Quarantine Cookbook Recommendations

I don’t know about you guys, but I have been cooking a ton during quarantine. It’s been refreshing (excluding the mountain of dishes…). It’s like my art project for the day. It’s also given me the opportunity to go through my not-so-small collection of cookbooks and try things I’ve never done before. In case you’ve been looking for some solid new ones to purchase, here are some recommendations from chez Spencer.

Chrissy Teigen’s Cravings and Cravings: Hungry For More

It’s easy to dismiss celebrity cookbooks—most are shameless cash grabs—but these are not. Well, they might be, but they’re worth buying. Don’t believe me? Ask chef Brian Moxey. He’ll tell you the same thing. Both of these cookbooks are full of ‘craveable’ dishes, which is fitting considering their titles. Almost every dish in the book sounds like something I’d want to make, and very few of them are a long time commitment. Her chunky creamy mushroom soup (with no dairy) is a winter favorite of mine. I just opened the cookbook to John’s fried chicken wings with spicy honey butter and BRB going to eat some wings.

Ivan Orkin’s The Gaijin Cookbook

I love Japanese food. So much. When I discovered takoyaki (basically pancake balls filled with octopus, ginger, crispy bits, scallions, etc.), my whole life changed. Then I met takoyaki’s larger, more impressive brother, the okonomiyaki. And now, thanks to Ivan, I have nearly perfected the cabbage and meat filled pancake, smothered in okonomi sauce, Kewpie mayo, and dancing flecks of bonito. Okonomiyaki has become almost a weekly addition to my menus. Life is good. Besides okonomiyaki, this cookbook is a great intro to making Japanese food at home and developing a sense for the flavors of Japan without being overwhelmed with new techniques and ingredients.

Michael Solomonov’s Zahav and Israeli Soul

Things I am planning on doing in the near future: going to Philadelphia and eating (almost) all my meals at Michael Solomonov’s restaurants. He has completely redefined my views on the Jewish cooking I more or less grew up with. So many dishes in both of these cookbooks are amazing—make Zahav’s lamb shoulder for a dinner party and drink up the accolades—but my absolute favorite is his falafel. I’ve never had a better falafel than the ones I’ve made using his recipe. The flavor is incredible, the texture is perfect. That recipe is in Israeli Soul and I think you should make it as soon as you possibly can. Here’s a video of him making it so you can see how easy it is.

Bonnie Frumkin Morales’ Kachka

Unlike Solomonov, I’m an Ashkenazi Jew, meaning my family comes mostly from Eastern Europe & Russia, rather than the Middle East or Mediterranean. Instead of getting to grow up falafel, pita, and kibbeh, we had stuff like noodle kugel, borscht, and gefilte fish. Bummer. In my head, Eastern European food was boring and plain, mostly made up of root vegetables, potatoes, and cabbage. Then I went to Kachka in Portland. Good god. That single meal completely shifted my thoughts on Russian cuisine. It’s delicate and thoughtful, taking mostly simple ingredients and combining them into something bursting with flavor—not unlike what Balkan Treat Box does. I was embarrassed for generalizing and putting down an entire cuisine. I’ve yet to make the Russian dumplings (pelmeni) that my dad and I absolutely demolished in Portland, but that will be changed shortly.

Jim Lahey’s Sullivan Street Bakery Cookbook and My Bread

Before there was Ted Wilson, there was Jim Lahey. And there still is Jim Lahey. You can probably find him at his NYC bakery, baking loaves of bread that are at least 10 times better than anything you or I have made at home during quarantine. My Bread is a great intro to bread making; I’m particularly fond of it because of how many no-knead recipes there are in it. I hate kneading. I am a lazy baker. If I can set it and forget it for 18 hours, I’d rather do that. Sullivan Street Bakery Cookbook includes more savory dishes that the bakery sells, so it’s not just bread. He also has My Pizza, which is nice, but not as useful as these two.

