Left to my own devices, I tend to have a cheese plate and wine for dinner. Even so, cookbooks line my bookshelves, and I like to get into bed and page through one at night like I would a novel. This year’s selection of cookery books, culled from the year’s best-of lists and our very own wish lists, are every bit as beautiful as they are filled with excellent recipes. There’s also a thread here we can get behind: sumptuous, good food that’s also simple and stress-free, laid-back enough for weeknights—and made to share with whoever stops by, too. And, we know we’re not supposed to judge, but we love some of the covers so much, they really just need a ribbon.
Here are 11 cookbooks we’re gifting this year.
(N.B.: As always, we like shopping our local bookstore first, but we’ve listed Amazon prices here, if that’s your preference.)
Where Cooking Begins
![in where cooking begins (\$\18.85), carla lalli music, food director of&#x 17](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/where-cooking-begins-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Breakfast: The Cookbook
![we\2\17;d like to cook our way through breakfast: the cookbook (\$\ 18](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/breakfast-phaidon-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Dinner for Everyone
![mark bittman returns with dinner for everyone (\$\2\1.64), with three twists fo 19](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/dinner-for-everyone-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Natural Wine for the People
![we are, for the record, already fans of natural wine, but natural wine for 20](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/natural-wine-for-the-people-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Nothing Fancy
![the newest release from cult favorite cookbook author and new york times c 21](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/nothing-fancy-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Jubilee
![we\2\17;d love to gift (or be gifted) jubilee: recipes from two cen 22](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/jubilee-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
The Gaijin Cookbook
![new yorkers (and fans of chef\2\17;s table) know the smash hit that 23](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/gaijin-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Whole Food Cooking Every Day
![whole food cooking every day (\$\19.87) makes our list for its brigh 24](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/whole-food-cooking-every-day-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Tartine: A Classic Revisited
![elisabeth prueitt and chad robertson, the folks behind remodelista favorit 25](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/tartine-classics-revisited-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
Japanese Home Cooking
![julie\2\17;s pick is japanese home cooking (\$\26.99), a compr 26](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/japanese-home-cooking-cookbook-733x440.jpg)
A Work in Progress: A Journal
![not quite a cookbook, but well worth gifting to any food lover (or to anyone, a 27](https://media.remodelista.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/rene-redzepi-work-in-progress-journal-733x440.jpg)
For last year’s selections (which would still make excellent gifts this season), see Holiday Gift Guide 2018: The 11 Best Cookbooks to Give as Gifts This Year.
And for more of our 2019 gift ideas, see:
- Holiday Gift Guide 2019: 15 Gifts for the Waste-Free (and the Wannabe)
- Holiday Gift Guide 2019: 10 Sure-fire Hits for the Green Thumb in Your Life
- Stocking Stuffer Guide 2019: A Grownup’s Wish List
- Gifts for the Italophile
- For the Discriminating Host/ess, Under-$50 Edition
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