It’s Quarantine. You’re buying your own groceries ( or doing takeout) and you are all out of ideas and inspiration in the kitchen. How many more chicken wings and PB&Js can one have before a psychotic breakdown?
Well you have all this time, why not enrich your cooking life with a new book? In order to really appreciate the new flavors in your life you might want to find out where they come from, how to use them properly, and what other combinations will make your tastebuds burst. This is where good literature comes in. Finding the right book will really test your kitchen know-how and set you up on the path to home cooking success!
The Flavor Bible
The Flavor Bible. It is a comprehensive book that breaks down ingredients all the way from their region, season, nutritional profile, preparation needs, and more. There is even a version specifically crafted for Vegetarian cooks! Keep it in your kitchen! Use it when you get stuck or need new ideas and want to really know more about your food.
The Cooking Gene
The Cooking Gene is no stranger to a Black woman’s book club. Here Twitty explains the historical significances of Black food and how we have been connected to it since our ancestors’ upbringings in The South. This is a glass-of-wine-and-charcuterie-board type of book that you will not be able to put down. You’ll immerse yourself in the Culture and take yourself back to the roots of traditions held dear for generations.
Between Harlem and Heaven
Between Harlem and Heaven is the new age cookbook shaking up the Afro-Fusion world. Its inspiration comes from the African diasporas that lead you through West Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. Not only does it teach you brand new stylistics to bring in the kitchen, it’s also such a great read!
Cooking For Jeffrey
Let your inner Ina Garten soar. The Barefoot Contessa herself has an array of cookbooks that are easy to follow, delicious, and contain recipes you will want to do over and over again. My favorite book of hers is Cooking for Jeffrey; her love of her food combined with her love of her husband brings out the best in her cooking recipes and it shows.
The Food Lab
Want a challenge? Try The Food Lab. This James Beard Award winning book has revolutionized the food nerd in all of us. Take your “good” to the next level—with science! This book gives you a solid foundation of the passion you’re growing into. It breaks down what cooking really is and details the proper equipment to use.
These books are a great way to find new recipes, grow an understanding of food, and make your quarantine life a little more sweet!
So, you’ve read the books and you’ve got the recipes you want to try…now what? Time to engage! Get your family involved, share your knowledge and inspire.
Break down the recipe so that your kids and/or partner can join you. Challenge yourself. Need a sourdough starter? Theres a book for that. A new healthy snack idea for your toddler? There’s a book for that! A new twist to an old favorite? You got it, there’s a book out there for you.
What cookbooks are you reading and experimenting with during quarantine? What recipes are your new go-to’s? What new things are you bringing into your kitchen?
