After deciding on what I thought were the best cookbooks of 2023, it’s now time to look ahead to the cookbooks that are soon to hit our shelves in 2024.
These cookbooks worth waiting for lists are my way of saying ‘these are the upcoming releases I am most excited about’. I’m not sure if there is a more succinct way of describing that or a more succinct title this series could have, but I’m a few years in now and it seems a bit odd to consider changing it now!
Below are the books I think are worth waiting for, and that I am most excited about. Four of the five books are by cookbook authors I know and love, and one is a new to me author which I am keen to discover more about.
Are there any cookbooks you are looking forward to this year? What would you add to this list?
What Can I Bring by Sophie Hansen (February 27) - It’s no secret I love all of Sophie’s books, and her blog too. In my household we use Sophie’s books and recipes regularly so I am always excited to see what a new book from her will bring. There is something about Sophie’s recipes and her use of flavour and ingredients, that so often end up being exactly the kind of food I want to eat and cook. There is always a focus on fresh seasonal ingredients, but also not making things overly complicated and fussy. And Sophie’s photography always makes me want to cook everything and also wish I lived in the country! This soon to be released book is Sophie’s fifth book and it appears to be a bright, colourful and inviting look at how to answer the age old question when being invited or inviting others to your home for a meal, what can I bring?
Beatrix Bakes Another Slice by Natalie Paull (March 6) - Well this is a bit exciting isn’t it?! Another book from Natalie of the ever popular and much missed Melbourne bakery Beatrix. Natalie’s first book contains favourites from her famed bakery, and many of them were what I would consider ‘baking projects’. The kinds of recipes that feel comforting and homely, however have many elements (e.g. cake, filling and icing), so you need to put a decent amount of time aside to make them or tackle it in stages. I’m not sure if this is something we should expect from Beatrix Bakes Another Slice, or if this next cookbook will also contain a few more simple bakes that can be made with little notice or time (I have my fingers crossed for a few more biscuit recipes than the last book had). Either way, I’ll be ensuring I add this book to my collection as if I want to make a spectacular cake with lots of flavour Natalie is who I know I should turn to.
Bethlehem by Fadi Kattan (May 17) - As soon as I saw this cookbook listing in the ‘coming soon’ section of Booktopia, I knew it was one I would be interested in. As I have mentioned before, I love cookbooks that do a deep dive on a particular place/region/cuisine and Bethlehem sounds like it does just that. This book is by Franco-Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan, whom I had never heard of until now and I am very glad that I now have. Fadi will take us on a tour of Bethlehem, his home where he also has a restaurant. I know only a little about Palestinian food based on some cookbooks already on my shelves, so I am looking forward to learning more and discovering how or if the food of Bethlehem differs from other Palestinian cuisine. Despite being a tiny thing in the scheme of everything, this feels, now more than ever, so important.
Greek-ish by Georgina Hayden (April 30) - If Georgina is publishing a cookbook I will be buying it. Georgina’s cookbooks are used regularly in our household (Taverna most notably), so I know if she comes out with a new one it has to be added to our collection. These recipes are touted as Greek inspired, using fewer ingredients and suitable for any day of the week, which sounds pretty good to me! Georgina says these recipes aren’t family recipes (for those get yourself a copy of Taverna), but are all of her creation using her Greek-Cypriot heritage and travels as inspiration. Just seeing the small examples of recipes featured in this book on the description on Booktopia for this book, I can tell there will a few more family favourites found in Greek-ish.
I’ll Bring Dessert by Benjamina Ebuehi (April 5) - I absolutely love Benjamina’s previous two books (The New Way to Cake and A Good Day to Bake), so similarly to a few others on this list, I will be buying whatever Benjamina publishes. This book will focus on desserts rather than more strictly baked goods as Benjamina’s previous two books have. I’ll Bring Dessert feels like it will be a dessert focused version of what Sophie Hansen is bringing us with What Can I Bring?, and I’m thinking the two books will compliment each other well. With this book Benjamina hopes to turn the sometimes ominous question of ‘can you bring dessert?’ into a joyful experience that will have you saying ‘I’ll bring dessert!’. In Benjamina’s other books I have really enjoyed her use of flavour combinations and interesting ingredients and pairings, so I’m hoping we’ll see the same in this one.
Links to books on Booktopia removed 15/07/2024.