The holiday season is upon us, and I know everyone will be pulling out their favourite Christmas cookbooks looking for inspiration. I’d love you all to share your favourite dishes from your own favourite holiday cookbooks in December.
This is part of the Christmas display at The Plaza Hotel, in New York City – where I just happened to be last weekend!
Welcome to December, my lovely cookbook addicts – hasn’t this rushed up on us?! I love Christmas cooking – I’m very happy to be turning out (and eating) all those special baking treats, and interesting things that I don’t get around to at other times of the year. I’m currently making my way back to Australia after spending several weeks visiting my son who lives in Philadelphia, and I’m very much looking forward to getting back into my kitchen. Along with the rest of the members of the Lambs Ears Cookbook Club, I will be cooking from ANY of the Christmas cookbooks we love for this month.
If any of you are like me, you will have a couple (or more) Christmas cookbooks that you rely on at this time of year to recreate seasonal favourites for family and friends. I adore flicking through my seasonal books, making lists of dishes to prepare or gifts to share, and don’t ever limit myself to one book. I have a couple of utterly reliable standbys, and am easily tempted to any worthwhile new publications, so I don’t expect any of you to limit yourself to just one cookbook for December.
And I know we don’t all celebrate Christmas, but most of us have special seasonal festivals at or around this time of year that we celebrate. I’m totally happy for cookbook club members to share dishes from whatever their favourite respective holiday cookbooks may be.
What Did We Cook in November?
Lots of us (well, not me – I was in the USA) gave our November cookbook, What Can I Bring by Sophie Hansen, a good workout. Sophie’s recipes are popular for a very good reason – they are always delicious, well tested and thoroughly reliable. Here’s what some of our members shared. Join our Facebook group to check out even more.
Vicki Taylor’s Broccoli Spoon Salad
Lisa Kenneally’s Spicy Confit Chickpeas
Carolyn Miles was a hit at a 21st with her sausage rolls!
My fave – Kate Walter’s Chocolate Cake
So – What’s Coming Up For January?
I’m very excited about the January cookbook selection. It’s from one of Australia’s most popular foodie characters, and a great cook. I think Alice Zaslavsky’s Salad for Days is the perfect January cookbook, when the weather is hot and we are all desperate for fresh, and refreshing, dishes to serve either family or friends. It did also occur to me that the veggie-heavy recipes in it are also a splendid antidote for any possible over-indulging that might have occurred as a result of having a bit too much fun with the Christmas cookbooks.
I’ve had it on my kitchen table for a few months now, and every recipe I’ve had from it has been a cracker. I’ve talked at least two friends of mine into buying it, and both have been thrilled with the dishes they’ve tried. I really think this is one that you are going to want to keep close to hand – maybe add it to your Christmas gift suggestion list?
I’ll be announcing the 2025 whole-year cookbook in my December post, so keep an eye out for that one while you’re all lying about in post-celebratory food comas.
In the meantime, please start sharing from your Christmas cookbooks – I know that you are all out in the kitchen, so let’s see what you are up to!
So far, 2024 has looked like this –
The whole year cookbook is The Food Saver’s A-Z – The Essential Cornersmith Kitchen Companion by Alex Elliott-Howery and Jaimee Edwards
December – Any of your favourite Christmas cookbooks
November – What Can I Bring? by Sophie Hansen
October – $10 Meals with Chelsea by Chelsea Goodwin
September – A Plant-Based Farmhouse by Cherie Hausler
August – Now & Then by Tessa Kiros
July – The Tinned Tomatoes Cookbook by Samuel Goldsmith
June – The Naked Chef and any other Jamie Oliver cookbook
May – Easy Wins by Anna Jones
April – Your choice from any ONE book you have
March – Recipes for a Lifetime of Beautiful Cooking by Danielle Alvarez with Libby Travers
February – Any recipes from the late Bill Granger, either from his books or online
January – Kindred by Maria and Eva Konescny
Please note, Australian online bookseller Booktopia is back in business. If you purchase any of these cookbooks from my links, you will get a great price, and I will get a very small commission.
[mc4wp_form id="16750"]
