Mash-Up Gift Guide: Six (New!) Classic Cookbook Ideas
The easiest way into a Mash-Up’s heart is through food. ‘Tis the season for cooking, baking and sharing your creations with loved ones. Each year Team Mash-Up puts together a list of the mashiest cookbooks — and this year, publishers and chefs around the world give us new reason to transport our palates. We have a list of kitchen must-haves, too, to help your cooking journeys, and if you are eager to step outside the kitchen, check out our guide to 8 fabulously mashy gift ideas.
1. The Mission Chinese Food Cookbook by Danny Bowien and Chris Ying
Oh, you know, Danny Bowien is just another Korean adoptee who grew up in Oklahoma and ended up opening the hottest Chinese restaurant in the U.S. That classic story! The amazing Mission Chinese Food Cookbook tells Danny’s personal story and explores what “authenticity” in food really means.
2. Tacos: Recipes and Provocations by Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman
Because tacos are the perfect food. There’s a lot to learn from this beautiful book about making the perfect tortilla (see our kitchen gift guide for support) — maybe even a pistachio-flavored one. It’s basically a love letter to Mexican food.
3. Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen by Meera Sodha
It’s not all saag paneer and samosas. This collection of recipes from London-based Meera Sodha offers fresh, thoughtful Indian dishes you can make at home. Not for the garlic-averse! 100-clove curry, we’re coming for you!
4. Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking by Michael Solomonov
Helming the popular Philadelphia restaurant Zahav, Israeli-born and American-bred Solomonov has a delicious book out on food and culture featuring doable (and phenomenal) dishes like twice-cooked eggplant and cashew baklava cigars. Yeah, we said cashew baklava cigars.
5. The Nordic Cookbook by Magnus Nilsson
If you are also a Mind of a Chef junkie, then you know a little something about Magnus Nilsson: he lives in Sweden and gallavants all around Nordic country getting inspired by nature and smoking meats while standing in frozen temperatures. This book, published by Phaidon, is stunning and full of the photographs, recipes and stories of Nilsson’s said adventures.
6. Mamushka: Recipes from Ukraine and Eastern Europe by Olia Hercules
Ukrainian-born, Cyprus-raised, London-based Olia Hercules takes us on a little culinary tour to meet her Mamushka and weaves a tale of Eastern European home cuisine that will surprise you. Sour cherry pie, anyone?
What kinds of Mash-Up gifts do you have your eye on this holiday? Share with us on Facebook and Twitter using #mashupholiday.
