Since the rise of Pinterest and food blogs, cookbooks can seem obsolete. But reading a recipe from your phone or computer can be inconvenient—and using electronics with fingers covered in flour isn't ideal. Real foodies still appreciate hard copies of cookbooks, and they are still a popular book genre today. Here are five cookbooks every home chef should own, current celebrity chefs' latest releases to tried-and-true kitchen classics.
Joy of Cooking
"This new edition of Joy is the perfect combination of classic recipes, new dishes, and indispensable reference information for today’s home cooks. Whether it is the only cookbook on your shelf or one of many, Joy is and has been the essential and trusted guide for home cooks for almost a century. This new edition continues that legacy." –Amazon
Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering
"Magnolia Table is infused with Joanna Gaines' warmth and passion for all things family, prepared and served straight from the heart of her home, with recipes inspired by dozens of Gaines family favorites and classic comfort selections from the couple's new Waco restaurant, Magnolia Table. Jo believes there's no better way to celebrate family and friendship than through the art of togetherness, celebrating tradition, and sharing a great meal. Magnolia Table includes 125 classic recipes—from breakfast, lunch, and dinner to small plates, snacks, and desserts—presenting a modern selection of American classics and personal family favorites. ..." –Amazon
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier: 112 Fantastic Favorites for Everyday Eating
"... The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier features 112 brand new step-by-step recipes that bring fresh, exciting elements into your everyday meals. From super-scrumptious breakfasts, to satisfying soups and sandwiches, to deliciously doable suppers and sides—and, of course, a collection of irresistible sweets you’ll want to make immediately!—these pages will deliver a big list of fabulous new dishes for you to add to your repertoire. ..." –Amazon
How to Cook Everything
"For 20 years, Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything has been the definitive guide to simple home cooking. This new edition has been completely revised for today’s cooks while retaining Bittman’s trademark minimalist style—easy-to-follow recipes and variations, and tons of ideas and inspiration.
Inside, you’ll find hundreds of brand-new features, recipes, and variations, like Slow-Simmered Beef Chili, My New Favorite Fried Chicken, and Eggs Poached in Tomato Sauce; plus old favorites from the previous editions, in many cases reimagined with new methods or flavors. ..." –Amazon
5 Ingredients: Quick & Easy Food
"Jamie Oliver—one of the bestselling cookbook authors of all time—is back with a bang. Focusing on incredible combinations of just five ingredients, he's created 130 brand-new recipes that you can cook up at home, any day of the week. From salads, pasta, chicken, and fish to exciting ways with vegetables, rice and noodles, beef, pork, and lamb, plus a bonus chapter of sweet treats, Jamie's got all the bases covered. This is about maximum flavor with minimum fuss, lots of nutritious options, and loads of epic inspiration." –Amazon