7 perfect cookbooks to give as Christmas gifts

I love reading, especially culinary reading 😉. I devour cookbooks just as much as the recipes they contain! Cookbooks bring me a wealth of meal ideas that I can adapt to what lies in the fridge. If you share my passion, I invite you to discover my 7 favourite Quebec cookbooks that make excellent Christmas gifts for family, friends, colleagues, or to treat yourself. Let’s get started!

“Boire le Québec” by Rose Simard

Rose Simard is one of my biggest favourites of recent years. I had the opportunity to meet her when I was younger, and she amazes me. I’m impressed by her career path. Rose is a sparkling, inspiring young entrepreneur passionate about cocktails 🍸. Known as “1 ou 2 Cocktails”, she shares her passion by offering fabulous, simple‑to‑make cocktails with easy‑to‑find ingredients. You may have seen Rose on TV shows such as “Salut Bonjour,” “L’épicerie,” and “Dans l’œil du Dragon” (where she presented her range of pocket cocktails: Amour Liquide). By the way, her “Amour Liquide” ready‑to‑drink cocktails are fantastic!

In her book “Boire le Québec,” Rose introduces us to 60 breathtaking cocktails with Quebec spirits. I think it’s a fabulous book for showcasing Quebec spirits. In addition to the recipes, we learn more about Quebec products, how they are made, and how to prepare the best cocktails easily.

Rose is a master in the art of cocktails. All the cocktails she suggests in her book “Boire le Québec” are worth discovering, and I had great difficulty tuning in to find my favourite cocktail. The Lolita won my heart and taste buds with its blend of peach liqueur, sparkling rosé cider and sparkling water. It’s refreshing, dapper and simple to make. As a big spritz fan, I couldn’t pass this cocktail up!

To follow Rose Simard with “1 ou 2 Cocktails”: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | Website (in French)

Vegan on a budget by Sara Girard

Sara Girard, also known as “Ma cuisine de tous les jours”, has just released her new book “Végane à petit budget” (Vegan on a budget). Does the name Sara ring a bell? Well, Crazy Leeks brought it to you with her recipe for BBQ green pizza with asparagus, ricotta and leeks featuring Quebec asparagus and leeks from Les Cultures de chez nous 😊. You can’t go wrong with this kind of recipe when using such good, great homegrown vegetables! Returning to the book “Végane à petit budget” is a gold mine for recipes. With inflation, everything is more expensive. Sara is right on with her book, which includes 90 recipes to lower the grocery bill, save time and discover plant‑based proteins!

As a lover of Indian cuisine, I fell under the spell of her recipe for malai kofta (a dish of Indian origin), which you can find in her book. It’s totally tasty, incredibly delicious and simply irresistible 🤤.

To follow Sara Girard (“Ma cuisine de tous les jours”): Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | Pinterest | YouTube | Website (in French)

K for Katrine: the K for Katrine cookbook

“K pour Katrine” stands for Katrine Paradis, a food enthusiast who has been sharing her recipes for a long time, keeping in mind that a recipe must please everyone around the table. Well, she’s succeeded! In her cookbook, Katrine shares her passion with her daughter Margaux Verdier, presenting a variety of recipes for every meal of the day and week. “K pour Katrine’s” recipes are always tasty and offer solutions for different gourmet pleasures. Every year, holiday gatherings show us that families come in all shapes and sizes! To me, the “K pour Katrine” cookbook is a perfect reference, as it offers many ways to adapt. If your brother‑in‑law is a vegetarian, your cousin is gluten intolerant, and your grandfather doesn’t like cauliflower… no problem! You’ll find a menu to please everyone in this book!

It’s an inspiring, family‑friendly book with sublime recipes. My favourite recipe from the “K pour Katrine” cookbook? Pasta with squash, pancetta, sage and arugula 😍. I can’t say no to a pasta dish 🍝. Just thinking about it, I can smell roasted sage’s divine aroma and can’t wait to eat it!

To follow “K pour Katrine”: Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | YouTube | Website (in French)

Survival guide for single parents by Martin Goyette

Martin Goyette, aka “Guide de survie pour monoparental” (Survival guide for single parents) on social networks, recently released his first cookbook. In this book, this single father of 3 offers 70 foolproof recipes ready in under 40 minutes and just as good to enjoy the next day! In addition to the recipes, Martin also shares planning and management tips for single parents and parents with shared custody. I’m also particularly fond of the leftover‑friendly index, which helps you reduce kitchen waste and reuse the same ingredients in different recipes.

