To learn about more Houston cookbooks published over the last few years — such as The Enchilada Queen Cookbook by Sylvia Casares, Hugo’s Ortega’s Street Food of Mexico, by Hugo and Rueben Ortega, Julep: Southern Cocktails Refashioned by Alba Huerta and Marah Stets and Paulie’s: Classic Italian Cooking in the Heart of Houston’s Montrose District by Paul Petronella  — check out last year’s cookbook roundup by Ellie Sharp.

Houston is a sprawling magnitude, a gumbo of cultures and cuisines. It’s home to hundreds of years of rich history punctuated by waves of immigration that makes its over 10,000 restaurants as interesting as its population, which, by some metrics, is the most diverse in the United States. This collection of food-related books helps us explore that diversity, while filling our bellies with delicious food. I can’t think of a better type of gift to give this holiday season. When you purchase, rather than running straight to Amazon, consider supporting a local bookseller with your dollars, such as Brazos Bookstore, Blue Willow Bookshop or Bering’s.