My 5 Favourite Recipe Books Of All Time
And my favourite recipes from each of them
I love food. I love the ritual of setting a table, sharing a meal and connecting with loved ones.
For me, it’s a way to show love. Thinking about each person you’re cooking for - their likes and dislikes. A simple meal can help someone feel seen and appreciated.
Both my paternal and maternal grandmothers were incredible cooks. My Nanna’s German Cake is the stuff of legends. My sister Joey now recreates her recipe and it makes me feel like Nanna is still here. It’s a taste memory that’s even stronger for my Dad and takes him back all the way back to when he was a boy. That’s the power of food.
My Nanny (Mum’s Mum) had her own catering company called “Twinkle Toes” back in the day. She even had little aprons made with their company name embroidered on them that Joey now has. I’ll never forget the year that Nanny and Poppa didn’t have as much money for Christmas presents for all of us, and instead Nan made every grandkid (15 of us in total!) the most incredible handmade sweets and lollies that were unlike anything you could buy in a shop.
Isn’t it interesting all these years later I can’t remember anything they bought me, but I do remember the love, time and effort that went into that gift. I’ll never forget it.
Mum and Joey are both the most incredible cooks I know. It’s crazy that I’m the one who shares a recipe each week because I’m nowhere near the best cook in our family! Both of them are incredible at caring for others, bringing people together over a shared meal and making every guest in their homes feel taken care of. That’s the power of food.
In this spirit, I thought I’d share my 5 favourite cookbooks. Some of them are family favourites, others are brand new. You’ll recognise a lot of recipes I’ve shared here in The List (and OMG I hope I’ve credited all of the original authors - I’m scarred from the RecipeTin Eats VS Brooki Bakes controversy!) I’ve included the recipes I’ve already shared where possible.
Let’s dive in…