We are big fans of cookbooks in Irish Country Living. No matter where in the world the author or cuisine is from, thSere is nothing quite like sitting down with a good cuppa to read a new cookbook. That feeling of motivation – which gets us rustling pans and sifting through the cupboards and spice rack to make something new – never fails to spark joy.
Our top picks are perfect for Christmas gifts or treating yourself to some new recipe inspiration.
Flavour
Mark Moriarty, €24.99
What we love about Mark’s cookbook, and his TV shows, is the finesse he gives to homecooked favourites – a chef’s touch to everyday meals.
His knowledgeable tips and failsafe recipes make you feel like you are a pro in your own home.
By bringing restaurant know-how home, Mark’s home cooking packs ordinary dishes – like lamb curry and lasagne – so full of flavour, you just want to try them for yourself.
Spice Box: Easy,
Everyday Indian Food
Sunil Ghai, €24.99
Spice Box by Sunil Ghai.
As one of Ireland’s most celebrated chefs, Sunil’s first cookbook is much sought-after by foodies and home cooks.
A very personal collection of recipes inspired by his home and family, this cookbook is a really practical guide to Indian food. He shows that cooking with spices is something that is easy to achieve at home for everyone and brings layers of flavour to your food. This bestselling guide to Indian cooking is the perfect gift for those who enjoy their food spicy.
Butter Boy
Paul Flynn, €40
Butter Boy by Paul Flynn.
It is daring – a bold decision – to bring out a cookbook without any photos. With 728 pages, Butter Boy is a weighty tome of reading, but Paul Flynn’s talent as a chef and his witty, thoughtful writing is worthy of standing alone on the page.
With 41 years’ experience under his cooking belt, Butter Boy is the complete collection of all 152 articles and over 450 recipes from his tenure as food writer for The Irish Times. It is insightful and funny, much like the man himself.
Flavour
Sabrina Ghayour, €29.99
Flavour by Sabrina Ghayour.
This cookbook is literally, as the name suggests, packed with so much flavour. It is food we want to eat all day, every day.
Sabrina is a British-Iranian chef and food writer who has authored many multi-awarding-winning and bestselling cookbooks, including Persiana, Sirocco, Feasts and Bazaar.
She specialises in Persian and Middle Eastern flavours and her latest book is a straightforward guide for people wanting to explore some new cuisine.
Blasta Books
€15 each, or €60 for the series
The Blasta Books series.
It’s hard to pick one Blasta Book from this year’s series, so we are mentioning them all.
This collection of themed cookbooks has given us more diversity and new flavours in our kitchen, all from Irish chefs and writers.
From moreish international soups, Spanish tapas that are immediate favourites, delicious food waste solutions that blew our minds and stunning Filipino dishes, you can check out the whole collection at blastabooks.com.
Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book
Nathan Anthony, €17.99
Bored of Lunch: The Healthy Air Fryer Book by Nathan Anthony.
This was the year of the air fryer, so it’s no surprise that Nathan Anthony’s cookbook has become a number one bestseller across the world following his hit with The Healthy Slow Cooker Book.
Of course, it helps that his recipes are incredibly delicious. From hot honey chicken tenders to garlic and parmesan potatoes to cream egg croissant balls, the only downside to this book is it could also cost you an air fryer.
Paradiso
Dennis Cotter, €39
Paradiso by Dennis Cotter.
A much-loved part of Cork’s food scene for decades, Paradiso was opened by chef, restaurateur and author, Dennis Cotter, in 1993.
This book takes you on a journey; showing how Cotter was ahead of his time in terms of his groundbreaking celebration of vegetables and also how the practises of the restaurant have evolved today.
One of the stand-out pieces is the ‘core elements’ section, which provides the building blocks to so many classic Paradiso recipes.
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: Food to warm the soul
Diana Henry, RRP £22/€25.50
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow by Diana Henry.
Multi-award winning author Diana Henry has revisited her classic cookbook nearly 20 years after its first publication.
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow is a celebration of the season and the flavours of winter. Now she has refreshed it, adding seven new recipes plus a foreword by Nigel Slater. Full of comforting delights, the subtitle of this book is ‘food to warm the soul’, which is very appropriate.
Made in Taiwan: Recipes and
Stories
Clarissa We, €42
Made in Taiwan by Melissa Wei.
The debut book from well-known Taipei-based food journalist Clarissa Wei has received high praise across the globe from critics and readers alike. It is an earnest reflection of what the food is like in modern-day Taiwan, from the perspective of the people who have lived there for generations.
Backed with historical evidence and interviews, Wei makes a case for why Taiwanese food should get its own spotlight.
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