Gift guide: 22 books and magazines for cooks, design devotees and print lovers
From chef-led cookbooks and design tomes to page-turning fiction and the freshest independent magazines, here is Monocle’s pick of the best in print.
Looking for a present that will be read and treasured long after the wrapping paper is gone? Beautiful print always makes for one of the most thoughtful, tactile gifts under a tree. From chef-led cookbooks for the keen host to handsome design titles, gripping fiction and independent magazines worth subscribing to, here is Monocle’s guide to the best books and magazines to give this Christmas.
Cookbooks and food guides
1.
Hone your culinary skills with Frederik Bille Brahe’s Copenhagen cookbook
Frederik Bille Brahe made his name creating Copenhagen cafés that serve elegant dishes that feel as though they have been made at home. The chef’s latest cookbook, Apollo: State-of-the-Art Cooking and a Party, spotlights the food served at Apollo, his lively restaurant in the courtyard of Kunsthal Charlottenborg art museum.
Released by Apartamento Publishing, the book is in collaboration with head chef Yuta Kurahashi and Brahe, whose menus are informed by Danish, French, Italian and Japanese cuisine. Monocle recommends trying the mussel toast and eggs scattered with crushed pistachios or the maitake mushroom omelette and cacio e pepe white beans.
apartamentomagazine.com
2.
Cook up a storm with ‘Honey & Co Daily’
When Ottolenghi-trained chefs Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich opened their first Honey & Co restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia in 2012, the duo became notorious for their elevated Middle Eastern cuisine.
The dishes in their new recipe book, Honey & Co Daily, take inspiration from the generous plates that you might find in their laid-back Store Street outpost but still feel accessible to create at home. We recommend trying your hand at the fresh grape-and-bean salad, alongside a sumac-spiked cosmopolitan.
penguin.co.uk
3.
Cause a stir with a new book about the martini
You’re not always asked how you want to enjoy a cocktail. But when it comes to a martini, there are many options. In her latest book, The Martini, drinks expert and author Alice Lascelles explores the Bond-approved classic, providing a considered look at the 150-year-old drink.
Lascelles moves from Tokyo speakeasies to swish Mayfair hotel bars to learn how the pros make theirs. Along the way, she discovers shiso, olive oil and tomato-leaf-infused interpretations – and finds out why the freezer is the secret to making a great martini.
penguin.co.uk
4.
Bring your favourite hotel home with the Rosa et Al cookbook
Siblings Emanuel and Patrícia de Sousa are hospitality veterans and owners of popular Porto-based bolthole Rosa et Al. As well as an enviable range of furniture, it is often memories of the food that patrons can’t quite forget. But now checking out is a little easier as the pair release the hotel’s first cookbook so that guests can recreate dishes at home.
Published by Lebled Soloviev Editions, The Supper Club mixes international influences with traditional notes. The gastronomic tribute to each of Portugal’s regions is divided into sections dedicated to mountain and sea-based fare, from a tasty rabbit with chocolate and plums to tuna with chard and blackberries. When it comes to the cocktail chapter, try the Martini Malandro made with medronho brandy to kick start the evening.
lebledsoloviev.com
5.
Savour the flavour of Belgium
“Belgitude” expresses Belgium’s way of not taking itself too seriously. It’s a sentiment that French food and gastronomy reference point Fooding sums up in its newest print piece, the 2026 guide to Belgium.
The bilingual French-Dutch publication adds 150 new addresses to its list of restaurants, bars, bakeries and bottle shops across Wallonia, Brussels and Flanders. Editor in chief Elisabeth Debourse recommends neo-bistro Môme and Lil’ Bouche for espresso from her native Brussels.
lefooding.com
6.
Tuck in to the best of Belgium with a special edition of ‘Le Fooding’
French food publication Le Fooding is celebrating 25 years of spotlighting the greatest Gallic restaurants, bars and bakeries. This year sees the third installation of its Belgian iteration. From Flanders and Brussels to Wallonia and Ghent, there’s plenty to dig into in this bountiful nation.
