Happy New Year everyone! I enjoyed a nice, long break from work and the blog, but now I’m refreshed and ready to start cooking. I plan on changing up the format a little this year, and I hope to publish more regularly. There are so many cookbooks I am looking forward to trying out, so let’s get started!
As part of my new format, I am going to introduce and review the cookbook in the same post. On Wednesdays (and sometimes Thursdays), I will share a recipe. Friday will be a bit of a grab bag, where I will share other things I’ve been cooking, reading, or watching, and some of my favorite kitchen things.
The Year of Cozy by blogger Adrianna Adarme is a book that I’ve had quite awhile, but haven’t ever cooked from. As the subtitle says, this book has more than recipes. It also includes some craft projects (I haven’t done any of those either. 🙂 ), and just some ideas about having a cozy life. The book is arranged by seasons, so I tried out a couple of the winter recipes that I will share with you this week.
Here’s my verdict:
To Read: Yes. In the introduction, Adrianna writes about her decision to start a blog, A Cozy Kitchen, after reading a commencement speech by David Foster Wallace. She was not very happy with her life, and this speech made her “dedicated to the idea of living my everyday life with intention.” Her blog became her happy place, and this cookbook is an extension of her discovery that creating things was what made her happy. Reading this cookbook definitely made me feel warm and cozy.
To Look At: Yes. There are beautiful photos accompanying most of the recipes and craft projects. And she even throws in several photos of her cute dog, Amelia!
To Cook From: Probably. I had good luck with the recipes I chose, but they were pretty basic. Since this book has craft projects and just general life advice included, I wouldn’t say my standards are super high for the recipes. This is more the type of book that gives you ideas, as opposed to detailed cooking instructions.
Overall, this is a fun book and after picking it back up, I am inspired to make some more recipes from it. Not sure if I will be making my own birch trivet or hand-painted pillow, but who knows? I could definitely use her suggestions for organizing my pantry or starting a good habit!
So what do you think? Do you like hybrid cookbooks? (I think I just made up a new term. Lol) Let me know if you have any suggestions for similar books to try out. See you with some recipes later this week.
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