2025 Gift Guide: Non-Fiction Books

Cult Sandwiches by David Paw (Welbeck Publishing)

David Paw is here to introduce us to 100 “sandwiches” from around the world. “Sandwiches” put in quotations because like internet memes, it’s hard to define what counts as a sandwich. The book details the ingredients found in these sandwiches, as well as the origin stories. While we love the illustrations and colours in the book, as they remind us of signs in sandwich shops, we do wish there are more photos of the sandwiches though. Guess it’s time to hit the road and find these sandwiches ourselves!

 

 

 

Lessons in Mixology by Jordan Spence (Welbeck Publishing)

Jordan Spence keeps things simple and easy to follow in his Lessons in Mixology. After a quick but detailed introduction on the essential items you need for any cocktail, including the shapes of ice, and types of glasses, the book dives right into the cocktail recipes. Each cocktail recipe is drawn in the glass the drink is served in, in “bar” chart or pie chart format, along with 1-3 lines of instruction. Can’t really go wrong!

 

 

 

The Mocktail Deck by Jai Breitnauer (Summersdale Publishing) 

Not everyone drinks, so this mocktail deck is a great alternative. This handy box contains 52 colourful and sturdy cards, and a wooden stand for easy referencing while you learn these new recipes. The box also features a little booklet that contains information about glassware choices, and glossary. Definitely great for when you are hosting a party and want guests to be able to flip through options without fighting over a book.

 

 

 

The Guide to Chinese Cooking by Handa Cheng (DK Publishing)

The English title doesn’t do the Chinese subtitle justice — those 4 words actually mean “simple home-style meal”, but also almost an idiom for “nothing out of the ordinary”. But this book is no ordinary cookbook — in this 380-page guidebook, Handa Cheng teaches people the basics of Chinese cooking, from the essential techniques and spices,  to the Do’s and Don’ts of table manners. The recipes are divided into 14 chapters, such as cold dishes, rice, and snacks, and many of them are dotted with “tips” for easier alternatives.

 

 

Jeremy Pang’s Hong Kong Kitchen (Octopus Publishing)

Hong Kong cuisine is inspired by many other nations’ food, hence you will find recipes here that are borrowed from Vietnamese and Korean culture, among others. The recipes are very, very detailed, with page-long descriptions so you wouldn’t need to worry about missing a step and misunderstanding instructions. Recommended for those who are already familiar with Hong Kong cuisine!

 

 

 

 

The Potato Book by Poppy Cooks (Bloomsbury Publishing)

Anyone who loves potatoes would have seen Poppy’s reels, and while we saved every single one of them every time her reels popped up on our feed, nothing beats having her recipes written down all in one place. From mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, baked potatoes, to potato salads, Poppy got you covered. We love how it’s clearly listed which type of potato we would need for each recipe, and that there are sometimes variations of a recipe that people can try once they have mastered the classic version.

 

 

 

Road Trips in Europe: 50 Adventures on the Open Road (DK Publishing)

One great thing about living in the UK is that it’s super easy and fairly cheap to get to Europe. But the question is: where in Europe should we go next? This latest Road Trips in Europe book by DK gives you 50 ideas (well, 45 given that 5 of them are based in the UK), from a 2 to 3-week long Grand Tour of Switzerland, to a short Norway one that would take only 3-6 hours. For each trip, there are details of the road conditions (in case you don’t feel too ready in your driving abilities), and the ideal time to embark on that journey.