Best Cookbooks of 2018: Critics Picks

December 5, 2018 | M. Elwood

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Ottolenghi simple
For the past few weeks I have been obsessively studying online lists from newspapers, magazines and food bloggers to figure out which cookbooks appear most often on Best of 2018 lists. It turns out that the favourite cookbook by a landslide is Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi which was selected by nearly everyone. It was chosen by: Amazon, A Beautiful Plate, Book Riot, Delish, The Food Network, Happy Foodie, Hong Kong Tatler, The Independent, Indigo, Kitchn, The Manual, Readings, Regina Leader Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Smite Me with Apples, Turntable Kitchen, Two Peas and Their Pod, Vogue and The Week. I am no judge of cookbook quality but I really want to eat the tomato dish that is pictured on the cover. 

Ottolenghi Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi

Other books on 3 or more lists include:

All about cake

All about Cake by Christina Tosi

Selected by Amazon, A Beautiful Plate, Book Riot, Country Living, Delish, Hong Kong Tatler, Time Out Los Angeles and San Francisco Chronicle

Bottom of the pot

Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories by Naz Deravian

Selected by Book Riot, Delish and Food Network

Carla hall's soul food

Carla Hall's Soul Food by Carla Hall

Selected by Book Riot, Country Living, Food Network and San Francisco Chronicle

Cook like a pro

Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks by Ina Garten 

Selected by Amazon, Country Living, Delish, Food Network, Indigo, Kitchn, Two Peas and Their Pod, and Vogue

Cravings

Cravings: Hungry for More by Chrissy Tiegan 

Selected by Amazon, Book Riot, Delish, Esquire, Food Network, Hong Kong Tatler, Indigo, Kitchn, Turntable Kitchen, and Two Peas and Their Pod

Delish

Delish: Eat Like Everyday's the Weekend by Joanna Saltz and The Editors of Delish 

Selected by Country Living, Delish, and Esquire

Eat a little better

Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass

Selected by Book Riot, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Two Peas and Their Pod

Everyday dorie

Everyday Dorie: the Way I Cook by Dorie Greenspan

Selected by A Beautiful Plate, Delish, Food Network, Kitchn, Rachel Ray Every Day, San Francisco Chronicle, and Two Peas and Their Pod

Feast food of the islamic world

Feast: Food of the Islamic World by Anissa Belou

Selected by Esquire, The Manual and Wired

Israeli soul

Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious by Michael Solomonov

Selected by Amazon, Booklist, Food Network, SF Chronicle and Vogue

Jamie cooks italy

Jamie Cooks Italy by Jamie Oliver

Selected by Book Riot, The Independent and Indigo

Magnolia table

Magnolia Table: a Collection of Recipes for Gathering by Joanna Gaines

Selected by Amazon, Book Riot, Country Living, Delish, Food Network, Indigo, and Two Peas and Their Pod

Noma guide to fermentation

Noma Guide to Fermentation by René Redzepi

Selectd by Beat, Esquire, Hong Kong Tatler, Readings, San Francisco Chronicle and Vogue

Nordic baking book

Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson

Selected by Amazon, Vogue and The Week 

Now and again

Now and Again by Julia Turshen 

Selected by Amazon, A Beautiful Plate, Book Riot, Delish, Food Network, Kitchn, The Manual, San Francisco Chronicle, Turntable Kitchen and Vogue

Salt fat acid heat

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: the Four Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat

Selected by A Beautiful Plate, Indigo and Stonesoup

Season

Season: 100 Recipes for Big Flavors, Beautiful Food by Nik Sharma 7

Selected by A Beautiful Plate, Delish, Food Network, Hong Kong Tatler, Kitchn, Rachel Ray Everyday, Turntable Kitchen, and Two Peas and Their Pod

Sister pie

Sister Pie: the Recipes and Stories of a Big-Hearted Bakery in Detroit by  Lisa Ludwinski

Selected by A Beautiful Plate, Book Riot and Food Network 

What's gaby cooking

What's Gaby Cooking: Everyday California Food by Gaby Dalkin 

Selected by Delish, Turntable Kitchen, and Two Peas and Their Pod

I began putting this post together in November when best of 2018 lists were just beginning to be released. Of course more lists will be released as the end of the year approaches and this blog post may be completely invalid in about a week. 

Check with branch staff for more cookbook suggestions. 

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