Cook the Books: Food Meets Storytelling
A great cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes—it’s also a great read with a great story! That’s exactly what our series Cook the Books brings to life. In every episode, host Shahir Massoud explores the ways food, culture, and storytelling intersect through award-winning cookbooks.
To look back on Seasons 1 and 2, we sat down with two inspiring authors—Karen Anderson (Season 1: Taste Award winner) and Irina Georgescu (Season 2: James Beard Award winner)—who are redefining how we think about food, identity, and creativity.
Karen Anderson — Eat Alberta First
As the Founder of Alberta Food Tours, Inc. and author of Eat Alberta First, Karen Anderson has dedicated her career to connecting people with food. Her book is more than a collection of recipes, it’s a love letter to Alberta’s farmers, ranchers, and food culture. From beef and bison to Red Fife wheat, honey, and prairie-hardy berries, Anderson positions Alberta as a food destination on par with the great culinary regions of the world.
Q: What’s one thing you want people to know about your cookbook—beyond the recipes?
Karen Anderson: This book gives Alberta a food story. Just as travelers go to France for cheese or Italy for pasta, I want them to think of Alberta for beef, bison, root vegetables, canola, and our prairie berries. It’s a celebration of what we grow and how we cook it.
Q: Was there a defining moment that inspired you to write Eat Alberta First?
KA: I spent 21 years as a nurse practitioner. I saw firsthand how diet-related illness affected people—and how disconnected they had become from food. Writing Eat Alberta First was my way of showing that cooking is not a chore, but a source of joy, health, and creativity.
Q: What does cooking mean to you, personally?
KA: Cooking is nurturing, and one of the most important life skills we can share. It connects families, preserves traditions, and builds community.
Q: Is there a recipe that holds special meaning for you?
KA: The “Harvest Hurry-up” chapter is closest to my heart. Growing up, we preserved summer’s bounty to get through the long winters. I remember my parents peeling onions, filling jars, and working side by side. Those rituals shaped how I see food—as memory, comfort, and survival.
Q: What are the hardest parts of writing a cookbook?
KA: Food styling and photography were a whole new challenge. Cooking something delicious is one thing, but making it look beautiful on the page is another. And, of course, there is the personal challenge of testing recipes without gaining 50 pounds!
Q: What do you hope readers take away from Eat Alberta First?
KA: That Alberta has an incredible food culture worth celebrating. More than anything, I want readers to feel they have found a mentor—someone encouraging them to cook, experiment, and take pride in the results.
Irina Georgescu — Tava: Eastern European Baking
James Beard Award–winning author Irina Georgescu takes readers on a journey through Eastern Europe in Tava: Eastern European Baking. Her book reveals the rich cultural mosaic of Romania—where Austrian, German, Middle Eastern, and Greek influences converge to create a truly unique baking tradition.
Q: Beyond the recipes, what story does Tava tell?
Irina Georgescu: Tava is about identity as much as food. Romania is a crossroads of cultures, and through baking you can literally taste history on a plate.
Q: Your grandmother’s strudels are in the book. Why were they important to include?
IG: They are tied to my childhood memories—stretching pastry across the table, making seasonal fillings, even reusing pastry scraps in soups. It’s less about the recipe and more about the ritual of cooking together.
Q: What was the most surprising part of writing Tava?
IG: I discovered I write better by hand. Every chapter began in notebooks, and that process gave me clarity and flow. Slowing down made the writing more meaningful.
Q: Did you test out the recipes yourself?
I tested every recipe myself, sometimes 20 times over. There’s a cookie called pricomigdală that nearly drove me mad because of the sugar balance, but it was too important to leave out. Getting it right meant honoring the tradition.
Q: What do you hope readers take away when they bake recipes from Tava?
IG: That Romanian baking is not overly sweet. It leans on fruit, sour cream, and crème fraîche for richness. I hope readers find comfort in these recipes and a sense of discovery about Transylvania’s food culture.
Q: Which writers have influenced you most?
Nigella, for her practical, approachable style; Claudia Roden, for weaving people and history into food writing; and Dorie Greenspan, for her generosity and encouragement in the world of baking.
Where to Watch
Cook the Books plays worldwide on Gusto TV and streams for free on the Gusto TV App. Tune in to discover more cookbooks, more flavors, and more unforgettable stories that celebrate food as the world’s greatest connector.
