Dear Santa

Okay, so maybe I am jumping the gun...but someone has to start! I admit, it's not even Halloween and I am thinking about Christmas! 

Sure, the food is delicious and the decorations to die for, but my favorite part? The cookbooks. Sounds crazy, right? All the greats release their new books during the holidays! From glossy picture heavy door stoppers to easy-read family favorites, the releases coming this season are already cataloged for my family's buying pleasure. Ha. Ha. 

Seriously though, cookbooks are a great gift to give and to receive. The ones below are coffee-table worthy and will be flying off the shelves. Some will be released as early as Octobers, so don't wait...you can even cross my name off your list early. :)

This is what we call a book with a long shelf life. Penned by one of Bourdain's boys, Ruhlman's Twenty is a crash course through the fundamentals every cook should know. I hear that chapters are simple and to-the-point with names like "salt" and "roast". A great gift for a young chef or a stubborn uncle stuck in his old cooking ways. 

Celeb Chef Mario Batali  will release yet another cookbook in late October. Simple Family Meals from my Home to Yours will feature meals made for family gatherings and seasonal entertaining. I think my meatballs are pretty damn good, but I bet this guy can give me a run for my money. 

Crack Pie, Compost Cookies, and Cereal Milk Soft Serve are just a few of the unconventional desserts that paved Christina Tosi's road to sugary fame as the pastry chef for David Chang's empire of Momofuku restaurants. Her first cookbook, Milk Bar, will be released October my kitchen staff can not wait to try out the Kimchi Croissants with Blue Cheese.

READ ON MY FRIENDS, READ ON.