarian cookbook was written by a woman who moved from New York to a small cabin in the woods where she cultivated all the recipes. Most of them only feature 3-4 ingredients and result in straightforward, fresh, beautiful, wholesome dishes. The author even did her own watercolor illustrations!
Tartine Bread
Tartine Bread was written by Chad Robertson, a San Fransisco based baker who many consider the best bread baker in the United States. He’s cultivated recipes and developed his own bread over the last 20 years and was trained by the finest bakers in France and the US. We’ll stop telling you his laundry list of a résumé before you get too intimated to try out the amazing recipes inside!
Anything by Ina Garten
When our Quality Assurance Specialist, Krysta, was asked about her favorite cookbooks she said to put down, “anything by Ina Garten” as she has about 5 of her books. Ina Garten is an American author and host of the Food Network program named after her pseudonym The Barefoot Contessa. She’s published at least 15 cookbooks and was cooking on the air for 15 years. It’s no wonder she has a lot of knowledge to share in those books.
The Myrtlewood Cookbook: Pacific Northwest Home Cooking
This cookbook was written for the home and, it focuses on using ingredients from the Northwest market and the home garden. Myrtlewood comes from an evergreen Lauraceae tree, a member of the laurel family and a native to only Oregon and Northern California. The author spent some of his childhood in the town closest the trees’ first sighting and uses many myrtlewood plates and bowls with the recipes in the book.
Thug Kitchen: The Official Cookbook
Thug Kitchen is definitely the most…unique book on this list. It takes an aggressively satirical position on how it thinks you should make your food. You’ll end up just doing whatever it wants. Every recipe is vegan, delicious, and hilariously profane. So, while the food is for all ages, the book might not be. If you like getting yelled at in the kitchen, check out the other two Thug Kitchen editions, 101: Fast and Party Grub.
The Martha Stewart Cookbook: Collected Recipes For Every Day
This one is an oldie, but a goodie. Our Administration Guru, Aimee, uses it for all the precise everyday knowledge it provides. It comes with over 1,400 recipes, extravagant and straightforward, as well as plans for feeding any sized social gathering.
Tasty Latest and Greatest: Everything You Want to Cook Now
For those of you who don’t know, BuzzFeed has a popular cooking brand called Tasty that does entertaining step by step how-to recipe videos. From the same brand, this book offers a variety of comfort and health foods for meat and plant eaters alike. It has an added bonus of some delicious dessert options as well such as ice cream and magic bark! You have to see it, it really is magical.
Pizza Camp: Recipes from Pizzeria Beddia 
Want to unlock “pizza nirvana” in your home? Because that’s exactly what this book promises to do. With over 50 innovative recipes, this book takes you all the way from the basics to the big times. Make pizza, Stromboli, hoagies, and more with meat and vegetarian options alike!
First Prize Pies: Shoo-Fly, Candy Apple, and Other Deliciously Inventive Pies for Every Week of the Year (And More).
We’re going to take a turn from savory to sweet for a minute here with this pie bible. The author of this book only turned pro after blowing away the competition at a pie making contest. Since releasing this book, the country sings the praises of her Bourbon Ginger Pecan and Root Beer Float Pies.
Salad in a Jar: 68 Recipes for Salads and Dressings
Looking to eat healthy on the go? This book has over 60 illustrated mobile salad recipes ready to get their fresh on. The broccoli rabe, kale, and Kamut salad looks particularly nice.
What cookbooks do you use? Which of these look best to you? Let us know in the comments! And if you are still looking for some recipes to follow online, check out how we made Almond Crusted Tofu Nuggets, Vegan Taco Salad, Mini Vegan Tofu Quiches, Vegan Curry, Vegan Tofu and Sprouts Sandwich, Vegan Chili, or Vegan Roasted Veggie and Tofu Buddha Bowls.
