Cooking for Crowds: Books to Cook This Season

It’s the time of year to dust off the roasting pans, serving platters, tofurky basters, pie plates, and anything else you might require to cook up a special meal to share with friends and family. Since moving to Brooklyn, I have become especially fond of holiday celebrations with friends and colleagues, as they tend to provide the most colorful array of foods and culinary experiences. I have enjoyed everything from rice and beans to sauerkraut to vegan cornbread during these spreads. It is to be acknowledged that what is considered a celebration or holiday food is largely subjective, and especially with the many differences in dietary preferences, you can choose from a wide variety of foods to serve these days. The only caveats being that your dish must taste good and look somewhat appealing, and in some cases, be able to survive a turbulent trek on the MTA. 

As you start to plan your menus, you may be in search of some new recipes to mix in with your trusty holiday standbys. I have selected a few recent cookbook titles that will bring fresh ideas and traditions to your Thanksgivings, Friendsgivings, Worksgivings and all the other holiday gatherings that you may be hosting or attending this season. For all the bakers out there, I have included not one, but two books that are entirely about pie— because (at least for those of us that eat leftovers for breakfast) you can never have too much PIE!

Nothing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over by Alison Roman

The latest cookbook by author Alison Roman is all about making food worthy of entertaining, but without the fuss. She includes some basic instructions on how to make the perfect herby salad, crafting a better cheese plate, how to set up a DIY Martini bar, as well as including some delicious recipes for apps and “snacks” that are sure to please a crowd. 

Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food by Nik Sharma

From the author of the blog The Brown Kitchen, Season is a cookbook that fuses Indian flavors with American influences, as well as other regional cuisines. His emphasis on spice and seasoning brings unique flavor combinations, such as deviled eggs with tahini and za’atar, or roast turkey legs with mixed citrus and juniper. His desserts are equally appealing, especially the fall appropriate apple masala chai cake or a sweet potato bebinca, an egg and coconut milk pudding. Perhaps you might want to also concoct one of his drink recipes, such as the festive sounding pomegranate Moscow mule.

Feasting: A New Take on Jewish Cooking by Amanda Ruben

This cookbook, which comes from the owner of a New York style delicatessen in Australia, is a modern take on Jewish cuisine. Full of beautiful photographs and stunning plating, the recipes focus on using fresh ingredients in some familiar favorites. Many of the salads and sides are especially intriguing, such as a roasted carrot and orange salad or the pumpkin and ricotta kugel. 

Retro Recipes From the ‘50s and ‘60s: 103 Vintage Appetizers, Dinner, and Drinks Everyone Will Love by Addie Gundry

This book is full of throwback recipes to the mid-century modern dinner table— think cheese balls, Jello molds, casseroles, etc… If you have been missing that cheesy broccoli casserole at your holiday gatherings, but misplaced your great aunt’s recipe, this book is for you. There is also a classic cocktails section, in case you’re looking to serve something stronger than wine. 

Sweet Potato Soul: Easy, Healthy, Delicious Recipes for Vegan Soul Food by Jenné Claiborne

This is the first cookbook to come from the author of the popular blog Sweet Potato Soul. As the name suggests, there are a plethora of ways to cook up sweet potatoes in this book— everything from traditional candied yams to a sweet potato pie smoothie. She also includes recipes for other southern sides such as cornbread stuffing and a sweet potato green bean casserole, as well as a large dessert selection, for those who want to please all the sweet-toothed vegans at the table. 

The Perfect Pie : Your Ultimate Guide to Classic and Modern Pies, Tarts, Galettes, and More by America’s Test Kitchen

From the much-loved brand of America’s Test Kitchen, comes a new reference guide to all things pie. With detailed step-by-step photographic instructions, this will be a great book for those new to baking, or for anyone who wants to tweak their technique. Filled with a variety of classic and modern recipes, this will be sure to get you rolling out the dough. 

The New Pie: Modern Techniques for the Classic American Dessert by Paul Arguin and Christopher Taylor

This is not the book for pie traditionalists (see above). However, if you want to up your pie game and bring the dessert that everyone will still be talking about the next day/month/year, then this might be worth checking out. While some of the recipes call for a serious time commitment and/or equipment that goes well beyond the basic, others seem doable while still being *extra*. I mean, who doesn’t want to try a pie covered in caramel popcorn? It even has a dulce de pumpkin recipe that claims to appease even the most adamant of pumpkin pie haters.  

Whether you are cooking for a crowd of three or a crowd of thirty, I hope this list gives you the urge to find a few new recipes to cook and share. If you end up cooking any of the recipes from these books, make sure to tag #bklynlibrary in your photos on Instagram or Twitter— we would love to see how our books (and book recs) get put into practice!