5 cookbooks for the foodie on your Christmas list
Food writer Gabby Peyton is here to help you find the perfect gift for friends or family
Admit it, you all have at least a dozen of them: the spiral-bound cookbooks cobbled together by church ladies and community groups of years gone by.
Those kitchen shelf staples are stained, well-worn and well-loved.
Over the years, Newfoundland and Labrador cookbooks have evolved well past these beloved books containing the same 100 recipes; there are now dozens designed for the local home cook and they cover more than Jigg's dinner and cod cakes.
2019 was a banner year for Newfoundland-made cookbooks. From a coffee table tome by a renowned restaurant chef to an award-winning vegan book, there's something for any foodie on your list this Christmas.
Here are five last-minute gift ideas for friends or family.
Wildness: An Ode to Newfoundland and Labrador
Jeremy Charles
A tome dedicated to the local bounty of Newfoundland and Labrador, this cookbook is as much a coffee table book as a how-to text. Chef Jeremy Charles of Raymonds, the renowned restaurant that brought the New Nordic movement to St. John's, makes his cookbook debut with a compendium showcasing beautiful photography by John Cullen and essays by Adam Leith Gollner. Wildness includes a variety of recipes ranging from technically-impressive dishes like Moose Marrow with Smoked Moose Tongue Pastrami and the infamous Cod Sounds from the restaurant's menu, as well as simpler fare — like Seafood Soup and Bottled Moose — that any home cook can conquer.
$59.95, Phaidon
Marian Frances White
Using local ingredients that are readily available to the Newfoundland home cook, Marian Frances White's latest cookbook (her first, The Eldamar Cookbook: Fine Vegan Cuisine, was published in 1995) is a compilation of recipes from more than 40 years as a vegan cook. Full-colour images are sprinkled through more than 100 recipes for smoothies, sauces, baked goods and main dishes like Dandelion Scoff with steamed potatoes, carrots, turnip and dandelion greens. Island Vegan was released in October 2019 and has already started racking up the awards — it just won the 2020 Gourmand World Cookbook Award in the Canadian Local Region category.
$29.95, Breakwater Books
Jessica Mitton
Cookbooks on traditional Newfoundland dishes — which usually contain a lot of salt, preservatives and uh, lard — are typically not found in the health food section of the bookstore, but holistic nutritional consultant Jessica Mitton has revamped the favourites in Some Good. Mitton reimagines the Newfoundland home kitchen in a healthier way with dozens of delicious recipes like cauliflower cod cakes without the potato and pea soup sans beef; there are molasses cookies and date squares too! Mitton's book also contains a brief history of food in Newfoundland and Labrador and detailed instructions to revitalize your pantry. Some Good was a 2019 Taste Canada Award finalist in the Health and Special Diet Cookbooks category.
$19.95, Breakwater Books
Bobbie Pike, with Geoff Pike
Husband-and-wife duo Bobbie and Geoff Pike, co-founders of the East Coast Keto community, a support network for those following the ketogenic lifestyle (the Facebook group has more than 4,000 members) released their first cookbook in September. Using ingredients available to the East Coast home cook, traditional family recipes are remodelled to fit the keto regimen, in addition to a comprehensive explanation of the low-carb, high-fat diet. There are more than 120 recipes inside this vibrant cookbook, replete with full-colour images showcasing recipes like Cream Chanterelle Soup, Savoury Cheese Biscuits and Newfoundland Snowballs.
$34.95, Breakwater Books
From Rum to Rhubarb: Modern Recipes for Newfoundland Berries, Fruits and Vegetables
Roger Pickavance
In the third cookbook by cook and restaurateur Roger Pickavance, it's all about the fruits and veggies. Published in October, From Rum to Rhubarb showcases the bounty of Newfoundland and Labrador's produce found in our kitchens and pantries and makes them the star of the plate. The author's favourite recipes have been gathered over a lifetime of culinary exploration in the province and inside the book, traditional methods mingle with modern interpretations in the salads, soups and pastries, as well as gnocchi, ice creams and more.
$24.95, Boulder Books
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