Good Reads: 7(ish) Books About Food

It's Week Three in our "Good Reads" series (inspired by our bookshop-themed lookbook, pictured above), and this one's all about food. (If you follow us on Pinterest, you already know how much we love food. And if you're curious about our last two "Good Reads" round-ups, go here and here.) What we eat shapes our life--and it seems that now, more than ever, we're hearing about new approaches to eating, be it about operating under a strict gluten-free diet, or embracing plant-based foods only. Perhaps you're more about discovering exotic recipes from afar, or on a hunt for the most mind-blowing cupcake out there. Either way, our round-up of top cook books and food books touch on it all, from healthy eating tips to guilty pleasures. *Where does the 7-"ish" in this blog post's title come from, you ask? See recommendation #3. 1. Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi & Sami Tamimi Why You Should Read It: I'm a pretend chef and I read cookbooks in bed, so choosing my fave cookbook was almost impossible, but I really love Jerusalem. Now highly acclaimed chefs, the authors are former residents of Jerusalem. This book takes us into the backstreets of Jerusalem where diverse Muslim, Jewish and Christian communities serve up dishes inspired by years of history. The photographs are stunning. The recipes are beyond my imagination - and yet simple enough to follow. Expect hummus wars, spices with names like za'atar, and a trip to a specialty grocery store to find the ingredients. - Kendall, Co-founder 2. BabyCakes by Erin McKenna Why You Should Read It: The other part to that title is, "Vegan, (Mostly) Gluten-Free, and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York's Most Talked-About Bakery." Need I say more? - Breanne, Customer Insights Associate 3. Family Recipes by My Mom Why You Should Read It: Keep it secret, keep it safe. - Daelan, Developer 4. The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer Why You Should Read It: The only cookbook you will ever need and the ultimate kitchen resource. - Justine, Co-founder 5. Avoca Cafe by Huge Arnold and Georgia Glynn Why You Should Read It: I "borrowed" this cookbook from my mum when I moved away from home and have never given it back, purely because it holds the one recipe for cheesecake that I continually whip up at social events. (It makes everyone think I'm awesome at baking, when in reality, it's the one and only cake I ever make.) There's also great soup recipes, beautiful, colourful photos and thin crust pizza's I'm vowing to try. - Caroline, Community Manager 6. Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr Why You Should Read It: I discovered Kris Carr while watching the eye-opening documentary Hungry For Change on Netflix. First of all, everyone should watch this documentary. It explores the disaster that is the North American food industry, as we fill ourselves with empty calories, are starving for nutrients and addicted to sugar (which is like crack and in pretty much EVERYTHING processed). Kris Carr is a 30-something woman who has lived with cancer for just over 10 years and upon diagnosis really educated herself on nutrition and now lives a lifestyle that keeps her cancer in check. Her book breaks down the basics of nutrients and what your body really needs to be healthy, in an upbeat and concise way. What I like so much about her advice is how realistic she is—though really promoting a largely plant-based lifestyle, she acknowledges that people may choose to integrate animal products and may indulge every so often, but that's fine. It's a sort of "here's the facts, use your judgement" kind of approach. It was a fast read and has made me really conscious of what I'm putting in my mouth. It comes with a 21-day cleanse and many recipes. I look forward to getting her Crazy Sexy Kitchen cookbook. - Monica, Brand Design Manager 7. Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr Why You Should Read It: On that note - I highly recommend Crazy Sexy Kitchen! I love this cookbook for it's creative and delicious vegan dishes. I never knew (mostly) vegetables could make such elaborate dishes, and the photography in this book is beautiful. - Danielle, Customer Care Intern