Treats for Foodies: The Best Luxury Cookbooks this Christmas

A beautifully presented recipe guide that doubles as a nostalgic paean to the heritage and provenance of forgotten varieties of British fruit, Blanc’s latest volume is much, much more than just a cookbook. Adorned with evocative black and white drawings and a treasury of anecdote, The Lost Orchard is a sumptuous feast for the senses.

Whilst the eighty recipes contained in this sumptuous volume are uniformly enticing and delicious, Alpine Cooking is more a guide to a particular way of continental life than a straightforward cookbook. Replete with stunning scenic photography, Meredith Erickson’s immersive book details the joys of the alpine vistas alongside definitive recipes for strudel, goulash and wiener schnitzel.

Hailed as one of the greatest cookbooks of all time upon its initial publication twenty years ago, The Food of Sichuan has now been updated in a sumptuous new edition, with over fifty new recipes evocative of the region and its culinary singularity. Revisiting the areas that informed her gastronomic journey two decades ago, Dunlop has succeeded in revitalising a seminal text of the cookery genre.

Behind the scenes of St. John, one of the most iconic restaurants in London, this marvellously entertaining book imparts not only the secrets behind some truly delicious dishes but also the quirky culinary philosophy behind the whole enterprise. An entire sensory experience within the pages of a beautifully produced recipe guide.

Enthusiastically adopting the philosophy of cosy living known as Hygge, Copenhagen Cult Recipes demonstrates why Danish cooking and lifestyle choices are being championed across the globe. Exquisitely produced and superbly curated, this is a gorgeous addition to any kitchen.

The last word on Italian cookery, The Silver Spoon has maintained unparalleled authority since 1950. This exquisite volume gathers together 170 of the finest, most authentic dishes from every corner of the country and presents them with stunning new photography and sumptuous design. Lovingly curated, The Silver Spoon Classic is the ultimate gift for any budding gastronome.

An exquisite little edition blessed with gorgeous endpapers, Basil’s thoughtful book is a meditation on food and its intimate connections to race, class and community. Tackling highly charged issues such as inequality and waste with charm, grace and measured wisdom, Be My Guest presents a rounded portrait of the place of cuisine and dining in today’s fragmented global society.

A thoroughly immersive cookery book suffused not just with gastronomic delights but with the atmosphere and culture of 1900's Bombay. Culled from the menus of the iconic Dishoom restaurants, these mouth-watering recipes are placed in the context of the vibrant, bustling Indian metropolis.

Fusing cuisine from across the diaspora, Jewish cookery has always been able to reflect a broad range of culinary influences. Phaidon’s characteristically sumptuous volume reflects this diversity with vibrancy and colour, Koenig’s collection stands as the definitive Jewish recipe guide.

An ode to the oven, Diana Henry’s latest offering delivers delectable dishes which are hassle free and packed full of grains, pulses and seasonal vegetables. Diana shows that, by letting the oven do the work, making a delicious meal need not be time consuming and complicated.

Highclere Castle has a proud reputation as a bastion of traditional country house dining and entertaining. The Countess of Carnarvon takes us on a luxuriously nostalgic journey through the extensive roster of events for the festive season, from delicious banquets to present etiquette and the logistics of getting a twenty-three foot Christmas tree into the saloon.