Info
This post is auto-generated from RSS feed BOOK RIOT. Source: A Giftable Cookbook for Pros and Newbies Alike
Gifting books to people who either work in books or claim reading as a major part of their personality is tough. We have strong preferences, big collections, and endless To-Be-Read lists. This is why I rarely expect the gift of books from most people in my life and especially not my husband, who I’m sure quietly worries that the weight of our wall-mounted bookshelves will bring the house down. And yet, last Christmas, I did get the gift of a book, and I was overjoyed. A hefty, formidable book with a photo of one of my favorite public figures splashed across the front revealed itself beneath crisp wrapping paper. This present was genius because I love cooking differently but as much as I love reading, and if any book is worth gifting current and prospective home chefs, it’s this expansive beauty.
![]() Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-WayllyI would watch, listen to, and now read Sohla El-Waylly wax about anything but especially all things food. When I was first introduced to El-Waylly through Bon Appetit‘s now-scandalized Test Kitchen series, I recognized a chef who knows what she’s talking about and has a lot to offer anyone with a passion for food and cooking. It’s been wonderful to watch her reach expand, not just because my own home kitchen has greatly benefitted from a bounty of Sohla content, but because she has a singular knack for communicating useful, lesser-known information about ingredients, methods, and more to make the act of cooking more engaging, thoughtful, and comfortable for cooks at any level. |
That’s what Start Here is all about: helping cooks gain a deeper understanding of their practice while offering highly adaptable recipes based around clearly communicated, effective methods and philosophies. El-Waylly’s chipper, matter-of-fact tone is present in the writing, and the book includes photos that are lovingly styled without being overwrought, which makes this a great book to flip through, pore over, and explore from front to back. It’s truly a cooking textbook and, very likely, the only textbook I’ve ever cherished. I now know how to make something tasty with all the dandelion greens that sprout in my backyard in the spring and the lentils we always stock in our pantry, how prepping garlic can meaningfully change its flavor, and I’m looking forward to making my own roti with a better understanding of bread science.
If you’re looking for something to gift a reader who loves or wants to putter around the kitchen, Start Here is your girl.
What are you reading? Let us know in the comments!