Like most Canadians, we’ve been severely missing our favourite restaurants lately. And while the recent surge of delivery and takeout has helped to ease the anguish, oftentimes, the options are justifiably sparse.
Luckily for us, many of the country’s top restaurants have translated their culinary catalogues into cookbooks, providing us with 'round the clock access to the dishes we desire from the comfort of our kitchens.
On top of being a fantastic way to spend our currently-increased downtime, purchasing cookbooks from Canadian restaurants is another avenue to show support to independent eateries during this unprecedented time of nationwide closures.
Considering the sheer number of incredible Canadian restaurant cookbooks at our disposal, we will be highlighting some of our favourites in a two-part series, with the second edition to be revealed a week from today.
Gather: A Dirty Apron Cookbook - David Robertson
The highly anticipated follow-up to chef David Robertson’s best-selling Dirty Apron Cookbook, Gather features 80 new recipes designed to be shared with friends and family. From crème brûlée French toast, to a salmon, spinach and fennel Wellington, to beef tenderloin with salsa verde and honey-roasted vegetables, Gather offers an approachable look at some of chef Robertson’s favourite crowd-pleasing creations.
The Wickaninnish Cookbook: Rustic Elegance on Nature's Edge
A finalist for the IACP Cookbook Award - Best Chefs & Restaurants, The Wickaninnish Cookbook combines cutting edge techniques with fresh, seasonal ingredients, to create a distinctly contemporary, West Coast cookbook. Memorable recipes from Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn are coupled with signature recipes from current and former chefs like Warren Barr, Rod Butters, and Duncan Ly.
The Last Schmaltz - Anthony Rose and Chris Johns
Internationally-renowned food and travel writer Chris Johns offers a window into the world of Toronto restaurateur Anthony Rose, sharing a collection of Rose’s most famous recipes and stories. In addition to recipes for dishes such as Rose and Sons’ patty melt and the famous Fat Pasha cauliflower, The Last Schmaltz portrays some of the most important moments in the culinary life of one of Toronto’s top restaurateurs.
Coconut Lagoon: Recipes from a South Indian Kitchen - Joe Thottungal
Ottawa chef Joe Thottungal released Coconut Lagoon on the 15-year anniversary of his restaurant of the same name. Within the cookbook, Thottungal provides 80 authentic and easy-to-follow recipes inspired by his home region of Kerala in southwestern India. Kerala, the birthplace of black pepper, is known for its abundant spices and delicious cuisine.
Burdock and Co: Poetic Recipes Inspired by Ocean, Land and Air - Andrea Carlson
Chef Andrea Carlson guides readers through the delicious potential of the surrounding environment with an evocative literary narrative that tells the tale of Burdock and Co’s culinary ethos. Recipes from the entire Burdock catalogue are included, from the restaurant’s popular buttermilk fried chicken and pickles to the ever-addictive Dan Dan noodles, to unique cocktail creations and experimental fermentations.
Joe Beef: Surviving the Apocalypse - David McMillan, Frederic Morin, and Meredith Erickson
The second book from Montreal’s iconic James Beard Award-nominated Joe Beef team, Surviving the Apocalypse not only provides more than 150 new recipes, it offers a unique and unabashed perspective into the hospitality industry.
For the Love of Cheese: Recipes and Wisdom from the Cheese Boutique - Afrim Pristine
The first cookbook from celebrated maître fromager Afrim Pristine of Toronto’s Cheese Boutique covers the basics of more than 55 different cheeses. From the best ways to buy and store cheese to the essentials of cheese pairing, to creating the ultimate cheese board, For the Love of Cheese has something for almost any cheese enthusiast.
The Preservatory: Seasonally Inspired Recipes for Creating and Cooking with Artisanal Preserves - Lee Murphy
Located in South Langley, B.C., The Preservatory showcases small-batch artisanal preserves made from in-season, locally-grown fruit. In The Preservatory cookbook, chef Lee Murphy demonstrates how she and her team create unique seasonal preserves, and offer ways to use them in an array of recipes, such as Indian spiced meatballs with green tomato and garam masala and pan seared scallops with green walnut and grappa.
