Here are 100 books that Heston Blumenthal at Home fans have personally recommended if you like Heston Blumenthal at Home. Book DNA is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of On Food and Cooking

Alex Maltman Author Of Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: The Wine Lover's Guide to Geology

From my list on food and drink that will nourish your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

It’s now fifty years or so since I started growing my own fruit and vegetables so as to have the freshest, best quality ingredients for my home cooking and making my own wine and beer. But I was always asking myself why things were done in a certain way: what was the science behind what was going on? I’ve always loved science for its own sake, but I believe such knowledge enhances appreciation. That’s why, when today’s new interest in vineyard geology took off, I put together my own book on that subject, and it’s why I’m enlightened by the books I list here.

Alex's book list on food and drink that will nourish your mind

Alex Maltman Why Alex loves this book

Twenty years old and still the Bible for me. It’s all here. I used to wonder why we did things in the kitchen in a certain way, but now I know. The author doesn’t flinch from the hard science and, besides explaining so many things, that enables him to explode a number of common kitchen myths (searing meat doesn’t seal in the juices) and provide lots of practical advice for the home kitchen.

Other supposedly food and science books have come and gone, but McGee remains my go-to source.

By Harold McGee ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked On Food and Cooking as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

An updated twentieth-anniversary edition of the classic culinary reference features ninety percent new material and provides a wealth of kitchen tips, food-preparation techniques, folklore, literary anecdotes, and health information, in a volume that features particular coverage of trends from the p


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Book cover of December on 5C4

December on 5C4 by Adam Strassberg,

Magical realism meets the magic of Christmas in this mix of Jewish, New Testament, and Santa stories–all reenacted in an urban psychiatric hospital!

On locked ward 5C4, Josh, a patient with many similarities to Jesus, is hospitalized concurrently with Nick, a patient with many similarities to Santa. The two argue…

Book cover of The Terroir of Whiskey: A Distiller's Journey Into the Flavor of Place

Alex Maltman Author Of Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: The Wine Lover's Guide to Geology

From my list on food and drink that will nourish your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

It’s now fifty years or so since I started growing my own fruit and vegetables so as to have the freshest, best quality ingredients for my home cooking and making my own wine and beer. But I was always asking myself why things were done in a certain way: what was the science behind what was going on? I’ve always loved science for its own sake, but I believe such knowledge enhances appreciation. That’s why, when today’s new interest in vineyard geology took off, I put together my own book on that subject, and it’s why I’m enlightened by the books I list here.

Alex's book list on food and drink that will nourish your mind

Alex Maltman Why Alex loves this book

I thought I knew a fair bit about whisky until I read this book. The science is here–and how often do you see that in a book on spirits?–but as a means to an end: to make whisky more individual, more expressive of place. The bulk of the world's whisky is manufactured in anonymous, large plants such that the 'handmade' products of relatively small distilleries, epitomized in Scotland and Kentucky/Tennessee in the U.S.A., are cherished by enthusiasts.

Yet even with these, the major ingredients–cereals of different kinds, barley in the case of Scotch–are almost always grown and processed far away and bought on the commodities market. It doesn’t have to be like this. Revelatory and joyful are the author’s explorations and stories of trips to distilleries in the U.S. and the British Isles to chew the fat with like-minded pioneers.

By Rob Arnold ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Terroir of Whiskey as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Look at the back label of a bottle of wine and you may well see a reference to its terroir, the total local environment of the vineyard that grew the grapes, from its soil to the climate. Winemakers universally accept that where a grape is grown influences its chemistry, which in turn changes the flavor of the wine. A detailed system has codified the idea that place matters to wine. So why don't we feel the same way about whiskey?

In this book, the master distiller Rob Arnold reveals how innovative whiskey producers are recapturing a sense of place to…


Book cover of The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food

Alex Maltman Author Of Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: The Wine Lover's Guide to Geology

From my list on food and drink that will nourish your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

It’s now fifty years or so since I started growing my own fruit and vegetables so as to have the freshest, best quality ingredients for my home cooking and making my own wine and beer. But I was always asking myself why things were done in a certain way: what was the science behind what was going on? I’ve always loved science for its own sake, but I believe such knowledge enhances appreciation. That’s why, when today’s new interest in vineyard geology took off, I put together my own book on that subject, and it’s why I’m enlightened by the books I list here.

Alex's book list on food and drink that will nourish your mind

Alex Maltman Why Alex loves this book

I treasure this account of a wide-eyed American youth, over forty years ago now, visiting Europe for the first time and stumbling across beer that wasn’t American. Unlike what he had assumed all beer was like, this European beer (well, some of it) had character, pedigree, and flavor.

Even as a European, I continue to be stimulated by the author’s enthusiastic account of the unchanging classics he discovered and his pilgrimages to their wonderful breweries. He also realized that beer‒proper beer‒could hold its own on any dinner table. It was all a revelation to him; it changed his life, and it continues to inspire me.

