Come and celebrate National Cookbook Month with us this October as we explore five culinary legends across the globe and their most famous cookbooks to help inspire you in the kitchen!
Welcome to the tantalizing world of culinary literature – the best of food and books! In this world, your words are ingredients, sentences are tasty instructions, and verses are the spices you garnish your food with. October is National Cookbook Month; let’s celebrate those dusty jackets we know you have stored somewhere at the ends of your kitchen cupboard. Sadly, most things today have moved to a digital-based format, including the recipes we cook. If you need a recipe, it is Pinterest to the rescue or the notes on your phone that you hurriedly scribbled on the phone with Mom while you try to follow her approximately vague instructions to the T. But this month, challenge yourself to go the old-school way!
And in this delectable journey, if you’re left with a gaping hole where old cookbooks should rest, let us guide you with five culinary luminaries whose words have stirred inspiration as much as they have appetites. Let’s sprinkle a little magic fairy dust atop all our dishes. Bon appétit!
Julia Child
A culinary pioneer, nothing less than a legend, a name that stands as tall as the Eiffel Tower – the indomitable Julia Child. Julia was a woman of grand ambitions and an insatiable appetite for life. And it was her love affair with French cuisine that set her apart and changed the course of culinary history forever.
Her magnum opus, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, co-authored with Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, is considered a culinary Bible. Published in 1961, this formidable tome [boasting over 500 recipes] is the fruit of her rigorous training at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Armed with her crème brûlée torch and newfound knowledge, she embarked on the quest to demystify the intimidating world of French cooking. The book is a love letter to the joys of gastronomy – the tone inviting, the instructions precise, and every page filled with a genuine desire to share.
The recipes range from staples like boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin to delicate pastries like croissants and tarts. The book transports you to the heart of French cooking, culture, and life in general. It encourages you to savour every bite and take a voyage. Her culinary prowess is so legendary that it inspired the delightful adaptation Julie and Julia (2009), with Meryl Streep in an enchanting portrayal of Julia. The movie weaves together Julia’s struggles with that of modern-day Julie, a food blogger attempting to cook her way through the book. Separated by time, it is a celebration of two women united by their love for food.
Yotam Ottolenghi
In the realm of innovation, Yotam Ottolenghi is a beacon of creativity. He is celebrated for his captivating fusion of flavors and deep appreciation for the beauty of plant-based dishes. Born in Jerusalem, he is a renowned Israeli-British chef, author, and columnist. He gained worldwide recognition for his approach to Middle Eastern cuisine and vegetarian food. Although not a vegetarian, he promotes healthy, garden-based eating and has written a column for The Guardian called “The New Vegetarian.” His best works include Jerusalem and Plenty – Exploring Culinary Boundaries.
In collaboration with Sami Tamimi in Jerusalem, Ottolenghi takes us through the power of food in bridging divides and celebrating different cultures. With recipes inspired by their shared hometown, they invite us to explore the rich tapestry of Jerusalem’s traditions. From sumptuous lamb dishes to delectable pastries, the book is a blend of flavors and stories. Plenty is a vibrant collection that showcases the versatility and potential of vegetables as a standalone ingredient in your dishes. With a flair for bold colors and textures, the book turns vegetables into the star of a dish, proving that they can take center stage in any meal. Combined with a passion for seasonal produce, it is a book for anyone seeking to introduce plant-based goodness into their diet.
Nigella Lawson
There is none quite like the spellbinding Nigella Lawson. With her passion for food and baked goods and her supernatural ability to make cooking look simple and profound at the same time, she deserves the fame she receives. Born in London, she is a chef, food writer, and British television personality. With a background in journalism and a love for cooking deeply ingrained since childhood by her family, she became a household name in England. Her television appearances and cookbooks have earned her the title “Queen of comfort food”.
Her best works would be How to Eat and Nigella Express, books that will beckon you into the world of indulgence and sheer culinary poetry. In How to Eat, Nigella takes you by the hand and leads you into an exploration of food – not just mere sustenance, but an experience to be savored. With her warm and conversational writing, she will guide you through myriad recipes and offer tips, insights, and stories that embody the phrase, “It’s not about the destination, but rather, it is the journey.”
Nigella Express, on the other hand, is a testament to her ability to create mouthwatering dishes in a time-crunch with impeccable efficiency. In a world that moves too fast or too slow all at once, the book encourages the pleasures of a good meal without sacrificing life’s precious moments. With this, she attempts to make gourmet cooking more accessible to the everyday busy person, one of the signature lessons she promotes.
Gordon Ramsay
Gordon Ramsay, renowned for his fiery passion in the kitchen, is a culinary commander whose impact on the world of food extends far beyond his Michelin-star restaurants and Hell’s Kitchen / MasterChef appearances. Born in Scotland, his professional journey began at a young age, and he went on to train with some of the most incredible names in the restaurant business, like the invincible Marco Pierre White. Starting with his eponymous restaurant, he has since won a whopping seventeen Michelin stars, one of the highest awards for culinary excellence.
Ramsay’s wisdom and expertise come alive in Gordon Ramsay’s Ultimate Cookery Course and Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking, two books that offer an appetizing glimpse into the mind of this maestro. The Ultimate Cookery Course feels akin to a private lesson with Ramsay himself – he imparts invaluable techniques and recipes that demystify the art of cooking. From perfectly seared steaks to exquisite pasta sauces, his passion for perfection shines through the pages.
In Home Cooking, Ramsay’s signature style is distilled into delicious and accessible everyday cooks. He places great emphasis on creating restaurant-quality meals from the comfort of your own home, thus propagating his belief that anyone can cook well as long as they get the right guidance. From regular [but flavourful] weeknight dinners to show-stopping feasts for when you have loved ones over, the book is also a testament to his versatility as a chef and diverse knowledge.
Also Read: Coffee Table Books: Collectables, Investments, or Purely Artistic Expressions
Martha Stewart
When it comes to the art of homemaking, no name comes even close to the elegance of Martha Stewart. Her impeccable taste, meticulous attention to detail, and passion for all things that spell “home” and “comfort” have all led to her being an everyday name in the circles of home and hearth. Born in 1941 in New Jersey, she is a cook, entrepreneur, and television icon. With a background in modeling and brokerage, she ventured into the world of home and entertainment. Stewart’s impressive career includes numerous best-selling books, a widely read magazine, “Martha Stewart Living,” and multiple television shows, making her a lifestyle phenomenon in herself.
Her best works include Martha Stewart’s Cooking School and The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. The former epitomizes her commitment to teaching and sharing her wealth of knowledge. Like a mentor you can always count on, she invites readers into her virtual kitchen, imparting culinary wisdom with utmost grace. It is a collection of recipes and a comprehensive guide to mastering the fundamentals of cooking. Including knife skills and sauce-making, she insists on details and excellence throughout.
Her Living Cookbook showcases the best of home cooking. A treasure trove of recipes, the book is a great display of memorable meals. When she isn’t inspiring generations after generations to make delicious, home-cooked foods, she also spends time influencing her fans into DIY projects to create aesthetically pleasing and fastidiously organised homes – she is heralded as the prime example of domestic elegance.