This cookbook has everything you need for quick, tasty meals for the whole family. With recipes for chicken, pasta, pork, beef, soups and vegan dishes, there’s no shortage of choice. Of all the recipes, my favourite is definitely the Korean chicken bowls. I love the sauce’s spiciness, and the egg with the runny yolk on top of the rice reminds me a little of my beloved beef, leek and shiitake loco moco recipe. In a nutshell, the 70 recipes in Martin Goyette’s “Guide de survie pour monoparental” are worth their weight in gold!

To follow Martin Goyette (“Guide de survie pour monoparental”): Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

BBQ Passion: 80 recipes from the Craftsman of Smoked by Micael Béliveau

Micael Béliveau is a BBQ pro. The man, also known as “Maître Fumeur” (Craftsman of Smoked), is mastering the art of grilling. In his book “Passion BBQ,” you’ll find 80 BBQ recipes ready in no time, with minimal preparation. These BBQ recipes can be shared with family and friends at any time of the year! It’s a cookbook for beginners and grill experts, with a wealth of highly relevant information on grilling, from BBQ types to accessory selection and cooking methods, as well as a handy checklist for cooking temperatures. This is the BBQ bible to get if you’re a grill enthusiast!

Have you ever tried “Maître Fumeur’s” recipe for portobellos stuffed with shrimp, mushroom sauce, and garlic leek on the Crazy Leeks website? It’s pure genius! It’s a tasty, cheesy side dish, just how I like them 😉! Among the recipes in Micael’s “Passion BBQ” book, asparagus with prosciutto is my favourite, especially when the recipe uses Quebec asparagus from the farms of Les Cultures de chez nous 😊.

To follow Micael Béliveau (“Maître Fumeur”): Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Website (in French)

Meal soups: 110 original asian‑inspired recipes by Geneviève Everell

Geneviève Everell needs no introduction. Miss sushi is the queen of sushi, with her company and her Sushi at Home counters. She and her team organize an in‑home chef service so you can enjoy their excellent sushi, tartar, dessert sushi, and more in good company. I guarantee you’ll enjoy a mouth‑watering meal and an unforgettable evening! Miss sushi also offers her Sushi counters at home concept so you can enjoy her dream menu at home, too.

In her cookbook “Soupes‑repas” (Meal soups), Geneviève offers 110 asian‑inspired recipes, each more delicious than the last. It’s a cookbook that’s both amazing to the taste buds and completely magnificent to look at. As a bonus, Miss sushi provides an overview of classic Asian ingredients for making the best soups. So you’ll have everything you need to prepare comforting, tasty soup meals. As for the recipes, I had a hard time finding my favourite recipe in the book, but my heart fell in love with the melted curry‑coconut soup. It’s probably because of its nice, chunky leeks in it 😉.

To follow Geneviève Everell (Miss sushi): Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Website (in French)

Air fry your life! by Manon Lapierre

The air fryer has changed many people’s lives in recent years. A true revolution in the kitchen, the air fryer can cook much more than fries, cheese sticks and chicken wings! Manon Lapierre and Lionel du Souich of “La petite bette” have understood this. If my math is correct, there are no less than 108 recipes for cooking with an air fryer in their book “Air fry ta vie!” (Air fry your life) When it comes to air fryer recipes, there are plenty to choose from! Tons of side dishes, lunches, appetizers, main courses, breads and desserts are just waiting for you to turn on your air fryer and cook up one of the many recipes in this cookbook.

It’s amazing what you can cook with an air fryer, and it’s usually pretty quick to prepare. My favourite recipe from the cookbook “Air fry ta vie!” is undoubtedly the little hot goat cheese. As a cheese lover, it’s simply perfect and takes less than 10 minutes to cook! A joy 🧀.

To follow Manon Lapierre (“La petite bette”): Facebook | Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Website (in French)

My passion for food and cookbooks

I love food and cookbooks so much that I wrote my first Travel diary recipes inspired by my travels and adventures around the world. In addition to the recipes in my book, I’d like to introduce you to some of my favourite foods from Quebec producers.

By the way, thanks to Crazy Leeks for helping me with my cookbook and making room here to share my passion. I’d also like to take this opportunity to invite you to take a look at Crazy Leeks’ various free cookbooks to download, which are brimming with culinary inspiration for the holiday season. I also invite you to read a few blog posts specially designed for Christmas:

• 8 Christmas dessert recipes to celebrate with your family
• 10 classic, vegan and vegetarian holiday recipes
• 10 perfect appetizers to eat with your hands for Christmas
• 10 vegan recipes for Christmas to veganize your diet

On a final note, I’d like to take my hat off to all the cookbook authors. Thank you for sharing your passion and letting us discover what makes you thrive in the kitchen. Thanks to your cookbooks, we find extraordinary recipes that allow us to travel, drool and enjoy good food and cocktails!

And now, happy culinary reading and eating!

‑ Serge