Co-CEO Christine Doublet’s highlights are Bloesem in Antwerp and Commotie in Ghent. “Both are plan-ahead, special occasion, tasting-menu spots. Book in advance and then build a weekend around that reservation,” she says.
lefooding.com
To hear more about 25 years of ‘Le Fooding’, tune in to ‘The Stack’ on Monocle Radio.
Design
7.
Pick up a new book on adverts that cut through the noise
French creative director Rémi Babinet’s new book, No Ads Please: Advertising Stories from the Founder of the World’s Most Creative Agency, is packed with photos, campaign stories and reflections as it charts 30 years of his career running BETC, a firm with clients including Michelin and Evian. According to Babinet, No Ads Please is a manifesto for why advertising matters beyond the marketing bubble.
“My goal is to reach everyone working in the creative industries,” he says. Babinet believes in the value of simplicity. “When people are overwhelmed with content and messages, it’s how you become memorable,” he says. “At first, I liked it for aesthetic reasons but [clarity] has a strategic advantage.” He adds that openness is key to creativity. “Listening is central. People think that our job is to talk but first it’s to listen – to consumers, social trends, culture and daily life.”
8.
Take a seat with portraits and profiles of designers and their sofas
The sofa is perhaps the most defining piece of furniture that you can own. Over years of use, it accumulates memories and milestones from quiet evenings and lively gatherings. But for designers and architects, there is an added layer of meaning attributed to the selection: their professional lives mean that the choice of perch can reflect their core design philosophies.
In Monocle’s latest book, 50 designers and architects have let us into their homes to get cosy on their couches and learn more about their sofa choices – why they designed it, why they chose it, how they use it. Inside, you’ll find thoughtful essays, original photography and an illustrated guide to 100 of the most iconic examples, representing the best from 125 years of settee design. Sit back and enjoy.
‘The Monocle Book of Designers on Sofas’ is available to pre-order here.
9.
Pull up a stool at the world’s best-designed bars
Where you raise your glass matters for thirsty travellers with an eye for well-designed watering holes. Bars Vol 01, the latest offering from Sydney-based publisher Softer Volumes, brings together more than 50 bars from across the globe that treat their interiors and ambience with as much careful consideration as the tipples on offer.
Monocle’s standouts include: Sydney’s Bar Besuto, an intimately lit Japanese whisky bar with a collection of more than 150 rare bottles; Berlin’s Anima, a pared-back riverside space designed for unhurried evenings; and Lisbon’s The Kissaten, a listening bar where Japanese cues meet smart Portuguese hospitality. We’ll toast to that.
softervolumes.com
Culture and fiction
10.
Read up on Switzerland’s finest dining, stays, boutiques and more
Monocle’s Switzerland: The Monocle Handbook, scales new heights to bring the country’s best bits within reach. Inside you’ll find sumptuous suites and top labels, as well as the locals to meet and the Helvetic institutions that deserve a place on your list.
Spoilt for choice? We recommend a night at Hotel Olden, the former bon vivant hangout in Gstaad. For experimental patisserie, stop off at Zürich’s Collective Bakery next time you’re in Switzerland’s financial capital and, for smart design objects, Tempo Design Store in Lausanne is an atelier that you should have on your list.
Pick up your copy of ‘Switzerland: The Monocle Handbook’ here.
11.
Discover a forgotten past with Astrid Goldsmith’s ‘The Crystal Vase’
The Crystal Vase by Astrid Goldsmith is a graphic memoir that tells a powerful family story with a light touch and tragicomic timing. After the death of her chain-smoking, opinionated grandmother Gisela, the author and her father drive across Europe to dismantle the flat in Freiburg where the elderly woman spent the last years of her life.
As they sort through a lifetime’s worth of objects and ephemera, they uncover moving tales of survival and chance, stretching back to Kristallnacht in 1938. It’s a brilliant take on family dynamics that explores how certain traits can echo down generations and shows how objects can carry the weight of what has been left behind.
