The Best Fall Cookbooks According to SLO Locals
When temperatures start to drop in September, there’s nothing like a rustic loaf of bread, a pizza you can devour six slices of, a butternut squash salad, a savory porcini pie — in other words, warm food right out of the oven. We surveyed some of our favorite locals who love food, and they dished on the cookbooks they’re cozying up to by the hearth this fall.
Five Marys Ranch Raised Cookbook: Homegrown Recipes From Our Family To Yours
Written by: Mary Heffernan and Kim Laidlaw
Recommended by: Christa Renee, Photographer and Homesteader at Lonely Palm Ranch
Why she loves it: I’ve always admired Mary and how hard she works and the care her family puts into raising quality meats. My family has been waiting for this cookbook for some time. We have had the pleasure of eating meals made by Mary and Brian at their ranch, and also have frequented their restaurants and we are excited to try to create some of these meals in our own home.
Her favorite recipe from the cookbook: My favorite recipe so far from the cookbook is the Rancher’s Pie. It’s such a simple and hearty meal to make for the family, and the kids love it. Plus, it’s great for leftovers.
Written by: Tieghan Gerard
Recommended by: Alexis Negranti, Owner of Negranti Creamery
Why she loves it: Her photos are stunning, moody, and ooze fall vibes. Plus, her recipes are approachable, family-friendly, and as delicious as they look.
Her favorite recipe: Tieghan’s Fall Harvest Butternut Squash Salad is a go-to recipe for me.
Recommended by: Julien Asseo, Executive Chef & Co-Owner at Les Petites Canailles
Why he loves it: This book has a sentimental value because it was my first cooking job out of culinary school in Paris. I recommend this book as it’s got lots of great French traditional and terroir-focused recipes that are achievable at home for home cooks who love cooking.
His favorite recipe from the cookbook: My favorite recipe is the Warm Porcini Mushroom Pie. It screams fall and is absolutely delicious.
Written by: Ken Forkish
Recommended by: Courtney Asseo, Co-Owner at Les Petites Canailles
Why she loves it: It’s a weekly staple in our household since Covid-19 hit. It teaches you step-by-step how to perfect your rustic loaf of bread, focaccia, pizza dough and more. You learn how to do it with a starter versus no starter. Baking bread is an artform and this book is not only coated in flour and dog-eared for our favorite recipes, but it is a classic and super easy to follow. Nothing says fall and comfort like fresh-out-of-the-oven baked bread. My husband and I both go to this book for all our gluttonous cravings.
Her favorite recipe: The Saturday White Bread.
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Written by: Kevin Curry
Recommended by: Michelle Barrera, Owner at EnjoySLO
Why she loves it: Kevin Curry makes cooking fun, easy, affordable, and healthy for everyone. I used to feel overwhelmed cooking healthy food. It struck me as expensive and bland, but Kevin changed that for me. I found the ingredients easily at the grocery store and the dishes were easy to make and jam-packed with flavor. Kevin can be found on YouTube and you can follow along while he cooks; he can even teach you how to create meal plans for the week ahead. The best part is he offers his videos in both Spanish and English, making healthy food more accessible to all.
Her favorite recipe from the cookbook: One of my favorite dishes is his Meatless Tex-Mex Chimichangas without any of the guilt.
Written by: Lori Rice
Recommended by: Chef Rachel Ponce, Chef and Recipe Developer
Why she loves it: Being a chef, I love creating unique dishes — so I don’t use cookbooks that often, but when it comes to baking, I grab a cookbook. I discovered this book and fell in love with the beautiful pictures and super creative recipes that are easy to follow. My husband is a brewer, so we always have beer available and this was such a fun way to incorporate his beers into baking. For me, fall dishes are comforting, and what’s more comforting than freshly baked bread?
Her favorite recipe from the cookbook: The Pumpkin Ale Ginger Loaf — there is nothing more fall than pumpkins and I love pumpkin beers. Lori is so creative and this is a perfect bread for the fall.