Melissa Martin’s Mosquito Supper Club

A few weeks back, I was complaining to my friend Mary that I didn’t have so many of my grandma’s recipes from when we were growing up. She lost a majority of her recipes years ago during a move, and being that she’s 90 years old, she doesn’t do much cooking these days. Mary, knowing that my grandma is from New Orleans, recommended a cookbook I’d never heard of: Mosquito Supper Club. I didn’t know who Melissa Martin was, I didn’t know that Mosquito Supper Club was the name of a restaurant in New Orleans. I knew nothing, but I went ahead and bought it anyway and I couldn’t be more glad that I did. This book is killer. Proof: I surprised my grandma with Martin’s shrimp stew recipe last week and, while she gave me a few tips for next time, it got 98% of her approval. And my grandma isn’t one to mince words about food.

George Calombaris’ Greek

I think Masterchef USA is incredibly dumb and overproduced, but Masterchef Australia is great. It’s just talented home cooks pushing themselves, not unlike The Great British Bake Off. After watching a few episodes where one of the judges, George Calombaris, showed off some of his Greek restaurant’s dishes, I was intrigued. In St. Louis, we have very limited Greek options, and outside of Bourdain and Andrew Zimmern shows, I really had no frame of reference for what modern Greek food could be. This cookbook is it. There are some wild dishes in here, mixing the traditional with the modern—like lamb brain ‘chicken nuggets’. But most of all, it’s just fun, out of the box dishes you might expect at a place like Taste Bar.

A (Short) Portland, OR Guide

I spent two weeks in Portland, Oregon this summer. I fully expected to come home determined to move up there to live a flannel-covered life.

That was not the case. The city is…fine. It has a great food and drink scene, and I don’t think a trip to Portland is complete without visiting Washington Park (think of it like their Forest Park; it’s home to the Oregon Zoo, the Portland Japanese Garden, the International Rose Test Garden, and more).

My recommendation: go up there with a day or two of solid eating and drinking planned, then get out of town. Spend your time in the woods, on the coast, or drinking copious amounts of wine in the Willamette Valley. Scroll down to see some of the places we went.

There a few places we ate at where I didn’t have my camera on hand that are worth mentioning.

Lardo: What I imagine a future Bolyard’s sandwich shop will look like. These sandwiches were glorious, and picking was nearly impossible. I went with their pork meatball banh mi, which will never let anyone down, but their special “chefwich” of the month was absolutely the winner: thinly cut steak, grilled, then tossed with chimchurri, along with fried green tomatoes and pimento cheese. Perfection.

Departure: Located on the top floor of the swanky Nines Hotel, Departure feels like a giant spaceship. I mean this literally: the restaurant design seems like some kind of 1960s-meets-2000s space vessel. The bathrooms, with their aluminum walls and neon lights, look like some lost sets from Blade Runner. Chef Gregory Gourdet’s (who you may recognize from Top Chef) menu primarily riffs off of Chinese and Japanese fare, with things like tataki, smoked octopus, and koji-brined chicken. It wasn’t my favorite spot in town, but the atmosphere is neat and the drinks were excellent.

Le Pigeon: Every single chef I talked to told me I had to go to Pigeon, and after going, I get it. This tiny restaurant— 24 seats, maybe?—looks like it came straight from Paris. The chefs are cooking in the dining room, actually. Had I realized this, I would have requested a seat at the bar so I could watch them in action. This place will mess you up with food, though. They’re taking all the richness of French food, adding some contemporary American flair to it, then using that to fatten you up like a foie gras duck. Our meal was impeccable: a seared foie gras and escargot starter, a spicy pork ribeye with chorizo gravy, then their foie-on-foie-on-foie profiteroles for dessert. Then I had a heart attack and died.

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KACHKA

I’m a firm believer that we’re entering a period of time where the best restaurants are the ones where chefs are cooking simple food based on what they grew up on. That deeply engrained knowledge combined with the techniques they’ve learned in culinary school or on the job often lead to the most memorable, satiating dishes. Kachka is one of the only contemporary Russian restaurants in the U.S., and wow, does it hit the mark. The interior mixes modern design with a Soviet-era home, making you feel a bit like you’re on a movie set. The menu is heavy on small plates—cold dishes, hot dishes, dumplings, skewers, and then a few mains. My recommendations: the classic Siberian Pelmeni dumplings and the lamb lyulyakebabs. Splurge on some caviar if you’re feeling particularly oligarchic (we did the Tsar Nicoulai Select white sturgeon).

