If there’s one gift we adore is the gift of food… Making, baking, receiving, and eating. It’s all good! And each year we look forward to discovering the latest cookbooks to gift! This year, there’s no exception to the wonderful books teeming with mouthwatering ideas! With a particular focus on Canadian chefs and industry leaders, here are a few that will for sure be noted for our “nice” list…
HOT OFF THE CANADIAN COOKBOOK SHELF:
Nature’s Candy by Camilla Wynne
In Nature’s Candy, award-winning cookbook author Camilla Wynne welcomes you into the magical world of candying fruit—the classic tradition of imbuing fruit with sugar to preserve it as a glistening confection—and tempts curious bakers to work with this fascinating ingredient in a chose your own adventure–style masterclass. Will you candy the whole fruit (cherries, anyone?) or just pieces (hello, orange peel!)? And which of Camilla’s classic and contemporary baking recipes will you select to let it shine? Will it be the Stollen Pound Cake or maybe the Ginger Cashew Caramel Corn? Or perhaps the Banana Split Blondies?
As Camilla’s previous cookbook, Jam Bake was for baking with jam, Nature’s Candy is a game-changing cookbook for baking with candied fruit — learn the foundations and discover the magic! You can read our interview here.
Bacon, Butter, Bourbon & Chocolate Cookbook by Brian Feldeisen
In The Bacon, Butter, Bourbon, and Chocolate Cookbook, Chef Bruno focuses on four distinct ingredients to create some of his favourite recipes. Each one of these ingredients is remarkable on its own and together they produce a range of tastes and experiences that all food-lovers are greedy for salty, sweet, silky, chewy.
Bruno Feldeisen was born in the small French town of Clermont-Ferrand. He began his career as an apprentice at one of France’s most renowned chocolate shops in Moulins: Les Palets d’Or. He graduated from his apprenticeship with an almost-perfect score. After working as a chocolatier at Hotel de Paris in Monaco under the leadership of Chef Alain Ducasse, Bruno moved to the United States in 1988, working in a number of prestigious restaurants and hotels in California such as Patina and the Highlands Inn. In 1994, he became the executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in New York. Bruno’s culinary journey continued when opened Soléa, an American-French restaurant in San Francisco. He later became a pastry chef instructor at the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver, British Columbia and the executive pastry chef at the Four Seasons Hotel in Vancouver. Feldeisen was named one of the Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America by Chocolatier Magazine two years in a row and has been nominated twice for the James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef. He has been a judge for all eight seasons of The Great Canadian Baking Show on CBC Television.
Soups, Salads, Sandwiches by Matty Matheson
Chances are you’ve eaten a soup, salad, or sandwich in the past day (or maybe all three). This trio makes up so many of our meals but is rarely given the attention it deserves–until now. Matty Matheson, known for his bold, innovative flavours, has created a cookbook that will revolutionize how you think of these kitchen basics. This book is for anyone and everyone, offering up Matty’s signature twists on the classics, delivered with minimal effort for maximum flavour.
The acclaimed chef, New York Times bestselling author, and executive producer and actor on The Bear redefines cooking’s iconic trinity: soups, salads, and sandwiches.
Packed with character, personal stories, scrumptious recipes, and vivid photographs of a day in the life with Matty and his family, Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches will have you fearlessly whipping up your own combinations in the kitchen.
Chuck’s Home Cooking: Family-Favourite Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours by Chuck Hughes
Chuck’s Home Cooking features Chuck’s favourite go-to recipes to cook for his family, whether it’s an easy weeknight dinner, a delicious weekend treat, or a dish to impress on special occasions. One thing is for sure: they’re all on steady rotation in Chuck’s home. Juggling work and a young family, Chuck knows first-hand that the hustle of daily life can make mealtime feel like a chore—but with his simple planning and prep-ahead methods, delicious dishes with bold flavours come together with ease!
Celebrity chef and TV host Chuck Hughes shares sure-fire advice and 85 of his favourite recipes to cook at home for friends and family.
Good Food, Healthy Planet by Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma
In this simple-to-follow guide for today’s households, food writer and climate activist Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma provides everything you need to prepare good-for-us, good-for-the-planet food. Beginning with a primer on “the big why” of eating with emissions and land-use in mind, and a comprehensive guide to stocking kitchen essentials and making the most of your pantry, Puneeta outlines the accessible, achievable framework she calls “Eating with Benefits.”
The book’s 75+ recipes are climate-conscious, mostly meat-free, low-waste, and, of course, delicious! In chapters on versatile staples, mornings, dips and condiments, toasties and snacks, small plates, mains, and sweets, you’ll find workhorse recipes designed to maximize diversity in your diet and minimize waste, as well as back-to-basics techniques like sprouting lentils, making yoghurt and cooking just about any kind of dried bean you can imagine.
