A Couple Cooks Cookbook by Sonja and Alex Overhiser is more than just a collection of recipes—it’s a guide to strengthening partnerships through shared kitchen experiences. It’s a unique book that not only has recipes for two people, but teaches you how to cook together in the kitchen. Whether you’re planning a romantic date night, tackling weeknight dinners, or hosting friends, this book is designed to bring couples together with thoughtful, practical, and delicious recipes that encourage teamwork and connection.
A Couple Cooks by Sonja Overhiser, Alex Overhiser
Published by Chronicle Books on October 15, 2024
Pages: 336
Source: Edelweiss, the publisher
Sonja and Alex Overhiser of the popular food blog A Couple Cooks share their lifehacks for a strong partnership. Their top secret? Cooking together.
Whether it’s a weeknight dinner or a homespun candlelit date night, somebody has to get dinner on the table. And what if that task was something you could do in tandem with someone you feel close to, making the work more pleasurable and spending quality time together? Enter A Couple Cooks, your guide to making this dream a reality.
With over 100 recipes for all occasions, from everyday dinners and large gatherings to intimate dinners for two, this book is designed to make meal planning and prep a stress-free and enjoyable experience. With designated roles for each partner, each recipe is crafted to be made lovingly by two:
- Having friends over for a weekend dinner? Have your sous chef put out Whipped Ricotta Crostini with Hot Honey while you're prepping the Smoky Spinach and Artichoke Lasagna.
- Craving a sweet pick-me-up at the end of a long week? Prep the dry ingredients while your partner preps the wet ingredients, and chow down on hard-earned Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars together.
Brimming with vibrant photography, A Couple Cooks includes tips and tricks for hosting, upping the romance in the home, table setting and styling, and enhancing your home bar cart. Much more than your average weeknight cookbook, this is an inspiring and hardworking guide on how to make the most of the quotidian moments that make up our days by relishing time spent together, working as a team.
COOKING GIFT FOR TWO: From weddings and engagements to hostess gifts and more, A Couple Cooks fits the bill for a variety of life events with a gifting moment. Pair with a bottle of wine or fun aprons and you have the perfect housewarming present for any couple!
INCLUSIVE MEAL PREP COOKBOOK: Couples cookbooks have long been overdue for a refresh that includes all types of couples. Whether newlyweds, freshly engaged, together-for-a-century couples, cohabitators, or platonic life partners, A Couple Cooks is designed for all sorts of pairs looking to harmoniously divvy up jobs in the kitchen.
EXPERT HUSBAND & WIFE TEAM: Sonja and Alex collaborate as cookbook authors, recipe developers, cocktail experts, and parents. Their award-winning food blog, A Couple Cooks, inspired by their shift from processed foods to cooking at home from scratch, offers thousands of original recipes, cooking tips, and meal-planning ideas to make home cooking easy. This beautiful, giftable book brings together 100 of their star recipes with the warm and wise guidance that has made their blog one of America’s most popular recipe websites.
Perfect for:
- Partnerships of all kinds (including marriages, life partnerships, long-term or new coupledom, and roommates)
- Parents with busy schedules looking to get dinner on the table in a snap
- Couple gift for newlyweds or the recently engaged
- Fans of healthy, vegetable-forward cooking seeking lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options
- Followers of A Couple Cooks blog or such popular cookbook authors as Joanna Gaines, Erin French, and Erin Clarke
I received this book for free from Edelweiss, the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Author
Sonja and Alex Overhiser, the dynamic duo behind the award-winning blog A Couple Cooks, are seasoned recipe developers and home-cooking advocates. Their blog, known for vegetable-forward and scratch-made recipes, draws from their own journey of transitioning from processed foods to a wholesome, home-cooked lifestyle. This cookbook distills their years of expertise into 100 recipes, accompanied by tips for hosting, table styling, and cultivating shared culinary joy.
Audience
This cookbook is perfect for any pair looking to make cooking an integral part of their relationship. Newlyweds, long-time couples, roommates, and even platonic partnerships will find recipes tailored for two, along with clear instructions for divvying up kitchen roles. With vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options, it’s also ideal for fans of healthy, plant-forward cooking.
Mission
The mission of A Couple Cooks cookbook is to transform cooking from a solitary chore into an act of collaboration, connection, and creativity. By sharing roles in the kitchen, partners can make meal prep less stressful and more meaningful, creating not only meals but memories. This book also emphasizes inclusivity, welcoming all types of couples to the table.
What I liked
- Recipes crafted specifically for two cooks, with split tasks. The way that the recipes written is so unique.
- There’s vibrant photography and elegant design. This is a beautiful cookbook.
- I love the tips on hosting, home bar styling, and enhancing everyday meals.
- There’s inclusive tone that resonates with all types of partnerships. You don’t even have to be in a romantic relationship to learn to cook with a partner.
What I Wish It Had
- This book might feel limited to people with families. I don’t think that the recipes should include kids cooking (totally different topic) but this definitely feels more like a cookbook for two adults without needing to feed anyone else, which can be a little limiting.
FAQ
Yes, many recipes are quick and low-effort, perfect for busy evenings.
Definitely more basics. The recipes all have a certain finesse to them, but they are generally easy to make and well-described.
Every recipe has a picture that is beautiful. They have a wonderful art style.
No, it uses mainly standard kitchen equipment.
No, it mainly uses standard ingredients and pantry staples. There might be some more luxury items, but I think most can be found in a good grocery store.
Most recipes take up to an hour, with some quicker and some longer.
No, it does not provide nutritional information.
There are some recipes that are great for several people. There are also recipes for specifically for two people. Generally, I think kids would eat the recipes in the book, but that’s not the goal of the book.
It’s the debut cookbook by the authors of the popular blog A Couple Cooks.
There’s so much information that I read it like a book, but I read cookbooks.
I think this book is a keeper, especially if you are cooking with a partner. There’s so many recipes and so much information, I can see myself going back to it.
Recipe Review
Recipes I’m Excited to Try
- Brown Butter Miso Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
- Salmon Piccata
- Cozy Vegetable Pot Pie
Best Recipes for Different Occasions
- Date Night: Date-night Pizza
- Weekend Hosting: Green Goddess Dip
- Weeknight Dinner: Creamy Mediterranean Chicken Skillet
Final Verdict: A Permanent Addition?
I think that this is an excellent gift to give someone when they get engaged or move in together. The recipes are great, but the concept behind it is even better. I think that cooking together is one of the best things that a couple needs to learn together, but I’m probably heavily biased.
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