PINE STREET MARKET

The Pine Street Market is a food hall located on Pine Street. What’s particularly nice about this one is that a number of the restaurants inside come from Portland’s heavy hitters. Grab NY-style pizza and pastries from Ken Forkish’s Checkerboard pizza, soft serve from Salt & Straw’s Wiz Bang Bar, Spanish-style rotisserie chicken from Josh Scofield’s Pollo Bravo, all the meats from Olympia Provisions, and more.

Olympia Provisions Public House

Pollo Bravo

Gado Gado

When I saw there was a brand new modern Indonesian restaurant open, I knew I had to go. The menu was a good mix of traditional fare and modern interpretations, some within the same dish, like the Roti Canai served with curry or coconut creamed corn. The dishes are fairly small, which makes it another great choice if you’re willing to share. End your meal with their Kaya Cake—this sweet coconut and pandan custard tasted exactly like the shops in Singapore. I wish I hadn’t shared my piece.

Coca Cola Crawfish

Kaya Cake

PORTLAND MERCADO

I can’t recommend a trip to the Mercado enough. This Latino-focused incubator helps entrepreneurs refine their business plans, raise funding, and more—plus, it’s full of great food. The interior has a few businesses, plus a bar, but the nine food stalls outside are where it’s at. There’s Oaxacan, Puerto Rican, Brazilian, Peruvian, and more. I went twice; Tierra Del Sol’s mole tacos plus a plate of Que Bacano’s Colombian patacones will not let you down.

Tierra del Sol: Tlayuda

Qué Bacano!: Patacones

BAR CASA VALE

God, St. Louis needs Spanish food.

Bar Casa Vale takes the amazing local seafood, meat, and produce, and serves it up Spanish style. For the St. Louisans reading this, think Taste Bar if it was in San Sebastian. We loaded up on the tapas—it was one of those meals where the final bites were accompanied by groans—but I would go back there in a heartbeat. The patatas bravas were crunchy, spicy, creamy…pretty much everything you want from fried potatoes. The fried frog legs with chimichurri and grilled lemon were the best I can remember having. But those Spanish cheese fritters…my lord. They give Dia’s Cheese Bread a run for its money. These manchego and mahon filled golf balls might be the single best bite I had in Portland.

Gambas a la Plancha: kauai prawns, chile, scallion

Fried Frog Legs: chimichurri, grilled lemon

Spanish Cheese Fritters: manchego, mahon, romesco, preserved lemon

Patatas Bravas: brava sauce, aioli, scallions, cilantro

JETTY FISHERY & The oregon Coast

Get the f out of town. Seriously. We drove through the Tillamook Forest, which was stunning, then hit up Cape Meares, Rockaway Beach, and Cannon Beach. Incredible. Apparently, a lot of famous writers rent these coastal homes in winter so they can find inspiration in isolation. I think I’m going to try it this year. I’ll return to St. Louis with memoirs: Coal Miners, Diners, and Dives.

We stopped at a place called The Jetty Fishery in Rockaway Beach for lunch. I’d seen it written about a few places online as a no-frills, seaside spot to grab some freshly seafood. We were not disappointed. On the day we were there, they had fresh Dungeness crabs, oysters, and clams, so we got a few pounds of each. You just tell the guys in the shack what you want, they grab them out of a huge tank and throw them into the massive cauldron of boiling water behind them. Fifteen minutes later, they call out your number and you get to eat it right on the shore, throwing all your spent shells into the ocean. The clams dipped in the crab fat *chef’s kiss*.

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Washington Park

In between your huge meals, you should probably get some exercise. Head to Washington Park and visit the epic Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden that will transport you to Kyoto, the Oregon Zoo, and more.