The Depanneur Cookbook by Len Senater
The Depanneur Cookbook celebrates Toronto’s astonishing cultural diversity, telling the modern immigrant story of the city through 100 recipes from 100 cooks and exploring the Dep’s transformation from an old corner store to a buzzy place of tremendous culinary creativity.
Over a decade ago, Len Senater set out on an adventure to create meaningful experiences using food as the medium. Since then, Len’s idiosyncratic pop-up space, The Depanneur—a tiny, old corner store transformed into “A Place Where Interesting Food Things Happen”—has featured hundreds of talented cooks and served thousands of eclectic meals. Through culinary events such as casual Drop-In Dinners family-style Supper Clubs, hands-on Cooking Classes to insightful Table Talks, The Depanneur has discovered unique ways to foster community through food, all while avoiding the pitfalls of more traditional restaurant experiences. This is evident in The Dep’s continued success and its large and enthusiastic audience—the aggregation of the innumerable family and friends of all people who have cooked here. From a decade of unbridled culinary creativity emerged the idea of celebrating the remarkable accomplishments of this experiment as a book.
MORE COOKS IN THE KITCHEN, PLEASE:
We are always keen to learn and here are some exciting classes to gift! We’ve found classes for all levels of home chefs, newbies, kids and everyone in between.
Ladurée Canada Pastry Making Class:
From the most iconic French patisserie in the world comes this unique opportunity to learn from an actual Ladurée pastry chef. Executive Pastry Chef Alexandra Launey and her expert team of chefs guide an intimate class in recreating the famous Ispahan right in the Ladurée Laboratory (Toronto). Each participant will gain insight into how the delicate and tasty pastry is perfected from start to finish. And yes, you get to take home your creations to enjoy! More information here.
Eataly Cooking Classes:
For the love of Italian cuisine comes this fun and interactive series of classes designed for food lovers! Learn how to make pasta and shapes from scratch as well as sauces from various regions. Or how about making Tiramisu for your next holiday gathering? How about a crowd pleasing Lasagna Bolognese? There are even classes for kids. Classes are led by Eataly’s team of chefs. Available at the Yorkville, Sherway and Don Mills locations. Find the full schedule of classes here.
The Depanneur Cooking & Baking classes:
Len Senater founded The Depanneur in 2011 as “A Place Where Interesting Food Things Happen”, and if the 1,000+ pop-up food events they’ve hosted since then are any indication, he has kept his word.
The Depanneur became best known for hosting unique, family-style dinner parties and fun, hands-on cooking classes that showcase the remarkable diversity of Toronto’s culinary talent. After more than a decade operating out of a converted corner store on College St., The Dep, as it’s known amongst regulars, reopened as a new culinary event space at the Center for Social Innovation in 2024.
Whether they’re hosting a Kazakh dinner party, an Indigenous Food Lab, a Mexican tamale workshop, or a Filipino brunch (just to sample a few recent events), the new and improved The Depanneur offers a roster packed with exciting and unique culinary activities.
Since most people already have plenty of ‘stuff’, Senater likes to encourage people to give the gift of amazing experiences. Gift certificates are also available for purchase on their website.
Le Dolci Baking Classes:
From cake decorating to bread and dough making to adult boot camps and masterclasses, Le Dolci’s culinary classroom has been a popular one for many reasons. Take a deep dive into all things sweet and delicious at any level. There’s even a fun “date night” collection perfect for two. Classes take place in-person but they also have online classes available. Learn more here.
FESTIVE GATHERING WITH FRIENDS:
Festive Royal Brunch at Louix Louis (St. Regis Hotel): December 25 & 26
Celebrate this Festive Season in Royal Style with an Exquisite Brunch at LOUIX LOUIS in the heart of Downtown Toronto. Join us for a lavish Festive brunch at LOUIX LOUIS, where every detail is designed to elevate your holiday celebration. Seafood lovers will delight in our bountiful seafood sharing platter, featuring mussels, shrimp cocktails, crab claws, and fresh oysters. Complete your feast with our Pumpkin Cheesecake, the perfect seasonal dessert to crown your royal Festive brunch. You might also want to check out their other festive offerings (Festive Dinner, Afternoon Tea, Festive Turkey to-go) this season here.
Holidays at the Fairmont Royal York: Saturdays and Sundays until December 29
The timeless tradition of the Clockwork Holiday Tea continues under the rosy glow of the hotel’s stunning clock. Enjoy buttery house-made scones, holiday-inspired sandwiches and an assortment of festive sweets, while you sip on LOT 35 Fairmont curated teas. NEW this year, choose from three seatings PRELUDE, SERENADE, or GRAND FINALE. More details and other festive offerings (House of York Holiday Experience, REIGN Holiday Buffet, REIGN Christmas Dinner and Brunch) can be found here.