‘The Crystal Vase’ by Astrid Goldsmith is published by Jonathan Cape.
12.
Graphic-novel adaptation of ‘Trouble is my Business’ by Raymond Chandler
It’s all too easy to nod off to a good book on a scorching shoreline or a gently rocking boat. That’s where the killer thriller comes in – a dose of intrigue and murder to keep you alert on your lounger. It’s why so many holidaymakers have tracked the movements of George Smiley through the pages of John le Carré novels or revelled in Patricia Highsmith’s exquisitely rendered antiheroes.
If you want a twist on the genre, pick up the new graphic novel adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s classic noir Trouble Is My Business, illustrated by Greek comic artist Ilias Kyriazis. This gripping crime thriller follows a detective who gets caught up in a seemingly straightforward mission to uncover the perpetrator of stolen jewels in 1940s LA. Full of wit and pacy storytelling, it will keep your pages turning under the summer sun.
knopfdoubleday.com
13.
Three wintry reads to cosy up with this season
In need of some atmospheric reads to hunker down with as the nights draw in? As the frost creeps across the windowpanes, here are three books that will take you to even colder climes.
‘Called by the Hills: A Home in the Himalaya’,
Anuradha Roy
Anuradha Roy pens an ode to Ranikhet in the Indian Himalayas. Her intimate portrait of the town combines poetic descriptions of landscapes with reflections on climate change, alongside delicate watercolour illustrations.
‘The North Pole: The History of an Obsession’, Erling Kagge
Norwegian explorer Erling Kagge set out on an expedition to reach the North Pole in 1990 – a journey that inspired him to write a history of one of the world’s most misunderstood regions.
‘The Mark’, Frída Ísberg, translated by Larissa Kyzer
Icelandic author Frída Ísberg’s debut novel explores the competing demands of safety and freedom. A referendum is about to make a test that supposedly identifies a person’s propensity for antisocial behaviour compulsory for all citizens – and four characters must pick a side.
Magazines
14.
Leaf through a copy of ‘Brutus’ magazine
Launched in 1980, Brutus is one of Japan’s most prominent men’s titles. The biweekly lifestyle magazine covers a wide range of pop-culture topics, from films to music – and even bizarre plants.
Its latest issue is a sharp style special for spring/summer. Titled “Well Made”, it’s an homage to staple wardrobe pieces that have stood the test of time, including signature sneakers and old-fashioned workwear.
You can listen to the full interview with ‘Brutus’ editor in chief Ro Tajima on ‘The Stack’.
15.
Leaf through ‘Souvenir’ magazine
Photographer Augusta Sagnelli and journalist Kyle Berlin launched Souvenir magazine in November. The aim of this new literary and arts journal? To revive the bohemian spirit of Paris’s Left Bank.
In its debut issue you can find photographic essays, vignettes of Parisian street style and a deep dive into occupation-era romance novels. It’s best enjoyed on one of the sunny terraces of the city’s literary cafés.
souvenir-paris.com
16.
Flip through new music magazine ‘Heartbeat’
Portland-based Broccoli Publishers launched its new music and sound magazine, Heartbeat, last November. The all-women team, already known for cult favourites such as Catnip, Mushroom People and Broccoli, describes it as a “mixtape of sonic tales” rather than a typical music publication.
The debut issue chronicles homes of record collectors in São Paulo, the history of hearing aids, mechanical birdsong and a sonic day in the life of Mexico City. Printed playlists accompany the articles, giving you something to tap your feet to as you read.
broccolimag.com
To hear more about ‘Heartbeat’ from Broccoli’s Stephanie Madewell, listen to episode 707 of ‘The Stack’.
17.
Peruse the pages of ‘Lohi Journal’
Founded by Sweden-based creatives Tomas Falmer and Philip Warkander, this biannual publication is a celebration of slow travel. The magazine mixes in-depth guides to specific destinations with features on a broad range of topics including food, culture, fashion and more besides.