The Olive Blvd. Eating Guide

Eating on Olive Boulevard

Some say that the county is a depressing wasteland full of chain restaurants, McMansions, and white women who inexplicably voted for Donald Trump. Those people are...not really wrong. But as a county resident, I can tell you that there are a fair number of 'hidden gem' restaurants, especially on Olive Blvd. and Manchester. Here's my guide to eating on Olive, driving West to East, starting right along the Chesterfield/Creve Coeur border.

Seoul Taco

Start your journey down Olive with a visit to St. Louis' most delicious Korean-Mexican fusion. It's just like the one in the Loop, but substitute college students for high schoolers and the elderly. If you're looking to treat yo self/eat your feelings, I recommend the gogi fries with spicy pork. Chesterfield now sucks 3% less.

Red Hots Albasha

This is a confusing restaurant. For something like 30 years, it was a Classic Red Hots, serving typical Chicago foods like hot dogs and Italian beef. It still does that, but it's also an Arab restaurant, serving dishes like shish kebabs, schwarma, and kefta. Don't let the untouched 90s interior scare you off—the Arab food (especially the kibbeh) is solid. I can't speak for the Colossal Dog.

Red Hots Albasha: Hummus & Kibbeh

Kim cheese

Another Korean-Mexican fusion spot with the bonus of a drive-thru window. Dishes range from healthy, like their bibimbap bowls, to gluttonous, with their football sized extra-large burritos. Stick with the spicy pork or bulgogi beef.

Addie’s Thai House

Some nights you're just too lazy to drive out to Fork & Stix for your curry fix. Addie's isn't on the same level, but pretty much anything cooked with coconut milk and curry paste is going to be tasty.

Kim Cheese Bulgogi Bowl

Kim’s Bakery

Kim's is St. Louis' only Korean bakery and goddamn is it tasty. Aside from their cakes and a few other more ornate desserts, everything is individually packaged and set out on a shelf so you can just grab and go. Anything made with their buttery, pillowy dough is worth buying. And the hilariously named "fistball," which is like breadpudding and a baseball had a baby.

Pita Plus

I have had the same conversation with the owner of Pita Plus since I was in high school. "Hello, what you want? Falafel very good. Israeli salad. Hummus. You like? Okay. Pita, white or wheat? You want burreka? Made fresh. Here. Very good. Spinach, good for you." Do what he says. Get the falafel (I've found none better in St. Louis), and treat yourself to a flakey burreka too. You're worth it.

Pita Plus Falafel Platter

Joo Joo Korean

For traditional Korean food, you don't have a ton of options. Basically here, Joo Joo Korean, and Asian Kitchen Korean Cuisine. Both are on Olive. Both are sparsely decorated. Both have a staff that doesn't really care about your wants and needs. Joo Joo is bigger and a little nicer, plus it has a shrine to former Cardinal pitcher Seung-hwan Oh. Bonus: it has karaoke rooms.

Wudon K-BBQ

With the demise of Seoul Q (I'm still broken up about this), I worried it would be years before St. Louis got another contemporary K-BBQ spot, but then Wudon came out of nowhere. I didn't have high hopes because every other restaurant that's opened in that spot has been garbage, but this is one of those rare occasions where I was wrong. It's good, especially if you've got no self control.

Joo Joo black bean noodles

Asia Market

Not a restaurant, but a small wonderland of...stuff. The shop is like a tiny Seafood City, minus the seafood, but it's solid if you're in a pinch for Asian ingredients and don't feel like driving into UCity. A third of the shop seems to change with the seasons; sometimes it's full of winter coats, sometimes it's full of pans, and sometimes it's just empty.

Gobblestop Smokehouse

If you like smoked poultry, this is the place for you, since that's pretty much all they have. Get a plate of turkey ribs for yourself and some chicken wings for the table. Service can be confusingly slow (isn't the turkey already smoked? what's taking so long to get it from the kitchen to my mouth?), but that's the punishment you get for trying to be healthy.

Dave & Tony’s

Often overlooked, Dave & Tony's has all your typical American restaurant favorites, like hot dogs, nachos, beer, and, most importantly, tasty burgers for a reasonable price. Most things are made in-house using high quality ingredients. A good lunch choice.

