Tasty Reads: The Culinary & Social Benefits of Cookbooks

Stopping to grab a burger on your way home from work is a quick and easy way to fill up your tank, but there’s more to eating than subduing a craving or making sure you’re getting enough calories in order to function. Cooking for yourself and for your family can be a culinary adventure filled with quality time, but while so many of us own upwards of five, ten, or more cookbooks, many of us are guilty of never fully exploring the depths of their pages.

If eating healthier and saving money on takeout isn’t enough to compel you to take advantage of professionally perfected recipes, perhaps some of the other not-so-obvious benefits of cookbooks will inspire you.

Getting It Right

Let’s face it – cooking takes time and effort. And while the old adage says, “anything worth doing is worth doing right”, it doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on a compendium of Michelin Star inspired recipes; even cheap recipe books can help you create Instagrammable dishes for all to enjoy. The point is, if you’re going to cook at home, the end result of following a recipe is worth the time and effort that went into it (especially when an equal amount of effort spent not following a recipe may result in something completely inedible to even the most adventurous eaters).

Ingredients Tell A Story…

Have you ever noticed how many of your cookbooks have a section or introduction at the beginning that documents the chef’s inspiration for his or her book, or why they chose to follow a certain gastronomical path? Perhaps this particular cookbook was the culmination of a three-month journey across an exotic land or a nostalgic look back at what drove the author towards a career as a chef. Understanding the passion and inspiration behind a meal not only helps you to appreciate what you’re eating, but it might also prove to be an interesting tale to tell as you serve up an enticing course at your next dinner party.

…And So Do Your Tools

If you’re like many homeowners, you likely have a considerable collection of largely unused kitchen gadgets. Cookbooks can help you understand how to (correctly) use all the different items in your kitchen. That might seem like much, but knowing how to use a tool correctly is vital to making the work easier and more enjoyable.

Get to Know the Author

If you’ve ever heard a chef speak about their food, or being interviewed on one of those reality cooking shows, you’ll often hear them talk about a personal connection to the food they’re making. Your cookbook will often contain a bit about the author’s life; obstacles they’ve overcome and joys they’ve celebrated. All of this energy, good or bad, has helped to create the recipes between the covers of the book. Knowing a bit about the author’s life can again foster more appreciation towards the meal you’re preparing and hopefully inspire you to funnel your own experiences into creating recipes of your own.

Food Is More Than Food

Food is one of life’s many joys – if it wasn’t, we’d all be satisfied eating tasteless bars designed to satisfy all of our nutritional requirements. Like anything else in life, the more we understand something, the greater the enjoyment we can derive from it. Cookbooks can help you to understand how to create a menu that will tantalize your guests rather than leaving them feeling confused about the relationship between courses. Consuming food is a journey and each course should represent the next logical step on that journey.

Be More Confident At Restaurants

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying pub grub or frequenting your local delicatessen on a regular basis, but ask yourself: do you avoid exploring fancier restaurants because you worry you might not know what to order? Of course, it’s perfectly normal to feel that way and reasonable to not want to spend the money on something you can barely pronounce. Think of all the interesting food you could be missing out on if you only had a bit more food knowledge and a bit more confidence in ordering the unknown. As you explore your cookbook collection and order books online to grow your culinary library, the greater your knowledge will become and the more confident you will be to explore new restaurants.

Who Doesn’t Like An Adventurous Eater?

Being an adventurous eater means different things to different people. To some, it means going on a reality show and eating bugs and other gnarly things for a chance to win a cash prize. To others, it simply means being willing to step out of their comfort zone and being open to trying new types of food on the regular. The great thing about cookbooks is, no matter where you live, you can create the types of meals that will push you towards new experiences, unlocking excitement and joy you didn’t think possible from a plate of food.

Yes, cookbooks provide you with a list of ingredients and directions on how to transform them into something delectable – but they offer so much more than that. Check out Book Outlet for deep discounts on all the inspiring cookbooks you never knew you needed!