Stephen Fries: 9 cookbooks that make perfect holiday gifts

The perfect coffee table book, “Cooking With the Muse” by Myra Kornfield and Stephen Massimilla (© 2016, Tupelo Press, $39.95) celebrates the deep connection between poetry and food and reveals how literature and poetry honor the glories of fresh ingredients, nutritious cooking and delectable dishes. The reader will find delight in the marriage of writing and cooking — a delicious fusion. The book features 150 recipes inspired by cuisines from around the world.

The poems and recipes are presented in sections honoring the seasons. As we move into the season of cold weather, the reader will enjoy the winter section that features a scrumptious range of healthy comfort food poems to bunker down with — from Anya Silver’s sonnet “French Toast” paired with nut-butter and jam-stuffed French toast to Seamus Heaney’s sonnet on peeling potatoes paired with shepherd’s pie with colcannon topping.

The erotic poetry of Keats and Rumi is paired with vibrantly spiced Moroccan dishes to awaken the wintry palate. The recipient will find this literary and culinary work a feast for the heart and the senses, a delectable journey that nourishes the body, mind and spirit.