05. 2023 is the year of the cookbook
worth noting this is NOT my cookbook announcement- sorry to disappoint!
My collection of cookbooks (specifically baking forward ones) has grown significantly over the years. A favorite past time of mine is visiting book stores and libraries and perusing the baking books for hours. Books are the driving force behind any of my inspiration. I love seeing what techniques other are using or seeing how they’re imparting new flavors to reinvent the classics. SO many cookbooks come out each year, but I think 2023 has got one of the best line ups yet! We’re expecting new books from the likes of Alison Roman, Natasha Pickowicz, Rose Wilde and more!
In the last edition I mentioned my new found love for LA central library, but what I failed to note is how extensive the baking/cookbook section is. The range of books dates from current time back to around the 1800s!!! I’ll grab a few of those vintage books to flip through for a few hours; it’s interesting to see what recipes stood the test of time and which fell off, rightfully so- thank god the aspic era came to an end.
It’s fascinating to not only see the evolution of recipes/flavors over the years but I’ve also observed the evolution of the cookbook format. Which noticeably has changed quite a bit in the past few years. I recently picked up a copy of “Ladies’ Home Journal: Dessert Cookbook” Edited by Carol Traux that was originally published in 1964. The book is filled with hundreds of recipes spanning over 241 pages. Each page holding 3-5 recipes. No photos and incredibly brief- yet technical introductions to each section. The directions to each recipe no more than a paragraph long, especially cut and dry. Devoid of personality.
Today, I picked up a copy of “Mayumu” by my internet pal Abi Balingit. While this book doesn’t boast hundreds of recipes like the latter (it has maybe 75-100? I didn’t count but that appears to be the standard these days lol), it’s a cross between memoir and cookbook. It’s colorful and playful just like Abi and showcases not only her recipes but her personal background. Abi goes in-depth relating her upbringing and the current version of herself into the pastries she shares.
I would say cookbooks that have been published in the last two years boast a more personal quality to them. But, I think 2023 is a year where all the books include more than just recipes and showcase a mix of personal stories. Which I find more inspiring than anything else. Making delicious and inspired food relates to every food experience you’ve had. How culture, upbringings, and current environments shape the foods we prepare for ourselves and others. I find myself curled up in bed reading these cookbooks the way I would any other non-fiction tale; cover to cover.
The books set to come out over the course of the rest of the year have me genuinely excited. Another thing I appreciate about them is the spectacular food styling and photography! It’s like holding your favorite people’s IG feed’s in your hand. The books coming out this year have me inspired to maybe start researching how to pitch a book to a publisher??? If any of y’all have connections or agents or publishing houses, I’m all ears lol. For me though, gosh, I already feel sorry for my fictional editor. I love typing in shorthand (losta “u and ur” ) and I absolutely do not punctuate properly, I love a the decorative flourish of a semi-colon and I much like Vampire Weekend don’t give a fuck about an Oxford Comma. So, I apologize to them in advance for all the typos. Because even publishing these newsletters and recipes on my blog- I press publish go back and re-read only to find 129 typos. The ADHD in me is very “the rough draft is the final draft”.
I never really though of myself as a writer, but I had a conversation with Aliza Abarbanel and she made a great point- anyone who writes is a write. Wether it’s published or just long-winded IG captions. Everyone’s got a voice and something to say. The same way I believe anyone who bakes is a baker. Much to think about… 2025 is the year of MY cookbook? Still not an announcement. But, I do get a decent amount of FOMO- all the people I adore are writing books and going on book tours, so naturally I want to too!
Here are the books I’m most excited for in 2023 (and what I’m dying to bake from them) :
Mayumu by Abi Balingit, which I picked up today!! The first thing I’ll make will probably be the mango float cream puffs. I’m not filipino but I grew up in a filipino neighborhood and so many of the recipes and flavors in this book remind me of little pieces of my own childhood!
sweet enough by Alison Roman, I’m most intrigued by the milk and honey semolina pudding but most excited about making the mint chip ice cream cake!
More than Cake by Natasha Pickowicz, I’m ready to make whatever cake is gracing the front cover as well as the shoyu peanut cookies!
Love is a Pink Cake by Claire Ptak, I’m in it for the coveted Harry + Megan royal wedding cake recipe!!
Bread and Roses by Rose Wilde, the whole damn thing! While shooting the book, Rose shared some of the bakes with me, and the chocolate cake with sweet woodruff cream was transformative- I’m most excited to recreate that myself!
What books are you most excited to get your hands on? ♡