BOOKS

Handcrafted Careers

Craft beverages are here to stay and likely you know at least one or two people within a few degrees of separation who work with a craft brewery, winery, or distillery. Here, things are specifically about craft breweries and its very “American” too, but an excellent read and maybe even a first step or two for those thinking a career in beverages is for them. Some people like getting their feet wet at work, and coming home from work smelling like a brewery isn’t a bad thing anymore! UC Press, $38

One Bake Two Ways

Whether you're a plant-based baker or experimenting with vegan options, One Bake Two Ways has fifty delicious bakes, each with a plant-based option, and all wrapped up in one beautiful book! None of your vegan guests will have to miss out this holiday season! From Victoria Sponge to spiced Linzer cookies, Great British Bake-Off finalist, Ruby Bhogal, has crafted the perfect holiday baking book that will make your house smell delicious and your guests come back for more. Interlink Books, $47

Sauce Up Your Boards

Planning on some holiday entertaining or even some big events or gatherings throughout the year? This may be the guide you needed – or didn’t know you might need. Sauce up your Boards has tons of recipes for all the “little things” that make a board get a little exciting. It is also that handy little guide that might get you thinking about punches of flavours before settling on the cheese, meats or other items you usually pick. Gibbs Smith, $37

THE BACON, BUTTER, BOURBON & CHOCOLATE COOKBOOK

Are you a fan of The Great Canadian Baking Show too? Then Chef Bruno Feldeisen will need no introduction, nor will his second book - with just four chapters, each centred on one of his (and probably many of ours too!) favourite ingredients. Just reading the names of the recipes will have your mouth watering: Warm Bacon, Smoked Oyster, and Chive Scones; Gooey Brown Butter Lemon Cookies; BBQ Bourbon Edamame… honestly I’d buy this book just for the first chapter! Whitecap, $35

Easy Weeknight Dinners

If you’re searching for the perfect gift for that always-on-the-go friend or family member, we have good news for you – we just got our hands on Emily Weinstein’s Easy Weeknight Dinners cookbook! This book is a game-changer for anyone with limited time and an empty stomach, simply flip through and find a delicious, easy meal in no time. Featuring recipes like kimchi fried rice and sheet-pan miso-honey chicken, this New York Times cookbook will be a treasured gift. Ten Speed Press, $48

GOOD LOOKIN’ COOKIN’

A Year of Meals: a lifetime of Family, Friends, and Food. Business partners, best friends, and sisters, Dolly Parton and Rachel Parton George both enjoy cooking and hosting dinners. In Good Lookin’ Cookin’ they’ve created twelve multicourse meals of mostly American classic dishes, themed for each month, and designed for you to be able to spend time with your guests at the table. Filled with crisp, glossy photos of the dishes, there’s no shortage of photos of the authors too! Ten Speed Press, $48

Alberta Cares Packages

This year, Alberta Food Tours are offering four Alberta Cares packages, and our favourite for gifting is the Alberta Chocolate Artisans Holiday Collection. Inside the red jute bag are ten chocolate bars, handmade by Alberta artisan chocolatiers: Delavoye, Chocolate Escapade, and Colleen's from Edmonton; ShawZ, Goldie, Master Chocolate, and The Chocolate Lab, from Calgary; Compass from St. Albert; Jacek from Sherwood Park, and Canmore’s Le Chocolatier. It’s the ultimate treat for that special person, and part of the proceeds go to the Food Water Wellness Foundation too. $120, albertafoodtours.ca