Cookbooks, like chocolate are addictive to me.
I love making a cup of tea, sitting down and browsing a new cookbook to flag enticing recipes with yellow sticky notes.
I need a cookbook to have photos, not necessarily of the whole cooking process, but one great photo of the end result — what I am working towards.
I love a cookbook that is well organized; whether it be by course or by a specific ingredient so that I can find a recipe easily depending on what I am cooking.
A favourite cookbook of mine is The SoBo Cookbook which shares recipes from the Tofino Restaurant. If you’ve been to Tofino you know how beautiful it is. When I am on the coast, I seek out a fresh chowder.
If you are longing for a recipe of an unforgettable smoked salmon chowder, look no further. This book has great photos and stories about the locals who provide the SoBo restaurant with their own produce.
When a book has all of these components, it is like a virtual holiday to me.
Another series of cookbooks that I really enjoy is the Whitewater Cooks series which features delicious fresh recipes from the Fresh Tracks Café in Nelson, B.C.
Again, I enjoy the photographs and the personal stories and especially the Veggie Burgers made with black beans and lots of roasted nuts and seeds.
The Whitewater Granola Bars, made with peanut butter, coconut, nuts and chocolate are another favourite snack at our house.
My tried and true cookbooks are the Barefoot Contessa Series. I enjoy baking and have two favourite recipes from the Barefoot Contessa at Home book.
The Tri-Berry muffins are full of blueberries, raspberries and strawberries and are truly delicious.
The Lemon Yogurt cake is another staple loaf at our home. Using yogurt with oil instead of butter makes it a healthier loaf as well.
The library has a huge selection of cookbooks, really something for everyone.
If you have dietary restrictions, are vegan or diabetic or want to learn to cook Indian, Greek or Mexican food there is a cookbook for you.
There are books from your favourite Food Network TV chefs and TV shows like You Gotta Eat Here! featuring recipes from Canada’s hometown restaurants.
Drop by the library and seek out a cookbook and try something new in the kitchen.