Cookbooks That Should Be in Every Kitchen

I love, love, LOVE this book. Mike is the super-talented executive chef of Gramercy Tavern and a good friend of mine — we do a lot of philanthropic work together. He goes through all 26 letters in the alphabet with vegetables for each, and gives three or four recipes per vegetable. If, like me, you find yourself looking at all sorts of strange, beautiful veggies at the farmer’s market and wondering, “What does that taste like and how do I cook it?” or “What the heck even is a bitter melon?”, this is the book for you.

I’ll devour any book by Ina Garten. But if I had to pick a single title, I’d go with her new one, Modern Comfort Food, simply because there are so many new recipes to try. It’s a fantastic dive into classic dishes, done with a twist. Her cacio e pepe cheese puffs are incredible! Ina’s also a friend, and I know firsthand that she tests each of her recipes, like, 28 times or more. It’s really incredible how exact she is. When she says a recipe is foolproof, she means it.

Mark is fantastic. He’s a really great cook, and this book breaks down every single recipe you can dream up in a short, easy-to-execute way. He’s super smart, his instructions are clear and concise, and he’s funny, too. This is the rare cookbook that works for both seasoned and novice chefs.

Dorie’s desserts are amazing. She takes the classics and introduces fabulous ingredients and flavors, taking things to places you simply wouldn’t expect. For example, she puts hibiscus tea in her strawberry shortcake, and it creates a magical, complex flavor. It also gives things a beautiful, bright-red color. From the way her desserts taste to the way they look, every recipe she shares is truly unique and special.

Life Is a Party is not just about food — it’s about immersive experiences. It has loads of delicious recipes for the everyday, but I broke things down and structured the book around seasons and seasonal parties … from a snow-day party when you’re stuck inside to a spring garden party to a fall pumpkin-carving party for the kids. I give you the tools to bring folks together and tips on how to get them involved, from food to lighting to decorations (I love homemade crafts) to party gifts. I even made playlists that you can download on Spotify for a curated six hours of music for any type of get-together. Now that we’re all starting to party again, thank goodness, I hope my book will be something that helps people plan and produce joyful shared experiences.