Hosting a Valentine’s/Galentine’s Dinner? These Cookbooks Will Make Your Guests Swoon
Valentine’s Day can be a stressful time for anyone. For couples, it could heat up the pressure to impress your significant other. For singles, it could have you scrambling to make plans or gather all your other single pals together to feel less alone. If you’re planning on hosting, these cookbooks can help bring a formal, elegant dinner, like dishes from The French Laundry, into your own home or provide inspirations on TikTok trends like board night. And if you’re not planning to host, what better way to show an act of self-love than by cooking something special for yourself that you’ll be able to bring beyond this one day. Whether you’re single or not, the focus will be less on your relationship status and more on indulging these treats that will surely please any palate.
While charcuterie boards will never be out of style, level up your next event by following the latest TikTok trend—board night. This collection of thirty well-crafted boards will serve as inspiration whether you’re hosting your significant other for Valentine’s Day or the girls for Galentine’s Day. These casual, delicious platters go beyond the classics to make entertaining fun and exciting.
In the world of fine dining, it doesn’t get more elegant and unique than The French Laundry with its celebrated restaurants in Yountville, California, and New York. Dancing with creativity, innovation, knowledge, and excellence, The French Laundry, Per Se brings together 70 beloved recipes, from “The Whole Bird” to Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes. The collection of recipes is a master class in the state of the art of cooking today. Skip the wait and bring these recipes to life to share with a special someone for a formal dinner in the comforts of your own home.
Food writer Kaori Becker brings easy-to-follow techniques for these popular and adorable treats. Recipes include fillings like rosewater, Nutella, and black sesame. But not all the flavors are sweet. There are also savory goodies like bacon-wrapped mochi and there’s inspiration to create charming shapes like pandas and baby chicks. Whether you want to make it for others or save them all for yourself, these treats will definitely be a highlight on Valentine’s Day.
Tinned fish has finally gotten the spotlight it deserves as one of the world’s greatest ingredients for being versatile, economical, and nutrient-packed. This collection goes even further by focusing on sustainable and easy to find seafood, like anchovies, shellfish, mackerel, and more. Recipes like “Cast-Iron Rib-Eye Steak with Anchovy Butter” and “Fusilli with Sardines, ‘nduja, and Pecorino”, will surely impress your date or be fun to make for yourself as a practice of self-love. With 75 recipes, these dishes will change how you think about and cook with tinned fish.
If cooking for someone is an act of love, then what better way for a newlywed couple to express their love for each other than to cook? With 100 classic, modern recipes, young couples can build their cooking repertoire to not only nourish themselves but also their friends and family. Recipes range from easy week night dinners, like Spring Vegetable Curry with Rice Noodles, to ones made for entertaining, like a Seafood Stew Saffron Broth. Maria Zizka also provides practical tips on how to store food properly and repurpose leftovers. Couples will be able to take these lessons beyond a romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is about to reach a whole new level with this cookbook that will teach readers how to master the classic Martini or crowd favorite Margarita. A great activity that you can do with a significant other, your friends, or even just by yourself, is learning how to make your favorite drinks. These recipes will equip you and your group with the knowledge of liquor fundamentals and the tools to make these easy cocktails anytime.
In this cookbook, you can have your cake and eat it too. Southern baker extraordinaire Elizabeth Karmel pairs steak and cake for a universally loved meal that makes every occasion special. Ever thought about having Cowboy Steak with Whiskey Butter followed by a Whiskey Buttermilk Bundt Cake? How about a Prime New York Strip Steak Roast and Chocolate Layer Cake? These fun pairings will bring surprise and delight to help you discover just how luscious and indulgent steak and cake can be.
Emily Hoang is a writer and editor, who is obsessed with haunted houses, ghosts, and dreams. More info can be found on her website.