From cacio e pepe in Rome to bouillabaisse in Marseille, food is an important part of any European adventure. Travelers can learn so much about a destination and its culture by sampling the local cuisine. It’s exciting to explore new ingredients, flavor combinations and cooking techniques. Once home, it’s time to put those new culinary experiences to the test. European cookbooks can help to recreate your favorite food-inspired travel moments at home.
The Best European Cookbooks for Travelers
Catalan Food: Culture and Flavors from the Mediterranean
Enjoy a taste of Catalan with Catalan Food: Culture and Flavors from the Mediterranean, which features 80 recipes. From tapas to paella, authors Daniel Olivella and Caroline Wright share their favorite Spanish dishes – perfect for entertaining friends and family. Published in 2018, this cookbook explores Catalan culture through stories of food, people, history and heritage. Recipes include llom de porc canari (slow-roasted pork loin), tiradito amb escalivada (Spanish sashimi with roasted vegetable purees) and brandada de bacalla (pureed salt cod with mashed potatoes). Buy Now
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, is one of the best European cookbooks ever written. Published in 1961, it continues to inspire and delight a new generation of cooks and chefs after more than 50 years since its creation. This two-volume cookbook features recipes developed during the 1950s when the authors co-founded a Parisian cooking school called L’Ecole des Trois Gourmandes (The School of the Three Happy Eaters). With more than 500 recipes, this cookbook offers a comprehensive look at French cooking with classic favorites like vichyssoise, boeuf bourguignon and cheese soufflé. Buy Now
The Little Swedish Kitchen
The Little Swedish Kitchen is the sixth cookbook from Rachel Khoo, a British cook, writer and broadcaster. Published in 2018, this cookbook offers more than 100 recipes inspired by Swedish culture and landscape. Explore a simple and seasonal approach to cooking at home with dishes like Swedish meatballs with beanballs, smoked sausage stroganoff and plum tosca cake. These simple recipes look at Scandinavian cuisine from a fresh perspective. Buy Now
Alpine Cooking: Recipes and Stories from Europe’s Grand Mountaintops
Alpine Cooking: Recipes and Stories from Europe’s Grand Mountaintops, by Meredith Erickson, feels like a cookbook and travel guide – all in one. Published in 2019, this European cookbook includes 80 recipes inspired by the food serviced at hotels, chalets and mountain huts situated among the alpine peaks of Italy, Austria, Switzerland and France. It is not just about the cheese, although classic dishes like fondue and raclette can’t be ignored. Recipes include radicchio dumplings, Piedmontese-style agnolotti and goulash with speck dumplings – ideal dishes for pairing with wine and beer. This book also explores some of the most charming Alpine hotels, family-run inns and rifugios, so you can plan future travel plans around your food preferences. Buy Now
The Sicily Cookbook
Join cook, writer and photographer Cettina Vicenzino as she shares more than 70 authentic recipes from Sicily. Published in 2020, the Sicily Cookbook offers a unique look at Sicilian culture through local dishes featuring three strands of Sicilian cooking: cucina povera (peasant food), cibo di strada (street food) and cucina dei monsù (sophisticated food). Check out recipes like grilled octopus with ricotta humous, panelle and lemon couscous, angel hair pasta fritters with pecorino, spinach, date syrup and cinnamon and cannoli with artichoke cream. The unique flavor combinations found in this European cookbook celebrate authentic Mediterranean cuisine. The book also features profiles on Sicilian chefs and food producers as they explore local ingredients, such as citrus fruits, cheeses, olives, tomatoes, eggplants and seafood. Buy Now
The Turkish Cookbook
Published in 2019, the Turkish Cookbook features recipes by Musa Daĝdeviren, an Istanbul-based chef with three restaurants, including Çiya. The Turkish Cookbook includes more than 500 recipes, and includes classic dishes like kebab with aubergine, poached eggs with yogurt and baklava. This European cookbook offers healthy and fresh food options that honor Turkey’s vibrant culinary heritage. Buy Now
Dishoom: From Bombay with Love
This may not be a European cookbook, but it will inspire a trip to Europe. Now, travelers can enjoy dishes from the much-loved London-based Indian restaurant, Dishoom, from the comfort of home. With over 100 recipes, fascinating stories and beautiful photography, Dishoom: From Bombay with Love transports readers to India – perfect for the armchair traveler. Written by Shami Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar and Naved Nasir and published in 2019, this book features recipes like matter paneer, keema pau, chana chaat salad, house black daal and jackfruit biryani. Buy Now
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