reviews

Christmas gift guide: food books and zines

No items found.
No items found.

Books

Priya Basil

Be My Guest: Reflections on Food, Community and the Meaning of Generosity
shop online
A brilliantly eye-opening creative non-fiction about sharing food in different cultures, religion and the attitude of sharing food between different parts of society. 

Anthony Bourdain

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly
shop online
An absolute must-read for any enthusiastic cook or those interested in what really happens behind the scenes; Bourdain’s writing is passionate and honest and his words still mean a lot 20 years on.

Ruby Tandoh

Eat Up! Food, Appetite and Eating What You Want
shop online

Ruby Tandoh completely changed the way we look at food, the part it plays in our happiness and the prejudices that come with certain foods and ways of eating. A great gift for anyone who may want to worry less about food (our copy has been signed by Ruby, if you wanted to know). 

Nina Mingya Powles

Tiny Moons: A Year of Eating in Shanghai
shop online
One of the most comforting books we’ve read this year. Powles’ gentle writing shows how comforting homely foods can be. A collection of short essays on food & belonging, teaching us a lot about Shanghai’s food too. 

Lara Williams

Supper Club
shop online

A book which topped best book of the year lists at the likes of Vouge, TIME & The Guardian in 2019, this novel tells the story of hungry girls who use food to rebel. Supper Clubs are set up as secret societies for women who are fed up; it becomes a place to feast & dance. 

Nora Ephron

Heartburn
shop online

The book Nigella has gifted to more people she can count; the screenwriter’s short novel is about love, betrayal, revenge and food. 

Samin Nosrat

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
shop online

This book and the Netfilx show that comes with it taught us more about the simple elements of cooking than any recipe book. Although a theory book (with some recipe ideas), it’s the kind of book you can read like a novel. 

Miranda York

The Food Almanac: Recipes and Stories for a Year at the Table
shop online

A carefully curated list of seasonal treats from talented cooks and chefs. This book is jam-packed with short stories, recipes, poems, cooking tips and gorgeous illustrations - it’s a great addition to any foodies’ kitchen or bedside table! 

David Chang

Eat a Peach: A Memoir
shop online

The ever-honest Chang - chef, restaurateur, star of Netflix’s Ugly Delicious - tells his journey into the world of food, from the successes & struggles of launching Momofuku & Lucky Peach to living with bipolar disorder and the history of Asian-American food. 

Various Authors

In The Kitchen: Essays on food and life
shop online

A collection of essays about food, cooking and how it shapes our lives. In The Kitchen contains personal stories from thirteen writers you may know – including authors in this list alongside novelists and journalists. A mishmash favourite!

Dear Damsels

What She’s Having: Stories of Women and Food
shop online

For anyone who loves reading what women have to say about food, this collection of fiction, non-fiction and poetry is something to savour. Pre-order now for shipping in Feb 2021!

Zines / Mags

Potluck Zine

shop online
Potluck Zine began during lockdown (when food became many people’s main focus) as a space for us to contribute stories about food and what it means to us. Issue 2 is available to buy and focuses on winter traditions from 30 international contributors. It’s beautifully printed and very giftable.

Weird Canteen Zine

shop online
A zine about the strange side of food – cartoons, drawings, writing and confessions about the weird parts about food. Head to their instagram to get a feel for the kind of mate you’d like to gift this to.

Cherry Bombe

shop online
Cherry Bombe celebrate food AND women in a beautiful way. Now shipping internationally & offering subscriptions for a great foodie gift. The most recent issue is all about change, featuring content from @bakersagainstracism, RBG baked goods and loadsss more. 


Filler Zine

** Filler Zine is actually sold out, but we really do urge you to follow and watch out for issue 5 which is coming soon **

Filler is a zine made up of international artists and writers. Each issue focuses on a different theme and manages to form a take on food & mental health that’s totally unique. We’re constantly amazed by what Filler produces and you need to get involved!