By Garrett Oliver ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Brewmaster's Table as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals’ Award for Best Cookbook in the Wine, Beer or Spirits category.

Garrett Oliver, award-winning Brewmaster and Vice President of Production of the Brooklyn Brewery, recognized by Gourmet Magazine as a “passionate epicure and talented alchemist”, reveals the full spectrum of flavors contained in the more than 50 distinct styles of beer from around the world.

Most importantly, he shows how beer, which is far more versatile than wine, intensifies flavors when it’s appropriately paired with foods to create a dining experience most people have never imagined. Garrett, along with photographer Denton Tillman,…


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Book cover of Dark Fae Outcast

Dark Fae Outcast by Autumn M. Birt,

Trapped in our world, the fae are dying from drugs, contaminants, and hopelessness. Kicked out of the dark fae court for tainting his body and magic, Riasg only wants one thing: to die a bit faster. It’s already the end of his world, after all.

But while scoring his last…

Book cover of Drinking with the Valkyries: Writings on Wine

Alex Maltman Author Of Vineyards, Rocks, and Soils: The Wine Lover's Guide to Geology

From my list on food and drink that will nourish your mind.

Why am I passionate about this?

It’s now fifty years or so since I started growing my own fruit and vegetables so as to have the freshest, best quality ingredients for my home cooking and making my own wine and beer. But I was always asking myself why things were done in a certain way: what was the science behind what was going on? I’ve always loved science for its own sake, but I believe such knowledge enhances appreciation. That’s why, when today’s new interest in vineyard geology took off, I put together my own book on that subject, and it’s why I’m enlightened by the books I list here.

Alex's book list on food and drink that will nourish your mind

Alex Maltman Why Alex loves this book

Andrew Jefford is one of the most intelligent, insightful, and engaging wine writers on the planet. And he writes beautifully. All aspects of the wine world come within his incisive but fair scrutiny, and, for me, this collection of short articles from Decanter magazine is a joy to keep dipping into.

By Andrew Jefford ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Drinking with the Valkyries as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"An entrancing companion for wine lovers. Celebratory, discerning writing with all the variety and unexpectedness of the wines explored." - Michele Roberts, author and Emeritus Professor of Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia
"This book is about feeling, tasting and describing the beauty of wine, as well as understanding the intensity of emotion that wine can engender." - Decanter Magazine

"So precise and dancing, so chiselled and so free, as complex and delicious as your favourite bottle of wine, you will enjoy the world of wine differently after reading through Jefford's words." - Pascaline Lepeltier on Instagram
"A…


Book cover of A Place at the Table

Kerry M. Olitzky Author Of Strangers in Jerusalem

From my list on bringing Muslims and Jews together.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a rabbi and educator who lives in the midst of a large Jewish community and a large Muslim community. But up until about 10 or so years ago, I had no Muslim friends. My wife and I set out to change that. (She formed the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom and I benefited as a plus one.) I am also the author of nearly 100 books, a growing number of which are for children and some focus on the relationship between Muslims and Jews. 

Kerry's book list on bringing Muslims and Jews together

Kerry M. Olitzky Why Kerry loves this book

There are so few young adult novels that demonstrate positive relationships between Muslim kids and Jewish kids. This one succeeds masterfully.

The main characters in the story come from very different backgrounds and seem to share little in common. Their friendship grows slowly, and eventually they learn to trust one another. This story shows both the risks and rewards of such a friendship. With taking risks, there can be no reward.  

By Saadia Faruqi , Laura Shovan ,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked A Place at the Table as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 9, 10, 11, and 12.

What is this book about?

A timely, accessible, and beautifully written story exploring themes of food, friendship, family and what it means to belong, featuring sixth graders Sara, a Pakistani American, and Elizabeth, a white, Jewish girl taking a South Asian cooking class taught by Sara’s mom.

Sixth graders Sara and Elizabeth could not be more different. Sara is at a new school that is completely unlike the small Islamic school she used to attend. Elizabeth has her own problems: her British mum has been struggling with depression.

The girls meet in an after-school South Asian cooking class, which Elizabeth takes because her mom has…


Book cover of Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home Cooking Triumphs

Molly Stevens Author Of All about Dinner: Simple Meals, Expert Advice

From my list on cookbooks for everyday meals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I have spent my entire working life teaching others how to cook – in the kitchen, in the classroom, and through my cookbooks and countless magazine articles – and I can sum up all my cooking lessons into one word: Cook! The more you cook, the more confidence you gain – and the more joy and success you will experience. But where to start? My best advice is to find a few cookbooks that you trust - ideally ones that offer plenty of explanation. From these, select several dishes that sound appealing and commit to learning to make them by heart. With repetition, you will learn to cook without relying on the recipes, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a more confident — and intuitive — cook.