Ani’s Hyderbadi House

I have been going to Ani's for years and still have no idea what the hell is going on in this restaurant. The TV is usually blaring Indian films or soap operas, the menu has 10,000 things on it without any descriptions, they straight up don't make huge chunks of said menu, and yet I return. Why? Because the food is good.

Oishi Sushi

Good sushi is hard to come by in St. Louis, period. I've been going to Oishi since my high school days—the family the owns it also has United Provisions, Global Foods, and The King & I—because the fish is always fresh and they have one of the best pad thai's in town. Also, no rolls are lit on fire or served in a sexy tinfoil canoe, which is always a positive.

Gioia’s Deli

Say no to Potbelly's and Jimmy John's and yes to hot salami. Tell your office to have them cater your next event. Take a nap under your desk afterwards.

5 Star Burger

The same 5 Star Burger that you know and love from Kirkwood (RIP) and Clayton. Burgers. Fries. Beer.

Nudo House

Nudo House is Qui Tran's all-encompassing quick service Asian restaurant. The ramen bowls are the star (especially the shockingly good Shroomed Out vegetarian bowl), but the restaurants menu offers pho, banh mi sandwiches, soft serve ice cream, and tons of specials.

Bagel Factory

Everyone knows that St. Louis has garbage bagels. At the top of garbage bagel mountain sits Bagel Factory, though I wouldn't go out of your way to get them (maybe just pop by if you’re on your way to Nudo).

Seoul Garden

The well-respected St. Ann Korean BBQ restaurant has opened a second location right by AMC Creve Coeur theatre. It's good.

Sugarfire

The OG Sugarfire location. Expect a line, but don’t worry, it moves quickly.

Pho Long

Not my favorite pho in town, but certainly not a bad bowl. If you work or live nearby and are craving spring rolls and some hot soup, it's worth a visit.

Tai Ke

Hell yeah, Tai Ke. My favorite casual Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant in town. There's a good reason that it's hard to get a seat in here for lunch and dinner: the flavors are bright, full of lots of fresh herbs, there are daily specials, and the menu ranges from small, wonderfully unhealthy street snacks to shareable entrees. The Three Cup chicken is my go-to.

Tai Ke Chili Chicken Stir Fry

Asian Kitchen Korean

You know when you go to a Korean restaurant and they give you those little plates of snacks called banchan? Asian Kitchen gives you somewhere around 350 different ones. I can guarantee you will not leave hungry. It's a little rougher around the edges than Joo Joo, but I'd argue the food is better, overall.

Royal Chinese BBQ

Go for the roasted meats, skip everything else.

Royal Chinese BBQ

Tang Palace

Formerly known as Jia Xiang, it's a small spot across the street from LuLu's Seafood. The kind of place where you look at what the old ladies next to you are eating and just say, "I want that."

Cate Zone

The sexy newcomer to UCity's Chinese restaurants. A good deal of Szechuan dishes, but much more refined than what you'd find at Famous Szechuan Pavilion back in the day (not to mention much cleaner). Go with a group so you can try more things; a lot of menu items are too big for one person.

Frank & Helen’s

Are these pizzas underrated? I don't know. No one talks about Frank and Helen's. I think they're pretty good. They've been open for like 60 years, so they must be doing something right.

Wonton King

Weekend dim sum. 'Nuff said.

STL Soup Dumplings

Everyone liked Private Kitchen's soup dumplings, so they decided to open a soup dumpling shop next door. The menu is extremely limited, so if you don't like soup dumplings, don't go.

Private Kitchen

The most high-end Chinese restaurant in St. Louis. Reservations are required, and you need to pre-order your meal (see their Facebook page). Food and service are both casual, though, so don't come thinking you're in for a romantic evening

Squirrel fish at Private Kitchen

Mad Crab

Get your hands dirty and eat a mountain of crabs, crawfish, shrimp, or pretty much any other type of seafood. You pick the sauce, you pick the heat level, then you go to town.

Olive Supermarket & Seafood City

Two of the best and largest Asian markets in town. Both have similar offerings, though Olive Supermarket has the advantage of selling some freshly made pastries, too.

