This time of year, we as readers and cooks can revel in the best of the best culinary books from 2018. Two annual awards competitions make it easier to create our own wish lists. The James Beard Foundation book awards announced its list in late April. The International Association of Culinary Professionals announced theirs last Saturday.
The sole book to make both lists was "Milk Street: Tuesday Nights," by Christopher Kimball. Compare and contrast the two lists (the classic English major technique!) and see which volume encourages you to head to the bookstore, notes in hand. Good reading — and cooking — will follow.
James Beard Foundation Book Awards
American: "Between Harlem and Heaven: Afro-Asian-American Cooking for Big Nights, Weeknights, and Every Day," by J.J. Johnson and Alexander Smalls, with Veronica Chambers (Flatiron Books)
Baking and desserts: "SUQAR: Desserts & Sweets From the Modern Middle East," by Greg Malouf and Lucy Malouf (Hardie Grant Books)
Beverage: "Wine Folly: Magnum Edition," by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack (Avery)
General: "Milk Street: Tuesday Nights," by Christopher Kimball (Little, Brown and Co.)
Health and special diets: "Eat a Little Better," by Sam Kass (Clarkson Potter)
International: "Feast: Food of the Islamic World," by Anissa Helou (Ecco)
Photography: "Tokyo New Wave," by Andrea Fazzari (Ten Speed Press)
Reference, history, and scholarship: "Canned: The Rise and Fall of Consumer Confidence in the American Food Industry," by Anna Zeide (University of California Press)
Restaurant and professional: "Chicken and Charcoal: Yakitori, Yardbird, Hong Kong," by Matt Abergel (Phaidon Press)
Single subject: "Goat: Cooking and Eating," by James Whetlor (Quadrille Publishing)
Vegetable-focused cooking: "Saladish," by Ilene Rosen (Artisan Books)
Writing: "Buttermilk Graffiti: A Chef's Journey to Discover America's New Melting-Pot Cuisine," by Edward Lee (Artisan Books)
Book of the year: "Cocktail Codex," by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald and David Kaplan (Ten Speed Press)
Cookbook Hall of Fame: Jessica B. Harris
IACP Book Awards
American: "Soul: A Chef's Culinary Evolution in 150 Recipes," by Todd Richards (Oxmoor House)
Baking: "Food52 Genius Desserts: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Bake," by Kristen Miglore (Ten Speed Press)
Chefs and restaurants: "Season: A Year of Wine Country Food, Farming, Family & Friends," by Justin Wanger and Tracey Shepos Cenami (Cameron + Co.)
Children, youth and family: "The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs," by the editors at America's Test Kitchen (Sourcebooks)
Compilations: "Cook's Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes," by the editors at America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen)
Culinary travel: "Pasta, Pane, Vino," by Matt Goulding and Nathan Thornburgh (HarperWave)
Food matters: "You and I Eat the Same," by Chris Ying (Artisan Books)
Food photography and styling: "The Cook's Atelier: Recipes, Techniques, and Stories From Our French Cooking School," by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini (Abrams Books)
General: "Milk Street: Tuesday Nights," by Christopher Kimball (Little, Brown and Co.)
Health and special diet: "The Complete Diabetes Cookbook," by the editors at America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen)
International: "Basque Country: A Culinary Journey Through a Food Lover's Paradise," Marti Buckley (Artisan Books)
IACP Julia Child first book award: "Bottom of the Pot: Persian Recipes and Stories," by Naz Deravian (Flatiron Books)
Literary or historical food writing: "Lee Miller: A Life With Food Friends & Recipes," by Ami Bouhassane (Penrose Film Productions; Grapefrukt Forlag)
Reference and technical: "The Fruit Forager's Companion: Ferments, Desserts, Main Dishes, and More From Your Neighborhood and Beyond," by Sara Bir (Chelsea Green Publishing)
Self-published: "Pheasant, Quail, Cottontail: Upland Birds and Small Game From Field to Feast," by Hank Shaw (H&H Books)
Single subject: "Jerky: The Fatted Calf's Guide to Preserving & Cooking Dried Meaty Goods," by Taylor Boetticher and Toponia Miller (Ten Speed Press)
Wine, beer or spirits: "Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned," by Alba Huerta and Marah Stets (Lorena Jones Books)
Book of the year: "Season: A Year of Wine Country Food, Farming, Family & Friends," by Justin Wanger and Tracey Shepos Cenami, with Tucker Taylor (Cameron + Co.)
Design award: "The Cook's Atelier: Recipes, Techniques, and Stories From Our French Cooking School," by Marjorie Taylor and Kendall Smith Franchini (Abrams Books)
Jane Grigson award: "Lee Miller: A Life With Food Friends & Recipes," by Ami Bouhassane (Penrose Film Productions, Grapefrukt Forlag)
