This Week Is The Stress Baking Olympics

And a good time to appreciate your cookbook collection

Nov 05, 2024

The plan was to take this week off from the newsletter—in every way it felt like there were more important things to read and write and think about. As the day wore on, though, I reminded myself over and over that no matter what, tomorrow would come and go, and there wasn’t really anything I could do about it (cheerful). What I can do over the next 24-72 hours is distract myself!

Emily Sundberg

really hit the nail right on the head with this one—I’ll be somewhere between a three hour meal prep and a pack of cigarettes. Seems like the only logical coping mechanism.

What I’ll really be doing which, truthfully, I started last night, is stress-baking. I am obsessed with cleaning my kitchen, absolutely covering it in flour, and then cleaning it again. Then, two hours later, a treat comes out of the oven. Suddenly seven hours have passed—look at that! Last night’s escapade was Pumpkin Cardamom Crumb Muffins and they turned out literally perfect. Thank you as always, Dan Pelosi. Would highly recommend wasting a few hours throwing these bad boys together.

The best part about stress-baking is it never really has to end—I get myself into a bit of a frenzy and as soon as I finish one project, I am ready to start another. Half the fun is the time spent agonizing over which recipe to commit to from the dozens saved across apps and dogeared across books. If you are like me, you are deeply obsessed with your cookbook collection and are also overwhelmed by hundreds of pages of sophisticated recipes begging to be made. While my pumpkin muffins may have been the piece de resistance of my stress-baking, my many cookbooks and pinned recipes are the real driver.

I work at Phaidon, my long-time favorite publisher, and since starting have been developing a cookbook collection that is going to make it literally impossible for me to ever move. I thought I had a lot under my belt before, but my cookbook collection has grown exponentially in the last six months. This is an amazing problem to have. There are so many chefs and writers I admire and reading their cookbooks is sooo much better than doom scrolling. AND! it’s the kind of reading that usually ends in some sort of exciting outcome—perhaps fresh brioche? A lasagna? A new fish you travelled miles to procure?

Tonight I am sharing my favorite cookbooks on my bookshelf, along with a few favorite recipes and a few that are next on the docket. Stay tuned at the very end for the best spots in NYC for your cookbook shopping. I’ll link all the books, please buy them from you local bookstore <3

Sweet Enough,

Alison Roman

Not sure what I would do without Alison Roman’s recipes, and her newest cookbook feels like it was made just for me. Savory baking is one of my favorite things in the world and Alison has compiled a perfect assortment of the sweet and not-so-sweet, with exciting and accessible recipes. Her shortbread cookies can do no wrong. Really looking forward to making this semolina cake.

Crumbs, Ben Mims

Shameless Phaidon plug, but also a truly amazing book. Ben spent years researching cookie recipes all around the world and created this incredible cookie bible. It JUST came out on the 29th and I am so happy to have a copy of my own. I am obsessed with these flower cookies. I couldn’t possibly be upset eating one of these.

The Cook You Want to Be, Andy Baraghani

Andy is perfect and this book has never led me astray. From simple salads to every sauce you could ever need in your tool belt, this book has everything you need. I am obsessed with eating rice and eggs, and this recipe made me branch out from my standard recipe. SO worth the extra steps of frying your garlic and pulling together a spicy vinegar.

Dessert Person, Claire Saffitz

Claire singlehandedly turned me into a baker during Covid lockdown. I made a new recipe from this book every single day, and there is nothing in here I wouldn’t make again. Claire taught me how to make perfect focaccia, BAGELS, laminated pastries, and the best molasses cookies of all time. If you don’t own this book… you should :)

Spain: The Cookbook, Simone and Inés Ortega

A recent addition to my Phaidon collection is the now-sold-out Spain: The Cookbook. First published forty years ago, this is a beautiful ode to Spanish cuisine with 1,080 recipes on 1,080 pages. It is enormous, full of beautiful drawings, and home to recipes I can’t wait to make.

Cooking for Artists, Mina Stone

I also just got this book from my friends at Artbook and am thrilled about it. First of all, the white cover can be wiped clean—fear not messy chefs! I am dying to make this tahdig and look through every single page covering Stone’s work as a personal chef in the art world. Gorg.

Cafe Cecilia, Max Rocha

Another Phaidon plug for another perfect book. Max Rocha;s East London restaurant was born to have a cookbook, and it’s one I can’t get enough of. Shot by Matthieu Lavanchy, a photographer for the likes of Loewe and Chanel, this book has some of the most incredible food photography I have ever seen. Who knew you could make eggs on toast look chic?? I’m dying to make Max’s Guinness Bread, which I was lucky to try during his stop in New York for the book’s press. Second on the list is this insane grilled cheese.

The Four Horsemen, Nick Curtola

Another recent purchase (I need to be stopped), but it was a no-brainer to get the book from the best restaurant in Brooklyn. I have had such exquisite experiences at 4H and I would do anything to support that crew. Additionally, if I could even come close to replicating what they make, I could die happy. Call me crazy but I am obsessed with this salad and can’t wait to make it.