6 Coffee-table cookbooks for holidays gifts

Genius holiday gift idea: 6 cookbooks that double as coffee-table decor

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As a person who has very recently set pasta on fire, cookbooks pose a specific conundrum to me: They’re almost completely useless from a utilitarian standpoint, but some recent examples I’ve seen are so pretty look at. We, veritable chefs and kitchen phobics alike, have entered a new era in the world of cookbooks, with works of visual and culinary art like Cherry Bombe and Downtime.

It was hard enough deciding on a Thanksgiving host present, and the season of gifting is far from over: Don’t know what to get your friends, your family, and let’s be real—yourself, despite the holidays barreling toward you at festive lightning speed?

This is where a doubles-as-decor cookbook becomes super handy. It’s basically foolproof—if the receiver of this gift can’t cook (like me) then it’s an aspirational addition to a healthy Zen den. And, if you’re gifting this to a bona fide foodie, they’ll be psyched about the new pop of color on their cookbook-clad bookshelf. It’s a tasty win-win.