This year, like most years, an expensive, somewhat-uncookable coffee table cookbook tops most of the best-of cookbook lists: René Redzepi's Noma is first on both writer Jeffrey Steingarten's Vogue list as well as Star Chefs' picks. Other chef-authored books — like Rick Bayless' Fiesta at Rick's and Heston Blumenthal's Heston's Fantastical Feasts — are not far behind.
It doesn't really matter what the lists recommend, though. Amazon readers' number one wished-for book in the food and wine section is Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cookbook.
American cookbook authors should maybe take a lesson from Jamie Oliver, however. Over in England, Oliver is the best-selling author since Harry Potter's J.K. Rowling, with an astonishing £101.55 million (US $158.44 million) in sales to his name.
Also, note to listicle creators: while we have no doubt that it's a fine book, and that it has a similar audience to the other books on your list, Colman Andrews' biography of Ferran Adrià is not really a cookbook.
· Holiday Feast [Vogue]
· Top 10 Cookbooks 2010 [Star Chefs]
· Most Wished For in Cooking, Food & Wine [Amazon]
· All Cookbooks Coverage on Eater [-E-]