Winter Chalet at the Kimpton Saint George Hotel Toronto:
Running from now through the end of January, the Winter Chalet offers a nostalgic ambience with festive décor and classic records setting the mood for guests staying at the hotel. The fun includes hot chocolate station, social hours, and more. Ideal spot to get cosy and relax over mulled wine and bites as you tackle your holiday shopping list in the city. Furry friends are also welcome.
High Beau-Tea with Guerlain at the W Hotel Toronto:
Pamper yourself with W Toronto’s High Beau-Tea in collaboration with Guerlain. W’s beauty-inspired high tea features curated sweet & savoury petit fours inspired by the newly relaunched Rouge G lipstick and iconic Guerlain beauty line. Indulge in edible lipsticks, clotted ‘night’ cream, météorite powder cakes and more. Served in a makeup case, these fashion-forward bites come with premium loose-leaf teas or make it bubbly with prosecco & Champagne. For a limited time, reservations include an exclusive promotion towards Guerlain beauty products and access to the beauty retail pop-up in Living Room.
Winter Village at The Distillery:
This has officially become one of our traditions in the city during the holidays. Stroll through the cobblestone lanes and visit the local shops and food purveyors that line them. Enjoy some of the most delicious (and yes, now social media “viral” treats including the S’mores Hot Chocolate and Tater Tots Poutine). It’s our favourite holiday market in the city! Note some peak entry times require tickets. More information here.
Ginger’s Cocktail Bar: at Le Dolci, 121 Sousa Mendes Street
Worth a visit is this enchanting winter wonderland with an array of Santa approved cocktails and festive sweets. The upper level of the beloved culinary studio has been transformed into a pop-up to provide a joyful and immersive Christmas experience with holiday-inspired décor, music, cocktails, alcohol-free drinks, sweet treats, photo opportunities and more. Visit the site here for more details.
Shop ’till you drop the Jingle Bells
Kilne Cookware Mini Everything Pan:
Mini but mighty. From sides to single serves, skillet cookies to morning eggs, Kilne’s new Mini Everything Pan packs versatility and functionality into a size that perfectly suits your space-saving needs. Meticulously crafted in Italy, the pan is your compact solution for big flavour. This mini version packs all of the versatility and functionality of its larger counterpart, the multi-award-winning Everything Pan, into a size that perfectly suits your space-saving needs. Ideal for solo meals, small kitchens, and on-the-go cooking adventures, the Mini Everything Pan is your culinary companion wherever you roam. Whether you are a busy professional, a college student in a dorm room, or an RV enthusiast craving homemade cuisine on the road, this pint-sized powerhouse delivers big on convenience and flavour. Kilne is a Canadian company! Also, check out the complete line here!
Balzac’s Coffee Roasters:
Inspired by the Grand Cafés of Paris, Balzac’s Coffee Roasters wanted to bring that culture to Canada. Starting as a coffee cart in 1993, they opened their first café in Stratford, Ontario in 1996. Since then, they have grown to 16 distinct locations – yes, each one is unique to its location, with a loyal following. Their roasts can be found on the shelves of grocery stores across the country. Perfect for coffee connoisseurs, secret Santa gifts, and stocking stuffers!
Eataly’s Panettone:
The popular and the icon of Italian holiday tradition, a Classic Panettone from the Italian market’s in-house panettone collection is a standout! The Classic Panettone is one of Eataly’s most popular flavours, in the collection, as it is a leavened sourdough and enriched with raisins, candied orange, and Bourbon vanilla. Its citrus scent makes every slice irresistible. Perfect for bringing to your holiday house parties to enjoy or as a gift for dinner hosts and neighbours. Great for Christmas morning too and your brunch spread.
Chocolat de Kat:
Founder, Kata, started with a simple idea of making chocolates she would be proud of to give to friends and family. Each bonbon is considered a piece of art and bursting with exciting flavours and ingredient combinations. The artisanal chocolates are created right here in Toronto with the highest quality ingredients. Kat believes her chocolate must taste as good as they look! And they really do! Order directly from her magical chocolate shop here.
Saul Good Gifts Co.: Give the gift of Canadiana with this locally sourced, as well as neighbourhood themed artisan gift box/basket company. Products have been locally sourced since 2006. With creative names that celebrate local Toronto neighbourhoods such as: “Salute to the Six”, “Bay Street” and “Kensington Market”,these sustainably packaged gift boxes will thrill both the giver and receiver. There’s also a box that celebrates our Indigenous values in their “Turtle Island” themed box. A Certified B Corp, Saul Good Gift Co. uses regional distribution and purchasing strategies to reduce shipping and carbon impact.
