by Lisa Swayze, General Manager & Buyer of Buffalo Street Books
Cookbooks are always a popular gift, but this year we think they’re even more perfect to give. Who doesn’t want to own something as beautiful as these, and, bonus, they provide activities you can do at home! Here are a few of our favorite cookbooks from this year that make perfect holiday gifts.
East by Meera Sodha
Meera Sodha’s East is packed full of super flavorful and creative vegetable-centric recipes with roots in many cultures. We can’t wait to make Sweet Potato Momos, Carmelized Onion and Chile Ramen, or Stem Ginger Chocolate Truffles.
The Flavor Equation by Nik Sharma
According to author Nik Sharma, the components of a magical dish are emotion, sight, sound, mouthfeel, aroma, and taste, and they all add up to flavor. The Flavor Equation encourages cooks to experiment with these components while teaching about essential flavors like saltiness, fieriness, and richness. The icing on the cake, so to speak, are recipes like one I’m craving for Chocolate Miso Bread Pudding.
In Bibi’s Kitchen by Hawa Hassan with Julia Turshen
The subtitle of this book is, “recipes and stories of grandmothers from the eight African countries that touch the Indian ocean,” and that’s all it took for this to go on many of our wish lists. This book will open your mind to entirely new tastes, like Sweet Vermicelli Noodles with Cardamon and Butter from Comoros, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean. And it will open your heart to the stories of the women who so lovingly share their most special recipes.
Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz
Claire Saffitz believes any cook can be a baker (and should be!), and she’s here to turn you into a Dessert Person with recipes like Blood Orange and Olive Oil Upside-Down Cake and Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlovas.
Buffalo Street Books is Ithaca’s community-owned independent bookstore, located in the historic Dewitt Mall in downtown Ithaca. Orders can be placed on their website www.buffalostreetbooks.com for storefront pickup or shipping.
Lisa Swayze is the General Manager and Buyer for Buffalo Street Books. She lives in Fall Creek with her partner, Robert, who is the dessert person in the family.