Molly's book list on cookbooks for everyday meals

Molly Stevens Why Molly loves this book

The premise behind this jubilant and personal collection is that cooking is "simply a huge and often very fun puzzle of piecing together techniques with different ingredients." Throughout the 98 recipes (everything from breakfast to mains, from drinks to dessert), Turshen highlights essential techniques (labeled as "small victories") and then offers inventive ideas and inspirations for creating other dishes (called "spin-offs"). It's a cookbook designed for anyone looking to become a more relaxed, confident, and creative cook. Turshen's love for cooking and feeding others is infectious, and her down-to-earth approach makes it easy to be swept along. 

By Julia Turshen ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Small Victories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"I can't wait to cook my way through this amazing new book!" - Ina Garten (Host of Barefoot Contessa)

"Simple, achievable recipes..." - Chef April Bloomfield (Owner of The Spotted Pig)

This cookbook of more than 400 simple cooking recipes and variations from Julia Turshen, writer, go-to recipe developer, co-author for best-selling cookbooks such as Gwyneth Paltrow's It's All Good, and Dana Cowin's Mastering My Mistakes in the Kitchen, and author of her cookbooks Now & Again and Feed the Resistance. The process of truly great home cooking ideas is demystified via more than a hundred lessons called out as…


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Book cover of Everyday Medical Miracles: True Stories from the Frontlines in Women’s Health Care

Everyday Medical Miracles by Joseph S. Sanfilippo (editor),

Frontiers of Women from the healthcare perspective. A compilation of 60 true short stories written by an extensive array of healthcare providers, physicians, and advanced practice providers.

All designed to give you, the reader, a glimpse into the day-to-day activities of all of us who provide your health care. Come…

Book cover of Making Modern Meals: How Americans Cook Today

David E. Sutton Author Of Bigger Fish to Fry: A Theory of Cooking as Risk, with Greek Examples

From my list on scholarly reads about cooking.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’ve always been interested in food, even as young as 3 years old I remember wanting to taste everything, and I found the process of cooking fascinating. But I really got interested in food as a topic for research during my time studying Greek culture for my PhD thesis. People on the island of Kalymnos, where I’ve conducted research for 30 years, made a strong connection between food and memory, but it was a connection that few scholars have written about until recently. So I’ve been excited to participate in a new field reflected by all of these books, and hope you will be as well.

David's book list on scholarly reads about cooking

David E. Sutton Why David loves this book

This book really debunks many of the myths about how and whether Americans cook today.

I loved the way that the author took us  into the thoughts and practices of contemporary home cooks going about their daily cooking. I also found fascinating the comparison and contrast with those who have taken up artisanal production of sourdough bread and other skilled food products.

By Amy B. Trubek ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Making Modern Meals as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Home cooking is crucial to our lives but it is not necessary to our survival. Over the past century, it has become an everyday choice even though it is no longer an everyday chore. By looking closely at the stories and practices of American home cooks-witnessing them in the kitchen and at the table-Amy B. Trubek reveals our episodic but also engaged relationship to making meals. Making Modern Meals explores the state of American cooking across all its varied practices, whether cooking is considered a chore, a craft, or a creative process. Trubek challenges current assumptions about who cooks, who…


Book cover of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

Deana Gunn Author Of Vegetarian Cooking with Trader Joe's Cookbook

From my list on cooking vegetarian for easy and delicious meals.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a cookbook and children's book author and co-owner of Brown-Bag Publishers, a small independent publishing company since 2007. I love good food, and I have a passion for creating (and using!) recipes that are easy and result in delicious, healthy meals that appeal to the whole family. I’m the author of the bestselling Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's which was the first in the popular 10-book Trader Joe's cookbook series. I live in a small surf town in California with my husband and four kids.

Deana's book list on cooking vegetarian for easy and delicious meals

Deana Gunn Why Deana loves this book

This cookbook by Mark Bittman re-energized the vegetarian movement over a decade ago (and was updated on its 10th anniversary). Think of it as the “Joy of Cooking” for vegetarians, covering all foods and techniques from A-Z. The recipes are straightforwad and approachable, making them perfect for beginner cooks as well as experienced home cooks. Favorites are Vegetarian Pho, Paella with Tomatoes and Eggs, and Curried Potatoes.

