Top 10 cookbooks for your Christmas gift list

Nov 07, 2008

Michele Borboa, MS is a freelance writer and editor specializing in health, fitness, food, lifestyle, and pets. Michele is a health and wellness expert, personal chef, cookbook author, and pet-lover based in Bozeman, Montana. She is also...

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Top 10 cookbooks

Looking for the perfect cookbook for your foodie friends or that family member who really needs to learn how to cook? Good news, this year's top 10 picks will help you choose a book that satisfies the extreme foodie on your gift list as well as the novice cook looking for how-to's on everything from the basics of cooking to easy, elegant entertaining to deliciously preparing vegetarian fare.

8. Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients

Author: Ina Garten

One of the most beloved culinary icons, Garten presents seemingly complicated dishes in a simple, yet still elegant, style. Peppered with "Top 10" lists (i.e. Top 10 Flavor Boosters) to entertain and educate, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics gives the reader practical information that can be applied to dishes outside of the cookbook. Paging through Garten's book, you'll find full-color photographs, cooking tips, secrets to easy entertaining, and recipes ranging from Parmesan Roasted Broccoli to Lobster Corn Chowder and – not to forget dessert – Easy Sticky Buns. Ideal for entertaining but accessible enough for family meals, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics is a relief for the home chef who wants to cook to impress but not spend hours learning techniques or slaving in the kitchen.