Your Favorite Restaurants & Dishes: St. Louis, 2018

Inspired by a Twitter post I saw about Chicago restaurants, I decided to ask: “Out of all the restaurants in St. Louis, what would be your top 5 food items (and where)?”

The response was overwhelming, and I ended up with 712 individual dish responses (because some people can’t count to five). Answers were all over the board, though a few dishes reigned supreme. The top list are the most named restaurants and the second list are the most named individual dishes. Places like Union Loafers received votes for everything from their pizza rossa to their soups to the sandwiches, while places like Fork & Stix pretty much only received votes for a single dish (explaining how they are not in the favorite restaurants list, but are at the top of the dish list).

Without further adieu, here are the restaurants you named the most.

Your favorite restaurants

1. Union Loafers

top dish: little gem salad

2. Mac’s Local Eats

top dish: burger (duh)

3. Pastaria

top dish: Salume Beddu nduja pizza

4. Louie

top dish: gnocco

5. Mai lee

top dish: pho

6. Grace

top dish: fried chicken

7. Nudo House

top dish: o’miso spicy/shroomed out [tie]

8. Balkan Treat Box

top dish: pide

9. Salt & Smoke

top dish: white cheddar cracker mac

10. Gioia’s

top dish: hot salami

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Your favorite dishes

Quotes from voters

1. Khao Soi

Fork & STix

“First, I love the color of the khao soi.  It's like a dreamcicle almost.  But it's the balance: Heat, curry, coconut, lime. The noodles are the perfect size and doneness, crunchy wontons break up the texture. Broth to noodle ratio is dead on. It's a perfectly balanced bowl of noodles. It’s my happy place”

2. Little Gem Salad

Union Loafers

“Loafers sprinkles some sort of magic dust on top because it's the only salad I've ever genuinely craved. And it appears I'm not alone.”

“I never imagined I’d live in a world where I’d pick a salad over a sandwich 9 times out of 10, but the little gem with bacon is the greatest salad on earth.

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3. Pho

mai Lee

“If I’m not feeling good or I’m having a crappy day, there are two things that I know will make me feel better: a bowl of Mai Lee’s pho and a hug from Qui Tran.”

4. Egg Salad

Olio

“I would never have thought to treat chicken eggs like salmon roe. Fluffed up, it is a perfect base for the flavors of its condiments, particularly the anchovies.”

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5. White Cheddar Cracker Mac

Salt + Smoke

“Cracker mac was the side that made my wife and I choose S&S to cater our wedding. The buttery cheesy sauce and the light crunch of the crackers makes it the perfect comfort food.”

“I never understood the hype around mac ’n’ cheese because it’s literally cheese on pasta, but then I had Salt + Smoke’s mac ’n’ cheese and I realized it’s so much more than that. So much more. It’s everything you want in your mouth at the same exact time.”

6. Classic Burger

Mac’s Local Eats

“The burger at Mac's is the complete deal. Starting with the lightest, fluffiest bun that's toasted not in butter, but lard. The combination makes them the perfect vehicle for the main event: the patties. Taking dry aged ground beef and smashing the hell out of it may seem sacrilegious, but doing so actually allows the Maillard reaction to do its best work, and creates the most unctuous burger patty you've ever had, with the crispiest edges ever. And that's it. Simplicity reigns supreme with this burger.”

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7. Pide

Balkan Treat box

“There is nothing else like a pide from Balkan. I dream about it. I’ll drive to the moon to get one”

“When I tried the Balkan pide filled with Stellar Hog brisket, I couldn’t believe what I was tasting. I fell in love, and every single thing I’ve had from BTB since has been incredible.”

8. Hot Salami

Gioia’s

“If there is a St Louis sandwich, it would have to be the Hot Salami from Gioia’s. It’s where I take out-of-towners when I want to show off.”

“My perfect Saturday involves eating a hot salami sandwich on garlic cheese bread, taking a nap, then eating the other half and crashing on the couch.”

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9. Fried Chicken

Grace Meat + Three

“I want to hug Ricky all the time because of his fried chicken.”

