Canadians have been serving up some seriously amazing cookbooks this year, which made the task of picking our favourites that much more fun! Each one of these top picks features everything you want from a summer cookbook: fresh ingredients, stunning food photography and, of course, a Canadian touch.

1. Brown Eggs and Jam Jars


Photo credit: Penguin Canada

Brown Eggs and Jam Jars (Penguin Canada) by Aimee Wimbush-Bourque, $32.

Former chef and self-described urban homesteader Aimée Wimbush-Bourque’s passion for back-to-basics cooking is downright infectious, and one look at this cozy cookbook is sure to get you hooked. Montreal-based Wimbush-Bourque is the editor of the wildly popular blog Simple Bites, which showcases local flavours and encourages readers to treat cooking as a family affair––an approach we can definitely get behind!

2. Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day


Photo credit: Appetite by Random House

Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day (Appetite by Random House) by Tara O’Brady, $30.

Ontario mother of two Tara O’Brady has been sharing her favourite home-style recipes on her popular blog, Seven Spoons, since 2005. Her fresh approach to cooking is best described as all-Canadian––a crowd-pleasing blend of internationally inspired dishes and North American favourites. With this debut cookbook, O’Brady offers everything from easy weeknight meals to stunning seasonal desserts, all beautifully captured in colourful photographs and accompanied by heartwarming tales of her daily life.

3. Duchess Bake Shop


Photo credit: Duchess Bake Shop

Duchess Bake Shop (self-published) by Giselle Courteau, $45.

Edmontonians have been enjoying the delicate French-style desserts of Duchess Bake Shop since 2009—and making the rest of us jealous by sharing tantalizing images of their multicolour macarons, tarts and seasonal pies on social media! Now, with the release of the bakeshop’s stunning 80-recipe cookbook, we can all get in on the fun by making the signature desserts at home. Helpful step-by-step preparation shots will guide you through making some of the more intricate recipes, taking the intimidation out of creating croissants, caramel and, of course, macarons, at home.

4. The Canning Kitchen: 101 Simple Small Batch Recipes


Photo credit: Penguin Canada

The Canning Kitchen: 101 Simple Small Batch Recipes (Penguin Canada) by Amy Bronee, $28.

This debut from Victoria blogger Amy Bronee is jam-packed with fresh ways to capture the season’s finest produce. From jams to sauces to fruit butters (her Salted Caramel Pear Butter has certainly caught our attention!), there’s something for everyone in this beautiful book. Bronee includes helpful tips for beginner canners and a step-by-step checklist to ensure that each batch is safely preserved.

5. The Great Lobster Cookbook: More Than 100 Recipes to Cook at Home


Photo credit: Appetite by Random House

The Great Lobster Cookbook: More Than 100 Recipes to Cook at Home (Appetite by Random House) by Matt Dean Pettit, $30.

Nothing says summer like warm, buttery lobster—and this book from Matt Dean Pettit, chef-owner of Toronto’s beloved Rock Lobster Food Co., has everything you need to enjoy the king of seafood all season long. Along with 100 lip-smacking recipes, Pettit’s cookbook demystifies the art of cooking lobster by offering easy cooking techniques and a lesson on lobster anatomy, teaching you to use every last bit––from claw to tail.

6. Canadian Living: The Complete Chicken Cookbook


Photo credit: Transcontinental Books

Canadian Living: The Complete Chicken Cookbook (Transcontinental Books) by the Canadian Living Test Kitchen, $30.

If there’s one ingredient that Canadians rely on to bring dinner together easily, inexpensively and deliciously, it’s got to be chicken. This collection of Tested-Till-Perfect recipes is brimming with fresh ways to cook everything from breasts to the entire bird––plus, you’ll learn how to cut up a whole chicken!

Feeling patriotic? Try our collection of desserts with a Canadian twist!