“The future of the planet depends on the future of food,” says Danielle Nierenberg, president of Food Tank, a think tank on food.
Nierenberg believes the food and agriculture systems need to be central to solving the climate crisis.
“These solutions need to be regenerative and socially just over the long term, and they must put farmers first,” she said in an email.
In discussing climate and food systems, we can’t forget about the food on our plates, she said, adding, “The way we cook – even the act of cooking itself – is a huge vote of confidence in a better food system.”
As citizen eaters and conscious home cooks, one way we can make a difference is by eating food that is both better for people and the planet, Nierenberg said.
She thinks it’s important to spotlight cookbooks that showcase a diversity of culinary voices, featuring delicious recipes as well as the stories, traditions, and adaptations that inspire them.
Here’s a list of 20 cookbooks Nierenberg recommends:
- “AfriCali: Recipes from My Jikoni” by Kiano Moju celebrates the intersections among Nigerian, Kenyan, and Californian cuisines.
- “Agak Agak: Everyday Recipes from Singapore” by Shu Han Lee invites readers to prioritize their senses in cooking Singaporean flavors “to taste.”
- “Amrikan: 125 Recipes from the Indian American Diaspora” by Khushbu Shah honors the creativity and adaptation of the Indian diaspora.
- “Bayou: Feasting Through the Seasons of a Cajun Life” by Melissa M. Martin captures the spirit of a year’s worth of South Louisiana celebrations.
- “Chinese Enough: Homestyle Recipes for Noodles, Dumplings, Stir-Fries, and More” by Kristina Cho shares unique dishes that are neither entirely Cantonese nor entirely Californian.
- “Cured: Cooking with Ferments, Pickles, Preserves & More” by Steve McHugh with Paula Forbes is a comprehensive guide to enhancing meals with pickles, jams, preserves, and sauces.
- “Kin: Caribbean Recipes for the Modern Kitchen” by Marie Mitchell explores the vibrant food cultures of the Caribbean diaspora and challenges misconceptions.
- “Kismet: Bright, Fresh, Vegetable-Loving Recipes” by Sara Kramer and Sarah Hymanson offers vegetable-forward Mediterranean recipes from the California restaurant of the same name.
- “Koreaworld: A Cookbook” by Deuki Hong and Matt Rodbard takes readers on an insiders’ tour of Korean food around the world.
- “Life’s Sweetest Moments: Simple, Stunning Recipes and Their Heartwarming Stories” by Dominique Ansel captures the simple and elegant recipes of the award-winning chef.
- “Mayumu: Filipino American Desserts Remixed” by Abi Balingit blends flavors of the Philippines with Western-style baked goods.
- “My Egypt: Cooking from My Roots by Michael Mina looks back on what originally inspired him to cook his Egyptian heritage.
- “Ottolenghi Comfort: A Cookbook” by Yotam Ottolenghi with Helen Goh incorporates childhood memories and travels around the world to celebrate food, friends, and connection.”
- “Our South: Black Food Through My Lens” by Ashleigh Shanti helps readers understand how Black influence has defined food cultures in the U.S. South.
- “The Bean Book: 100 Recipes for Cooking with All Kinds of Beans, from the Rancho Gordo Kitchen” by Steve Sando with Julia Newberry is a comprehensive guide to how 50-plus bean varieties can become dips, soups, salad, mains, sides, and desserts.
- “The Deerholme Mushroom Cookbook: From Foraging to Feasting, Revised and Updated” by Bill Jones walks people through safely foraging, growing, buying, and cooking with all things fungi.
- “The Heart Healthy Plant-Based Cookbook” by Hari Pulapaka and Jenneffer Pulapaka blends culinary expertise with medical knowledge.
- “The League of Kitchens Cookbook: Brilliant Tips, Secret Methods & Favorite Family Recipes from Around the World” by Lisa Kyung Gross and the Women of the League of Kitchens Cooking School, with Rachel Wharton highlights recipes from a cooking school that empowers immigrant women.
- “When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes with Contributions from 70 Women Writers” by America’s Test Kitchen celebrates Southern food and the many women who have shaped the cuisine, with a foreword by Toni Tipton-Martin (forthcoming November 2024).
- “Zaytinya: Delicious Mediterranean Dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon” by José Andrés highlights the chef’s creative adaptations of classic dishes from Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon.
Happy cooking. And, consider giving one or more of these cookbooks for holiday gifts.
