Cookbook Confessions

My Favorite Cookbook releases from 2022

Confession time:

I have serious cookbook collecting vice 😂

Last count in my cookbook library was over 400 and I didn’t count the e-books that I started buying to try and save space on shelves (most of which I regret not getting the hard copies).

Hell, the biggest influences for me entering the kitchen to learn professionally were 2 books:

The Soul of a Chef (Ruhlman)

This book, masterfully written by Michael Ruhlman, takes you behind the kitchen door and is how I discovered Thomas Keller at the French Laundry. Chef Keller’s obsession for detail and finesse in cooking is what made me pursue cooking at a high level. I still revisit this book and remember how I started. I rented this book from the local library, read it in a day, then plunked down the cash to buy this next book

The French Laundry Cookbook (Keller, Ruhlman)

Once I had an inkling of wanting to be in professional kitchen, I got a kitchen job and then in my off time cooked my way through the French Laundry cookbook in my tiny apartment kitchen at a time when Amazon Prime and luxury ingredients weren’t available at your beck and call. I convinced chefs I worked for to let me buy hard-to-find ingredients from them so I could take them home… stock pots of veal stock bubbling away for days at a time in a cramped apartment and deveining foie gras, making duck confit… I was determined to learn.

Those are two books that will always remain precious to me.

Back to cookbooks

I’ve always been a picky buyer and many of my cookbook treasures are either out-of-print or older cookbooks from chefs that you’d never find being talked about on YouTube or Instagram; but contain real culinary gold with useful techniques, nuance and flavor combinations that stand the test of time.

I’m sure many readers here are also cookbook junkies and know that every Spring and Fall publishers release the newest batch of cookbooks on the market garnering a lot of promotion to make sales.

Cookbooks account for the 4th largest non-fiction category annually (in the US, at least) and there is massive pressure to have consumers FOMO and scoop up the latest drops.

But which cookbooks are worth your time and money?

Many are recycled recipes from prominent media chefs that put a few spins, or worse yet, branch into cuisines they aren’t well versed in to make some $$$. Respect the hustle, but the fact is a lot of cookbooks published aren’t anything special.

You’ll also notice what narratives and agendas are “flavor of the week” by certain niches in cooking being highlighted. I typically avoid these… I’m interested in delicious food… not politics. I’m not gonna give specific examples but it’s bright as day for anyone paying attention.

Likewise, cookbooks spinning “modern versions” of traditional cuisines don’t help the homecook usually.

When I’m looking for cookbooks to buy I’m particularly interested in the chefs point of view, if they detail influences or methods into their process, and have a reputation for publishing accurate recipes. (You’d be surprised how many published recipes are incomplete or tweaked so the chef doesn’t give out their “secret sauce”)

I also realize that many homecooks wouldn’t be interested in many things a professional chef would geek out over so I’ve compiled a list of 2022 cookbook releases that I really enjoyed from a quality perspective and can help you in your home kitchen.

Since the field was kind of thin this past year I added some faves too 😉 (click titles to buy)

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Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking: 30th Anniversary Edition

This is the definitive guide to Italian cooking that has withstood the test of time. Marcella’s writing is what grounded and educated me into authentic Italian cuisine as a young cook and I still treasure my old copy.

Marcella was known for being curt, opinionated and semi grumpy… I love it 😂 she would have no time for reply-guys on Twitter these days.

There’s 20+ new Italian cookbooks every year released… but none stand the test of time like this. The basic sauces and instructions on preparing vegetables alone are iconic. And there’s a documentary being published soon honoring the First Lady of Italian cuisine 🙏

Masa

This is more esoteric but if you’re into corn and Mexican cuisine, this is a very solid addition to add to your library and learning about heirloom corns, masa and the underpinning of Mexican food. Some speciality equipment required for recipes but the expertise alone is enough to earn a spot on your shelf as a reference

Taste: My Life Through Food

This is more a memoir than cookbook, although it contains some recipes. Stanley Tucci documents his life growing up in an Italian-American family with food traditions. Really enjoyable read, and I just eye rolled some of the political stuff… but the history of New York restaurants and family recipes was well written and engaging. I enjoyed.

Delectable

Claudia Fleming is a cult hero amongst pastry chefs. Here first book (The Last Course) inspired by her time as the pastry chef with Tom Colicchio at Union Square is in the hall of fame for pro pastry chefs. Her newest release is geared more towards home cooks who are avid bakers. Can vouch for recipe quality. If you are starting from scratch, you’ll need some baking basics like pastry bags, tips, etc.

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Octopod Classic Picks

Ideas in Food

Easily the most underrated cookbook online. 2 cooking geniuses, and dear friends, explain the why as well as provide delicious recipes for traditional and modern cooking

The Elements of Taste

Legendary chef Gray Kunz and writer Peter Kaminsky walk through the essentials of flavors… this was a pivotal book for me as a chef and developing my palate.

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Writing this has made me think at some point I’ll do post on the most meaningful cookbooks I’ve added to my library over the course of my cooking career.

Comment below and tell me your favorite cookbooks.

Next up though we are talking arroz con pollo, sofrito and all things delicious… stay tuned!