With articles on Marrakech, Porto and Genoa appearing in the latest issue, its ideas are as bright as its focus. The aim of Lohi Journal? To help readers make better choices – an ethos that we can get behind.
lohijournal.com
18.
Leaf through the English-language edition of ‘Popeye’
In honour of Magazine House’s 80th anniversary, the Japanese publisher has released a special English-language edition of its iconic men’s fashion-and-culture title, Popeye. This issue is a celebration of Tokyo, featuring the best restaurants, shops and neighbourhoods to explore in the Japanese capital.
You can flip through its pages while listening to Monocle Radio’s interview with W David Marx, the author and cultural historian responsible for its translation, as well as our chat with its editor in chief, Yuji Machida, on The Stack.
popeyemagazine.jp
19.
Flip through ‘About’ magazine
“Its references are the 1970s and 1980s, when architecture was political and magazines were cultural projects,” says Alessandro Valenti, editor in chief of Hearst Magazines Italia’s hefty new publication, About.
The bilingual Italian and English title features photographs and blueprints of projects such as a Mexico City Pilares civic centre.
aboutplatform.com
Find out more about the publications that should be on your radar on ‘The Stack’, Monocle Radio’s weekly show about print media.
20.
Thumb the pages of Chanel’s new magazine
Pining for some fresh print? In Chanel’s inaugural 250-page Arts & Culture magazine, Swiss critic and curator Hans Ulrich Obrist muses on the relationship between art and technology, while US photographer Roe Ethridge creates sumptuous still‐life shots of objects that once belonged to Gabrielle Chanel. Also in the mix are artist profiles, cultural essays and more remarkable photography. Throughout the issue, artists are asked, “What comes next?” It’s a question that we’re eagerly asking of Chanel’s magazine production team too.
21.
Immerse yourself in ‘M International’
M International’s point of view is less breaking news, more enduring insight. Whether you’re thumbing through it at CDG Airport or Monocle’s very own Parisian outpost, it’s a smart English-language companion to French newspaper Le Monde’s weekend supplement, M Magazine.
This weighty biannual offers an incisive lens on culture, diplomacy, design and fashion, paired with striking visuals. There’s an interview with Belgian popstar (and the issue’s cover star) Angèle, as well as trips to Le Corbusier’s La Tourette and Parisian tailors Maison Charvet. Bonne lecture.
lemonde.fr
22.
Get a read on the world with ‘Translator’ magazine
Looking for some pristine print to thumb through? London magazine haven Magculture has conceived a new publication to add to its well-stocked shelves. Translator offers select pieces of translated journalism and reportage from around the world, with curious dispatches about everything from South Korea’s experiments with social housing to investigations into Maltese gambling.
“This is a way of platforming excellent writing from across the globe and giving English-speaking readers a different frame of reference,” Charles Emmerson, Translator’s editor, tells Monocle. Highlights from the first issue include a piece on penguins in Patagonia, a photo essay from Sudan and a feature on Donald Trump’s executive order to make English the official language of the US.
translatormag.co
To hear more about ‘Translator’ from editor Charles Emmerson, tune in to the latest episode of ‘The Stack’ on Monocle Radio.
Konfekt: A Guide to Generous Hosting
Konfekt: A Guide to Generous Hosting is a breezy, smart and celebratory title on the art of thoughtful entertaining. From tips on how to lay an inviting table to mixing a winning cocktail, we get to the heart of what makes a truly memorable gathering. We feature people with a love of bringing others together over food and drink, whether that’s vintage champagne or ceremonial-grade matcha. We also drop in on a Congolese lunch in Paris, make Korean dumplings on a fashion designer’s kitchen counter and attend a maximalist afternoon tea in a Viennese apartment.
There are parties and picnics but, most of all, there is a sense that hosting with a generosity of spirit is what matters.
It’s a book designed to urge the hesitant host to dive in – to rustle up an omelette for a neighbour or throw a wild shindig. It’s a tribute to the courage of good hosts and the art of making it all happen.
