Kare's Top 6 Favourite Cookbooks

These are a few of my go-to cookbooks; the ones I reach for most often. The ones with dog eared pages, notes in the margins, and tomato sauce stains. There's something romantic about a tangible recipe book and these are my favourite to pore over. 

Artisan Sourdough Made Simple by Emilie Raffa
I got this book during the sourdough craze of 2020 and it did not disappoint. I was poppin’ hot, fresh, chewy sourdough out of the oven perfectly, every single time. And all I used for months was the very first recipe. This is definitely a beginner friendly book, but has some more advanced recipes too once you get your bearings and it’s no longer your first rodeo. 
Try the: Everyday Sourdough, Roasted Garlic and Rosemary, Basic No Knead Focaccia

Donna Hay is no small name in the cooking world. This Australian chef consistently develops reliable and delicious recipes. This book focuses on simple ingredients, prepared in a super quick, fuss-free way but never compromises on flavour. Vegetables are at the forefront of nearly every recipe, but no good group is completely excluded. Super healthy, enticing recipes and beautiful photography, as always.

Try the: Broccoli Dough, Mushroom Fried Rice with Crispy Chilli Eggs, Zucchini Pies, Oven Baked Super Green Falafels

My New Roots by Sarah Britton
This cookbook was my gateway drug into the world of recipe development, food photography and food styling. I absolutely love everything Sarah stands for and does when it comes to food. This book is vegan, with over 100 beautiful, nourishing and incredibly tasty meals. Interestingly, it is laid out in 5 seasons - winter, spring, early summer, late summer and fall. All the recipes are seasonal and inspired by the produce that is available during those times of the year.  Follow along on Sarah’s IG for tips on how to eat and live well. 

Try the: Life Changing Loaf of Bread with Olives and Caraway, Spicy Tahini Dressing, Thai-Style Coconut Soup with Zucchini Noodles, The Raw Blondies, Blueberry Cardamom Chia Pudding, The Best Lentil Salad Ever

Old World Italian by Mimi Thorisson 
Oh Mimi Thorisson. Talk about the ultimate girl crush. If you’re not familiar with her (and her 8 children, 3 dogs and Icelandic photographer husband) you’re really missing out! She’s the quintessential ‘it’ girl of the food blogger world. Long revered for her traditional French cooking, this time, Mimi takes us on a journey to Italy, where she and her family decide to live for a year while writing and photographing this cookbook. All these recipes are classic, traditional Italian recipes. No cutting the cream amount in half, no gluten free pasta here. No, in Old World Italy, you get only the best!

Try the: carbonara, the eggplant parmesan, the broccoli pasta, the cacio e pepe

Soup for Syria by Barbara Abdeni Massaad
This book is also near and dear to my heart. I originally found it at the library, but loved it so much I bought a copy for myself. This cookbook is a compilation of soup recipes from acclaimed chefs and cookbook authors all over the world. It is a humanitarian project whose profits are donated to the UN Refugee Agency to provide urgently needed food relief for Syrian refugees. The soup recipes in this cook are some of my most frequently used recipes of all. 

‘The world has failed Syria's refugees and some of the world's wealthiest countries have turned their backs on this humanitarian disaster. Syria's neighbors—Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, and Iraq—have together absorbed more than four million refugees. The need for food relief is great and growing.’ - 2015

Try the: Carrot Ginger soup, Leek and Potato soup, Cream of Mushroom soup, Spicy Sweet Potato soup, Sweet Potato and Feta cheese soup, Roasted Pumpkin soup with Cardamom

Jerusalem by Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi

Any Ottolenghi cookbook is going to be great, but Jerusalem is a clear favourite for me. The photos are entrancing, the history of each region is in depth, and you will be completely lost for choice when deciding which recipe to make first. I was first introduced to this book back in 2014 when my fiancés brother cooked us a meal from this book and I thought he was the best home cook I’ve ever met.