Perfect Gift for Cooks – The Awesome Cook’s Diary

If you are looking for the perfect gift for cooks perhaps for Christmas or a birthday, I have a lovely suggestion for you. The Cook’s Diary is a beautiful and practical present that any foodie would love. It comes from the same company as the Dairy Diary which I remember my mum always had in her kitchen. Since she was a cook by trade and at home that’s enough of a recommendation for me. I have fond memories of flicking through the Dairy Diary as a child and teenager.

Perfect Gift for Cooks

This unique week-to-view diary contains weekly triple-tested recipes, providing inspiration to get up and cook something from scratch! Apparently all the recipes are rigorously tested by the general public to ensure they work perfectly every time. I was sent a copy to review and have tried a few recipes already with my son who aspires to be a chef. I can confirm these dishes were super tasty.

What we loved

We loved that the diary is so very beautiful. We had the black, white and gold one but other options are available as you can see. We loved how the diary encourages you to set aside the time at least once a week to try a new recipe. It is all too easy with our busy lives to stick to what we know. Our favourite recipes to date include Welsh Lamb with Leeks and Samphire, Butterscotch Apple Pie and Cheddar Muffins. We are really looking forward to trying the Frozen Christmas Pudding and the Gluten-free Mince Pies.

What we liked less

Unfortunately a few of the recipes were not to our taste as we do not like mustard, grapefruit or pesto. However, plenty of people love those and I think everyone could find recipes they adore within the pages of this perfect gift for cooks.

Although we liked the future focus with a 2020 planner, we thought covering 2021 was perhaps going a bit too far.

Benefits of the perfect gift for cooks

There are so many practical things in the Cook’s Diary. My daughter loved the stickers because she loves all stickers. I loved that there were stickers to remind you about things like getting haircuts and eye tests done. It is so easy as we juggle busy lives to find these things catching up with us unawares. There are also stickers for medical appointments and car maintenance. I can even use the diary as a home education tool as religious festivals, notable dates and the phases of the moon are detailed towards the front of the diary.

Although my son would have liked more recipes as he is so keen on cookery, we do find the book a great resource for our efforts in the kitchen generally. The perfect gift for cooks tells you about different cuts of meat, how to store food in your fridge and storage tips. There are metric conversions which are always great to have to hand. There is guidance on cooking times and temperatures.

We laughed as a family at the guidance on portion sizes for grains and pulses. My son who now lives overseas was notorious for always cooking too much rice!

My favourite section

I think my absolute favourite bit of the perfect gift for cooks is the two pages giving speedy dishes such as dips, dressings, sauces and desserts. Even on an exhausting day, I find these can make me want to whip up something tasty for the family without it all appearing a little daunting.

It won’t surprise you to know having read my review that I highly recommend the Cook’s Diary as the perfect gifts for cooks.

Do  you have any ideas for gifts for cooks?