By Mark Bittman ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked How to Cook Everything Vegetarian as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Ten years ago, this breakthrough cookbook made vegetarian cooking accessible to everyone. Today, the issues surrounding a plant-based diet-health, sustainability, and ethics-continue to resonate with more and more people, whether or not they're fully vegetarian. This new edition has been completely reviewed and revised to stay relevant to today's cooks: New recipes include more vegan options and a brand-new chapter on smoothies, teas, and more. Charts, variations, and other key information have been updated. And, new for this edition, the recipes are showcased in bright full-colour photos throughout. With these photos and a host of recipes destined to become new…


Book cover of Simply Divine: A Guide to Easy, Elegant, and Affordable Entertaining

Dawna Pitts Author Of Entertaining Is My Love Language

From my list on for inspiration when entertaining at home.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Dawna Pitts. I am passionate about entertaining and always have been. I realized I actually have much to share from my experiences of entertaining for many years and living on different continents which made me write my book Entertaining is My Love Language. I wanted to inspire people to have more get-togethers in our homes build sweet, delicious memories, and understand home entertaining doesn’t always have to be proper and perfect and no need to be intimidated by foreign exotic food ingredients.

Dawna's book list on for inspiration when entertaining at home

Dawna Pitts Why Dawna loves this book

Everything this reality TV personality Lisa Vanderpump does looks beautiful, elegant, and expensive on TV. Of course, I wanted to see how she does that, that’s why I purchased this book.

I was pleasantly surprised by how honestly she described so many things she does as “smoke and mirrors” in her words. From owning many restaurants in different countries, she has a wide variety of knowledge on hosting people. She shared many tips on how to make beautiful presentations of food and table settings effortlessly such as decorating store-bought plain cake to make it look like a custom-ordered cake from a high-end cake shop.

Her dry sense of British humor really adds fun to reading this book as well. The recipes in this book are mainly from chefs who worked for her restaurants, I was really impressed when I tested them out but easy enough for home cooks like me…

By Lisa Vanderpump ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Simply Divine as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Lisa Vanderpump has become the breakout star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Her unique mix of sparkling glamour and down-to-earth style has appealed to thousands of fans. On the show, viewers can see her hosting dinner parties and running her popular Beverly Hills restaurant Villa Blanca with what can best be termed"easy elegance." Now Lisa shares her tips and tricks for creating the perfect gathering: whether you're hosting a cozy winter dinner for six, throwing a poolside BBQ, or just hanging out with your closest friends, Lisa has just the menu and entertaining hints that will make it…


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Book cover of Karl's War

Karl's War by Neil Spark,

Karl's War is a coming-of-age-meets-thriller set in Germany on the eve of Hitler coming to power. Karl – a reluctant poster boy for the Nazis – meets Jewish Ben and his world is up-turned.

Ben and his family flee to France. Karl joins the German army but deserts and finds…

Book cover of The Everlasting Meal Cookbook: Leftovers A-Z

Mary Bryant Shrader Author Of The Modern Pioneer Cookbook: Nourishing Recipes From a Traditional Foods Kitchen

From my list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Mary Bryant Shrader, and I'm the creator of Mary's Nest, a YouTube channel and corresponding website devoted to teaching approachable traditional cooking techniques using whole ingredients to help everyone become a Modern Pioneer in the kitchen. I take a simple step-by-step approach to help home cooks of all abilities cook simple, healthy meals using every last scrap of food to work towards creating a no-waste kitchen. I live in the Texas Hill Country with my sweet husband, Ted, and our lovable yellow lab, Indy. Our son Ben is just a drive away, and he frequently joins us for cozy home-cooked meals by the fireplace, followed by an evening of rousing board games.

Mary's book list on becoming a modern pioneer in the kitchen

Mary Bryant Shrader Why Mary loves this book

When I first read Tamar's original book, An Everlasting Meal, I knew I had found a kindred home-cook spirit in her. And to be honest with you, I thought that book couldn't be topped. But then she wrote The Everlasting Meal Cookbook!

This cookbook is the definitive guide on how to use up every imaginable leftover in your kitchen so that almost nothing will go to waste. Chances are, when you begin to implement Tamar's leftover recipes, you will see very little going into your kitchen garbage can. You'll gaze upon every scrap, every crumb in your kitchen in a new light.

Next thing you know, you will be taking the heel of a loaf of bread, a sliver of a parmesan rind, and a few vegetables from your crisper (that look a bit past their prime) and turning it all into a dinner that friends and family alike will…

By Tamar Adler , Caitlin Winner (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Everlasting Meal Cookbook as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Named a Most Anticipated Book of the Year by Vogue and BookRiot

The award-winning, bestselling author of An Everlasting Meal serves up an inspiring, money-saving, environmentally responsible, A-to-Z collection of simple recipes that utilize all kinds of leftovers-perfect for solo meals or for feeding the whole family.

Food waste is a serious issue today-nearly forty percent of the food we buy gets tossed out. Most of us look around the kitchen and struggle to use up everything we buy, and then when it comes to leftovers we're stuck. That's where Tamar Adler can help-her area of culinary expertise is finding…


Book cover of On Food and Cooking
Book cover of The Terroir of Whiskey: A Distiller's Journey Into the Flavor of Place
Book cover of The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food

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Interested in cooking, French travel, and France?

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