Cookbooks on shelves // N°1
Last week, on our first wedding anniversary, I found calm and satisfaction in shelling eggs—an often messy everyday act, listening to the shallow sound of rustling leaves mixed with the mild cinkling of stainless steel. I failed to remember the last time I ate a slow breakfast, surrounded by nature, and most importantly, people who equally cherished it. It was at our little hotel patio in Palm Springs on a weekday.
I felt similar warmth while reading Grains for Every Season, and a few hours later, features from issue 08 of The Gourmand. I was sitting on the desk facing the trees in the reading deck at my local library, with the initial intention of planning next week's menu. That’s the thing with books about food, I thought, when written with the same love, warmth, and invitation as cooking a hearty meal for the ones you love. Allowing you to take a momentary pause before you immerse yourself in your fast-paced daily routine or in the extensive course of cooking your favourite meal.
Like any fellow epicurean gourmand, I love food journals—for the stories they share, recipes documented, and the creative choices that deepen the reading experience. This series is a collection of books I am reading, hope to buy, would love to gift, or simply browse on my daily walks to Barnes & Noble. It’s an appreciation of the craft of writing and designing a cookbook.
N°1
The Silver Spoon (Classic Edition):
(Published 2019 in English by Phaidon Press)
The Silver Spoon (Classic Edition): Published 2019 in English by Phaidon Press -
Design: Julia Hasting @julia.hasting
One of the most beautifully designed and meticulously written books, the minimal packaging is an example of quiet luxury. I fell in love with the elegant, impeccable details from the top left corner of the glossary design to the minor recipe notes. And it would be unfair to end this without the mention of the cloth bound with a debossed silver painted spoon.
Grains for Every Season by Joshua McFadden:
(Published 2021, by Artisan Books)
Design: Toni Tajima
Illustrations: Michael Hoeweler @michaelhoeweler
Food styling: Ashley Marti
You have to own, feel and read this book to really familiarise yourself with the delightful experience it brings to the table; pun intended. For me, the special foldout sections with simple, colourful illustrations and type make for a highlight.
Third Culture Cooking by Zaynab Issa
(Published 2025, by Abrams)
Design: Sebit Min @sebitmin
Food stylist: Pearl Jones @mpearljones
Photo credit used in feature: @zaynab_issa
Food styling steals the show, and how very rightly so. It’s delicate, instantly inviting you to slow down, immerse yourself in the cultural anecdotes, and cook a heartwarming meal for a restful Friday evening—a delightful example of a contemporary cookbook design.