“I never saw myself as the kind of guy who could eat a bucket of chicken, but when it comes to Grace’s fried chicken, I just can’t stop. Especially the hot chicken.”

10. Roman Gnocco

Louie

“It’s like if you never had met your grandma and you went to your fiancée’s for Christmas and her NoNna came and gave you a big long hug with a huge smile on her face...and in that instant you learned what it is to have a grandma”

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Honorable mentions: Pizza Rossa [Union Loafers], RIP fries [Mac’s], Nduja Pizza [Pastaria], Flying PIg [Guerrilla Street Food], Classic Pizza [Union Loafers]

Cookbook Picks: Winter 2016

We are living in a digital world, and I am a digital girl—except when it comes to cookbooks. I'm a cookbook collector (and possibly a burgeoning hoarder). Last winter, I put up a list of 5 cookbooks I'd used the most in 2015, but seeing as my collection is growing at a rapid pace, I'm going to start posting quarterly recommendations. Unless I get bored and decide not to. No promises. I present to you: the Winter 2016 collection.

Plenty: Vibrant Vegetable Recipes

Yotam Ottolenghi

About 5 years ago, I went on a trip with my college friends to New Orleans. When I got home and they started posting pictures from the trip, I came to the realization that I was not the svelte panther I thought I was. I looked more like late 1970s Elvis Presley than 1950's Elvis. I went to a dietician who, in short, told me to stop eating garbage and start eating more vegetables.

But vegetables suck, I thought to myself. Ottolenghi's Plenty (and its follow up, Plenty More) changed the vegetable game for me. With these two books, I've become the vegetable master. I am the inspiration behind L' Arpége and Blue Hill.

Amazon link

Zahav: A World of Israeli Cooking

Michael Solomonovand Steven Cook

I'm Jewish, but I'm not a cool Israeli Jew. I'm not even a tan Sephardic Jew. I'm just a boring ol' Ashkenazi Jew. My Russian family recipes all involve beets, potatoes, and cabbage.

I bought the Zahav cookbook partially because it won a James Beard award for Best Cookbook, but mostly so I could cook Israeli food and pretend I was the Zohan. It worked. I blew everyone away at our Thanksgiving dinner with Solomonov's braised lamb shoulder with pomegranate molasses and chickpeas. Every single dish I've made so far has been a winner. I give this book 5/5 yarmulkes.

Amazon link

Greek

George Calombaris

Most Americans won't know who George Calombaris is, which is a shame. He's a good natured, extremely talented Greek-Australian chef from Down Under, and also the co-host of Masterchef Australia. Unlike its American and Canadian relatives, MC: 'stralia is not a giant stinking heap of bullshit drama. It's a great show.

Calombaris' new cookbook, Greek, isn't even being sold in the US. I don't know why. It's an incredible book full of modern—yet home cook friendly—Greek recipes. The photos are stunning, the writing is great, and the recipes work. It's a lot like this blog.

It keeps popping up at the Amazon link below for a variety of prices. I got it for $28, but now it's at $81. Keep your eyes peeled. If I find it somewhere cheaper, I'll let you know.

Amazon link

Singapore Food

Wendy Hutton

The best Singaporean cookbook I've found. Originally published in the 1989, this cookbook has been my link back to the food I love so much. For many of the recipes, Hutton went to the hawker stalls or restaurants and straight up asked how they made their signature dishes. If you're at all interested in the real flavors of Singapore, get this. Alternatively, you can get The Little Singapore Cookbook, which is kind of like a "best of" from the larger book.

Chili crab will change your life.

Amazon link: Singapore Food or The Little Singapore Cookbook

Thai Street Food

David Thompson

This book is huge, just like your mom. If you're into coffee table books, this might as well be one with its enormous, bright street photography from all around Thailand. The shots of the food are equally beautiful. Thompson doesn't dumb down or simplify the recipes either: if you want to make authentic Thai food, you're going to need to buy a lot of ingredients. Make it a team effort. Get the kids chopping lemongrass.

The results are worth the effort.

