People have told me that I am hard to shop for but I disagree. I am the easiest person to shop for, just offer me a plane ticket and I will be happy! Just kidding, of course (unless you really want to!). Seriously though, nothing makes me happier than a book… a cookbook, more specifically. Yes it’s true that I have (ahem) quite a few of them and that they are invading my home slowly but surely but I get so excited when I receive one! I usually have a pile of new (or old) acquisitions on the floor near my bed and I cannot wait to dive into them, flip the pages and linger on each recipe and photo. The greatest cookbooks are the ones that not only contain recipes but also tell a story, like the Joe Beef or Momofuku books.

If you have someone like me in your entourage, then the following suggestions are sure to be a hit with food and wine lovers this holiday season. And who knows, they may use the book you gift them to make you a fabulous meal!

Passion chocolat: L’étonnante aventure du cacao
Geneviève Grandbois (in French)

This large-format book is a must for all chocolate lovers! Montreal-based chocolate maker Geneviève Grandbois tells the story of cocoa (and chocolate) through its historic ascendance and its legendary virtues. She takes us on a sweet trip from the tropical locations where cocoa is grown all the way to the chocolate bar at your local store. Recipes, techniques and gorgeous photography are all part of this delicious, chocolate-filled journey!

Available on indigo.ca and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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Le Miel: L’art des abeilles, l’or de la ruche
Anne-Virginie Schmidt and Anicet Desrochers (in French)

I have, what I would describe as, a pathological fear of bees. I run, I scream, I bat my arms, you name it, I do it, whenever I see one flying around (and by “one” I mean anything that buzzes and stings). I also love honey so when I received this book, I cracked it open while standing in my kitchen and cringed at the close ups of the beastly creatures inside. Then I started reading… and I couldn’t stop. I read 20 pages standing up, then I took it to bed with me and I read the rest almost in one shot! It’s a beautiful book about a fascinating – and terrifying! – insect and the passionate people behind some of the best honey in Quebec, if not North America. Part science, part nature and part recipe book, this is definitely one of the best I’ve read this year.

Available on indigo.ca and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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D.O.M.: Rediscovering Brazilian Ingredients
Alex Atala

Brazil is on my short list of places I want to visit soon partly because of this man, chef Alex Atala. Hi restaurant D.O.M is number 6 on the San Pellegrino World’s 50 Best restaurant list. He is known for using local ingredients only – particularly from the amazon forest – paired with classic techniques to create a unique cuisine. His newly-released beautiful book is all about those uniquely Brazilian ingredients that Atala has helped the whole country – and the world – rediscover and praise.

Available on Amazon.com and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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Le Carnet rouge
Josée Di Stasio (in French)

The one word that comes to mind when I flip through this little red book is “cozy”. It’s a great little holiday guide by Montreal TV star Josée Di Stasio filled with recipes and tips for any and all occasions: tea time, “cocooning”, edible gifts, etc. Some of the recipes are Di Stasio’s and some are borrowed from friends and local chefs like Racha Bassoul (chef of the new defunct Anise), Seth Gabrielse (chef at FoodLab who shares his to-die-for recipe for meat tourtière!) and Marie-Fleur St Pierre (chef at Tapeo), among others.

Available on indigo.ca and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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Pomegranates & Pine Nuts
Bethany Kehdy

I have written a full review of this book here, including a delicious eggplant recipe. Written by my friend Bethanny Kehdy of Dirty Kitchen Secrets, Pomegranates & Pine Nuts (also known as The Jewelled Kitchen in Europe) is perfect for the food lover on your list, especially if they love the fresh flavours of the Mediterranean.

Available on Amazon.com and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes
Daniel Humm and Will Guidara

Not long after publishing their Eleven Madison Park cookbook, authors Daniel Humm and Will Guidara were already hard at work on this book, which was published in the spring. Very different from their first book but equally beautiful, this book focuses on the New York state producers that restaurants Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad work with every day. A few of these hard-working people are featured in the book and recipes are developed based on their products. I Love New York celebrates the New York state farming heritage with beautiful photography, passionate writing and recipes that are accessible to all.

Available on Amazon.com and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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The Mixeur guides (in French)
100 restaurants créatifs à Montréal – Sylvie Berkowicz & Jean-Philippe Tastet
100 boutiques gourmandes à Montréal – Sylvie Berkowicz & Sophie Suraniti
100 cafés, lunch, brunch à Montréal – Sylvie Berkowicz

If I were to write guides on Montreal, they would probably resemble these which are written (in French) by some of my favourite food writers in Montreal. Perfect for Montrealers as well as visitors to our beautiful city, they will help any seekers of outstanding gastronomical experiences in their quest for restaurants, delicious food-related stores, pastry shops, cafes, etc. Only the best in each category make it through so you know each choice will be a great one.

Available at all fine book stores in Montreal

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Les 100 meilleurs vins à moins de 25$
Jean Aubry (in French)

I love wine but I don’t know much about it. I know what I like and I know the obvious information but if you scratch the surface a bit, I get stumped easily. This is the 10th anniversary edition of this handy little guide by wine writer Jean Aubry. As the title suggests, it contains a list of 100 wines under $25 of course but also a simple guide for pairing wine with food and several top 10 lists of specialty wines (natural, dessert, Quebecois, etc.), beers, cocktails, bubbles, etc. A great little guide for any wine aficionado on your list.

Available on indigo.ca and at all fine book stores in Montreal

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The Golden Rules of Spices
Ethné and Philippe de Vienne (English and French versions available)

Ethné and Philippe de Vienne are spice hunters who travel the world looking for the best spices to bring back to Montreal. I am lucky enough to live near the Jean-Talon market where their boutique is located and where I buy most of my spices. This box set comes with a book that is part spice guide and part recipe book and a large-format spice set containing 20 spice blends and 6 individual spices, which makes it the perfect companion for the winter season where you just want to stay in on cold nights and cook something that will take you on a culinary gastronomic trip from Turkey to India and everywhere in between.

Available on the Epices de cru website

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Les conserves selon Camilla
Camilla Wynne (in French)

Have you ever had any of Preservation Society’s fabulous jams and pickles? I especially love their pink grapefruit and honey marmalade that is bitter, sweet, citrusy and all around delicious on a slice of crusty bread with a big nob of butter. Camilla Wynne, the woman behind all those fabulous products has just released a book that teaches all of us novices the ancient art of canning which has been making a huge comeback in the past few years.

Available on indigo.ca and at all fine book stores in Montreal