Nothing makes me happier than cozying up with a big glass of red and a beautiful cookbook. At any given free moment, I can be seen tearing through them like a studious reader would inhale a novel, meticulously flagging recipes to add to the queue. At times, my closet friends would sometimes gift the same titles, which is then exciting to pass along the extra copy to a friend who has the same appreciation for aesthetics. These are a few that are currently front-in-center on my bookshelf that will surely make someone on your list just as happy.

Cook Beautiful ($20) – Athena Calderone’s blog Eye Swoon has always been one of my favorites but I was pleasantly surprised that the recipes and tablescapes in her book were not complicated and felt accessible.  The book is full of “simple ideas, thoughtfully executed”.

Jack’s Wife Freda ($20) – Instagram’s favorite restaurant makes you feel like you are at a friend’s table and their cookbook offers the same hints of familiarity. Personal notes from Maya and Dean Jankelowitz will have recipes like their Chicken Kebabs, Couscous and Green Hot Sauce feeling like family favorites in no time.

Cherry Bombe – The Cookbook ($17) – The perfect book for the female cook, this catalog of meals from some of the best female chefs includes both simple and more complicated recipes, giving any at home cook a place to start and something to strive for. Bonus* the pink cover will look beautiful on your kitchen shelf.

Eat Beautiful ($27) – Makeup artist Wendy Rowe shares recipes to have you glowing from the inside out. The beautiful rose colored book is filled with tips, recipes and thoughtful explanations of why great skin starts with a healthy gut and how to get that glow.

The Art of French Baking ($33) – Your go-to guide for all of your french baking dreams. From éclairs and soufflés to madeleines and macarons, Ginette Mathiot’s primer is simple and easy to follow – a must when in the kitchen and covered in flour.

Food52 A New Way To Dinner ($20) – A playbook to help you prepare dinner ahead of the week, Food52’s guide has us taking a break from Hello Fresh and trying out some new recipes. Even if you don’t want to follow the guide there are easy dinner favorites – like stuck-pot rice with creamed kale and a fried egg. 

The Glow ($22)- Not a cookbook but a beautiful picture of motherhood; albeit a very aspirational one, this inspiring book does highlight the balance of the great and not so great moments as a mother and is the perfect place to escape to when you need a little encouragement.

Article by: Jillian Greenberg | Photography & styling: Juley Le