Amazon link

5 Cookbook Necessities

Cookbooks are an easy gift for the holidays, but which ones to get? The onslaught of new cookbooks is never ending. My in-depth researched has taught me two things: avoid the new seasonal cookbook from your favorite Food Network 'chef' (it's like the crappy Christmas album bands put out) and stay away from celebrity cookbooks. I don't know why people think that recipes from Smash Mouth, Al Roker, or Kris Jenner are going to be good. They're not. Don't even get them as a 'funny' gift for a friend. They're just going to get thrown into the trash where they belong. You wouldn't buy Mario Batali's guide to tennis, would you?

Instead, you want to go for quality cookbooks. The kind that you'll be able to reference for years and years. Here are my recommendations for 5 great cookbooks that will make great gifts for your friends and family—or, better yet, for you.

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (IG, Twitter)

I would go so far as to say that this book is not only the best cookbook of 2015, but also a modern home cook necessity. Kenji Lopez-Alt is the Managing Culinary Director of Serious Eats, the best food website there is, and the work he put into this 1,000 page epic is nothing short of impressive. He explains the science behind his recipes and techniques, helping the home cook have a better understanding of what makes the food taste great.

If reading all those words is too hard, skip the explanations and just hit the recipes. I guarantee you'll see an increase in cooking compliments. Get this—it's the 21st century's Joy of Cooking.

Amazon, $27

the food lab cookbook kenji

The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

Deborah Madison

I was tired of scouring every cookbook and website for vegetable dishes that weren't just roasted or sauteed with some butter, which led me to Deborah Madison's vegetarian cooking bible. Finally, I could do something interesting with all my CSA veggies! A huge chunk of the 700-page book is separated by vegetable, which makes deciding what to do with that kohlrabi much easier.

The book also includes recipes for a plethora of sauces, dressings, desserts, and more. Just because it's vegetarian doesn't mean it's healthy. Just look at Prince Fielder!

Amazon, $28

cookbook vegetarian cooking madison

Hot and Hot Fish Club

Chris and Idie Hastings with Katherine Cross (IG, Twitter)

This is a must have for anyone looking to impress with fine Southern cooking. Multiple award winner Hot and Hot Fish Club is located in Birmingham, Alabama and owned by the husband and wife team of Chris and Idie Hastings. The book is uniquely separated by month, which results in recipes that are focused on showcasing the best of each season.

This isn't a book for the casual home cook. If you're the kind of person who likes to host dinners that your friends will talk about for weeks, this is for you.

Amazon, $30

chris hasting hot and hot fish club cookbook

Smoke And Pickles

Edward Lee (IG, Twitter)

This book came out in 2013, but I didn't get my hands on it until December 2014, just after a phenomenal meal at chef Ed Lee's Milkwood restaurant. I bought it for one reason: I needed to know how to make his "Black BBQ," an intense mix of Asian (black bean paste, sesame oil) and Southern (bourbon, cola) ingredients that resulted in a thick, spicy BBQ sauce. It has remained one of my secret weapons ever since.

The book is full of great stories and even better recipes, a mix of Asian and Southern food that speaks to me like few other combinations can. His Filipino adobo fried chicken and waffles is incredible, and his Bourbon-and-coke meatloaf has become a family staple.

Amazon, $18

chef ed lee smoke pickles cookbook

Tacos

Alex Stupak and Jordana Rothman (IG, Twitter)

I wasn't sure that a book solely focused on tacos was going to be worth getting, but boy, I was wrong. Stupak's writing reminds me of my own, so of course I enjoyed that, but his passion for tacos and creativity shine through. The first half the of the book runs through how to properly make corn and flour tortillas (including a version using raw chicken), as well as how to make a ton of salsas, moles, and other sauces.

The second half is taco focused, ranging from classics like carnitas and barbacoa to a cheeseburger taco, a buffalo chicken taco, and a pastrami taco. I'm slowly making my way through it, but everything I've made out of it so far has been incredibly delicious. Plus, Evan Sung's photos are amazing.

Amazon, $18

alex stupak jordana rothman tacos cookbook