by Michelle Sproule | There are plenty of cookbooks on our wishlist this holiday season. Here are five keepers, most of which you can find at Barbara-Jo’s Books To Cooks at 1740 West 2nd Avenue.

Hastings Sunrise Cooks ($25) | This 120-page, full-colour community cookbook features recipes from over 25 of our favourite Hastings Sunrise establishments (think Basho Cafe, Mr. Red, Campagnolo Roma, Renzullo’s, Tacofino, Yolk’s, Red Wagon and many more). Proceeds from the sale of the book go to support two great causes: Backpack Buddies and Garibaldi Annex Elementary. Get it at the source here.

The Food Lab, Better Home Cooking Through Science ($50) | According to author J. Kenji Lopez-Alt (Serious Eats), the secret to plating a perfect pancake, achieving the ideal tender/crisp ratio in your fried chicken, and nailing the smooth factor in your macaroni and cheese can all be broken down using science. The Food Lab combines recipes with physics, chemistry, math and even a little mechanical engineering. Kick your culinary skills up a notch! Get it at Barbara Jo’s.

Tacopedia by Deborah Holtz, Juan Carlos Mena, René Redzepi ($35) | Finally, “An encyclopaedic tribute to the vibrancy of Mexican taco culture.” Recipes combined with interviews, images, graphics, and maps deliver the full story behind regional variations of this tasty favourite. Get it at Barbara Jo’s.

Rice, Noodle, Fish: Deep Travels Through Japan’s Food Culture by Matt Goulding | Author Matt Goulding takes a “journey through the noodle shops, tempura temples, and teahouses” and delivers a comprehensive overview of how food, history, and culture of Japan overlap. Fascinating stuff! Get it at Barbara Jo’s.

Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California ($30) | In the introductory paragraph of the Gjelina cookbook, chef Travis Lett explains how the “recipes are a reflection of the changing dialogue about what we eat. People just want to know that someone cares at some point in the process of creating food, that someone is concerned with the big picture.” That sentiment carries throughout the book, just as it does on the plate in the Venice restaurant. Expect clean, conceptually simple dishes with a grain-and-vegetable focus. Get it at Barbara Jo’s.

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