Most of us have done a lot more cooking and baking in 2020. I know that I have and not just because I’ve been testing recipes for my cookbook Luscious/Tender/Juicy (Countryman, 2021). More time at home has meant more time spent in the kitchen, working through some fascinating food titles. Among the books in which I’ve found comfort and inspiration are two baking and two vegetable-focused cookbooks, a celebration of contemporary Black cooking, food narratives with recipes for fall, winter and Christmas, a restaurant history, and the foods and traditions of one of my favorite cities, Copenhagen.

If you have cooks, bakers and/or readers on your holiday shopping list, the following titles will delight them. Arranged in alphabetical order, they comprise this holiday season’s cookbook review.

2020 Cookbook Review

Copenhagen Food – Trine Hahnemann (Quadrille, 2018) In Copenhagen Food Trine Hahnemann takes readers on a culinary tour of Copenhagen, her home of 40+ years. Each chapter highlights a different neighborhood and its specialties. With stories and photos of the city, famed restaurants, public markets and lush foods, her book would satisfy the travelers on your list. With 70 recipes for such Danish specialties as rye-crust tart with feta and leeks and chocolate marzipan bars, it makes a lovely gift for any cook.

The Nordic Baking Book – Magnus Nilsson (Phaidon Press, 2018) I’ve yet to find more a more comprehensive book on Nordic baking than Nilsson’s impressive cookbook. It offers 450 recipes and techniques for sweet and savory baked goods from Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland, Finland and the Faroe Islands. Almond and toffee buns, gooey chocolate cake, potato flatbread, and salmon pasty are just a few of the stellar treats. Whether you exchange gifts with fans of Nordic lands or bakers in search of new recipes, The Nordic Baking Book is sure to please.

Flavor – Yotam Ottolenghi (Ten Speed Press, 2020) Ottolenghi’s lush cookbooks consistently deliver fresh flavors, wholesome dishes and easy-to-follow recipes. His latest is no exception. In Flavor the London chef focuses on how to prepare and pair produce with complementary ingredients. With detailed sections on such methods as charring and infusing and over 100 recipes for such plant-focused dishes as One-Pan Orecchiette Puttanesca and Curried Carrot Mash with Brown Butter, it serves up platefuls of delicious food.

The Rise – Marcus Samuelsson (Voracious, 2020) Subtitled “Black cooks and the soul of American Food,” The Rise presents a long overdue celebration of modern Black cooking. Samuelsson’s lush cookbook covers the culinary influences, histories, techniques and ingredients originating in the African diaspora. It profiles an array of Black culinary professionals, including authors, academics, activists, chefs, and restauranteurs. It also contains 150 recipes for such delectable dishes as Flaky Andouille and Callaloo Hand Pies, Teff and Brown Butter Biscuits, and Saffron Tapioca Pudding. A must-have for any serious cook.

The Restaurant – William Sitwell (Diversion, 2020) Sitwell’s illustrated history of restaurants begins in 79 CE Pompeii with ancient Romans eating in taverns and snack bars. It travels through the Ottoman Empire and Medieval England, all the way to contemporary farm-to-table, vegan and molecular gastronomy restaurants. As a voracious reader and fan of dining out, I couldn’t resist this 2,000-year history of restaurants. The readers and food lovers in your life won’t be able to, either.

Greenfeast: Autumn, Winter – Nigel Slater (Ten Speed Press, 2020) Greenfeast is one of two vegetable-themed suggestions and one of two books on this list by National Book Award and James Beard Award winner Nigel Slater. He arranges the chapters according to preparation—in a pan, on toast, with a ladle, etc.—and provides 100 straightforward recipes. Among the tasty dishes are Brussels Sprouts, Smoked Mozzarella, Dill and Mushrooms, Spinach, Rice. A delight for anyone interested in enjoying vegetables or a plant-based diet to the fullest.

The Christmas Chronicles – Nigel Slater (4th Estate, 2017) Not feeling all that festive this Christmas season? Need a little dose of well-crafted holiday tales and recipes to make your spirit bright? Gift yourself The Christmas Chronicles. Equal parts cultural history, holiday guide, memoir and cookbook, it features the beautiful writing for which Slater is known. Additionally, it has 100 recipes for such seasonal dishes as Apricot and Tomato Chutney, Cranberry Butterscotch Pudding, and Roast Goose, Apple Sauce, Lemon Potato Stuffing and Marsala Gravy.

A Good Bake – Melissa Weller (Knopf, 2020) An excellent choice for both new and skilled bakers, A Good Bake covers both the science and art of baking. Readers receive step-by-step instructions for making trickier baked goods, such as laminated pastries and yeasted breads. They also learn about familiar favorites such as layer cakes, frostings, pies, tarts and cookies. Strawberry Jam and Hazelnut Rugelach and Chestnut Honey Walnut Tart are among the 120 recipes in the book.

A few more suggestions

In addition to the above cookbook review, I have a few other titles to recommend. For the kids on your list, pick up Melissa Clark’s Kid in the Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, 2020). Know lovers of Spanish/Basque cuisine? Go for Marti Buckley’s Basque Country (Artisan, 2018). Curious cooks will love Shirley O. Corriher’s KitchenWise: Essential Food Science for Home Cooks (Scribner, 2020). New vegans will learn from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s I Can Cook Vegan (Abrams, 2019). Lastly, for new cooks in general, give the timeless Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer et al (Scribner, 2019).