Books On My Wedding Registry

I don't typically share much about my personal life on here, so for those who don't know, I am getting married this October!  On Saturday, I had my Bridal Shower, which was everything I've ever dreamed of.  As you may have guessed from the title of this post, at least a few books made it onto my wedding registry - you wouldn't expect anything less, would you?

Mastering the Art of French Cooking

by Julia Child

752 pages

First released 1961

"For over fifty years, New York Times bestseller Mastering the Art of French Cooking has been the definitive book on the subject for American readers. Featuring 524 delicious recipes, in its pages home cooks will find something for everyone, from seasoned experts to beginners who love good food and long to reproduce the savory delights of French cuisine, from historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring-green peas. Here Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle break down the classic foods of France into a logical sequence of themes and variations rather than presenting an endless and diffuse catalogue of dishes. Throughout, the focus is on key recipes that form the backbone of French cookery and lend themselves to an infinite number of elaborations--bound to increase anyone's culinary repertoire. With over 100 instructive illustrations to guide readers every step of the way, Mastering the Art of French Cooking deserves a place of honor in every kitchen in America."

 

It's safe to say that Julia Child's classic is the quintessential cookbook that every cook needs.  While I already have a few cookbooks, this was missing from my collection.  Obviously this had to be my top pick!

Mary Berry's Baking Bible

by Mary Berry

400 pages

First released 2009

"This definitive collection from the undisputed queen of cakes brings together all of Mary Berry's most mouth-watering baking recipes in a beautifully packaged edition. Filled with 250 foolproof recipes, from the classic Victoria Sponge, Very Best Chocolate Cake and Hazelnut Meringue Cake to tempting muffins, scones and bread and butter pudding, this is the most comprehensive baking cookbook you'll ever need.

Mary's easy-to-follow instructions and handy tips make it ideal for kitchen novices and more experienced cooks alike, and full-colour photographs and beautiful illustrations will guide you smoothly to baking success. Drawing on her years of experience to create recipes for cakes, breads and desserts, Mary Berry's Baking Bible will prove to be a timeless classic."

If there is anyone who could improve my limited baking skills, it's Mary Berry!  For those who are fans of The Great British Baking Show, you already know her, love her, and totally understand why this book had to be included.

The Kitchen Counter Cooking School:  How a Few Simple Lessons Transformed Nine Culinary Novices into Fearless Home Cooks

by Kathleen Flinn

304 pages

Release date 9/29/2011

"After graduating from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, writer Kathleen Flinn returned with no idea what to do next, until one day at a supermarket she watched a woman loading her cart with ultraprocessed foods. Flinn's "chefternal" instinct kicked in: she persuaded the stranger to reload with fresh foods, offering her simple recipes for healthy, easy meals. The Kitchen Counter Cooking School includes practical, healthy tips that boost readers' culinary self-confidence, and strategies to get the most from their grocery dollar, and simple recipes that get readers cooking."

This book looks like it would be perfect for someone like me: confident in following a recipe, but no idea how to cook from instinct.

Magnolia Table, Volume 2

by Joanna Gaines

352 pages

Release date 4/7/2020

"Following the launch of her #1 New York Times bestselling cookbook, Magnolia Table, and seeing her family’s own sacred dishes being served on other families’ tables across the country, Joanna Gaines gained a deeper commitment to the value of food being shared. This insight inspired Joanna to get back in the kitchen and start from scratch, pushing herself beyond her comfort zone to develop new recipes for her family, and yours, to gather around.

Magnolia Table, Volume 2 is filled with 145 new recipes from her own home that she shares with husband Chip and their five kids, and from the couple’s restaurant Magnolia Table, Silos Baking Co, and new coffee shop, Magnolia Press. From breakfast to dinner, plus breads, soups, and sides, Magnolia Table, Volume 2 gives readers abundant reasons to gather together.

The book is beautifully photographed and filled with dishes you’ll want to bring into your own home, including: Mushroom-Gruyére Quiche, Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread, Grilled Bruschetta Chicken, Zucchini-Squash Strata, Chicken-Pecan-Asparagus Casserole, Stuffed Pork Loin, Lemon-Lavender Tart, and Magnolia Press Chocolate Cake."

I have Volume 1 and I love it!  Now I just need to add some more shiplap to my house to really make Jo proud!

Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Handbook:  The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home

by Martha Stewart

752 pages

Release date 10/31/2006

"Whether your home is small or large, an apartment in the city or a country cottage, it is a space that should be at once beautiful and livable. The key to that is managing the upkeep without feeling flustered. Until now, there has never been a comprehensive resource that not only tells how to care for your home and everything in it, but that also simplifies the process by explaining just when. With secrets from Martha Stewart for accomplishing the most challenging homekeeping tasks with ease, this detailed and comprehensive book is the only one you will need to help you keep your home looking its best, floor to ceiling, room by room.

In Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook, Martha shares her unparalleled expertise in home maintenance and care. Readable and practical–and graced with charts, sidebars, illustrated techniques, and personal anecdotes from Martha’s decades of experience caring for her homes–this is far more than just a compendium of ways to keep your house clean. It covers everything from properly executing a living room floor plan to setting a formal table; from choosing HEPA filters to sealing soapstone countertops; from organizing your home office to polishing your silver and caring for family heirlooms.

Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is organized for clarity and maximum practicality:

Room by Room covers the upkeep of the appliances, tools, furnishings, and surfaces found in each room, from the entryway to the kitchen, from the attic to the laundry room.

Throughout the House instructs the reader on the proper ways to routinely clean and periodically maintain everything in the home, including dusting, sweeping, vacuuming, polishing, scrubbing, waxing and much more.

Comfort and Safety focuses on techniques to ensure your home is running properly and safely, such as recognizing when to clean vents, fixing a leaky faucet, and eradicating pests.

A-to-Z Materials Guide provides an invaluable resource that explains the unusual materials that many favorite objects are made of–from abalone to zinc–and how to care for them so they last.

Encyclopedic yet friendly, Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook is a seminal work–a must-have for everyone who wants a well-cared-for home that will endure for generations."

This list would have no credibility if I didn't include at least one Martha Stewart title!  While she has so, so many books that would be great for a wedding registry, I went with her cleaning classic.

Let's Eat France!

by François-Régis Gaudry

432 pages

Release date 10/16/2018

"There’s never been a book about food like Let’s Eat France! A book that feels literally larger than life, it is a feast for food lovers and Francophiles, combining the completist virtues of an encyclopedia and the obsessive visual pleasures of infographics with an enthusiast’s unbridled joy.

Here are classic recipes, including how to make a pot-au-feu, eight essential composed salads, pâté en croûte, blanquette de veau, choucroute, and the best ratatouille. Profiles of French food icons like Colette and Curnonsky, Brillat-Savarin and Bocuse, the Troigros dynasty and Victor Hugo. A region-by-region index of each area’s famed cheeses, charcuterie, and recipes. Poster-size guides to the breads of France, the wines of France, the oysters of France—even the frites of France. You’ll meet endive, the belle of the north; discover the croissant timeline; understand the art of tartare; find a chart of wine bottle sizes, from the tiny split to the Nebuchadnezzar (the equivalent of 20 standard bottles); and follow the family tree of French sauces.

Adding to the overall delight of the book is the random arrangement of its content (a tutorial on mayonnaise is next to a list of places where Balzac ate), making each page a found treasure. It’s a book you’ll open anywhere—and never want to close."

This book is almost too pretty to cook from, but since I am a dedicated francophile, I think I'll manage! 

What do you think:  did I miss any registry must-haves?  Tell me in the comments!