Cookbook People Are the Best People (Even Online)
The founder of the Rainy Day Bites cookbook club builds community in the kindest corner of Instagram.
Just before my book Bare Minimum Dinners came out in 2021, I started seeing people cook out of it and post magazine-worthy photos on Instagram, thanking my publisher for their copy. This was my first inkling of the community of cookbook super-fans on social, people like Tara @kitchenbookshelf, Maia @thecookbooknerd, Lisa @cookinglikeimeanit, Erin @somanycookbooks, and Bebe @champagneandcookies.
Publishers knew about them and sent advance copies in hopes of promotion for the books. Mostly these women weren’t food professionals, just people with a real passion for cookbooks. (Bebe is an exception. Her first book, the beautiful The Curated Board, came out last year.)
I also learned that many of these lovely people—and they are so lovely, always cheering each other on—take part in Instagram cookbook clubs, including the #getcookingcookbookclub that Bebe co-hosts. Soon enough, I discovered Deborah Balint, founder of the longest running cookbook club on Instagram, the Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club.
A former litigation attorney, Deborah hosts several clubs, including a monthly dessert challenge and a bread baking club, and frequently holds giveaways. She’s a self-taught food stylist and photographer and now does some recipe development for brands. This week, she tells us about her massive cookbook collection and how her Instagram cookbook clubs work.
As a cookbook author and someone who wants to see the industry as a whole thrive, I feel a real sense of gratitude towards Deborah and the other cookbook connoisseurs on Instagram. They take these culinary volumes seriously, with real respect for the care that went into them. And they’ve built community in the process. (Hmm, kind of like I’m trying to do here on Cookbookery Collective.)
If you want to cook along with the Rainy Day Bites community, this month they’re diving into Bodega Bakes and Sobremesa. Get all the info here. Thanks for chatting Deborah!
The Cookbookery Q&A with Deborah Balint
About how many cookbooks do you own?
DB: My best estimate is around 2,000.
How do you organize them?
DB: I organize my cookbooks by region or style of cooking, by author (if they are prolific writers), and by category: baking books, bread books, reference books, and books l’ve featured for my online cookbook club.
How did your cookbook club come to be?
DB: I started the Rainy Day Bites Cookbook Club, the first and longest-running online cookbook club on Instagram, in April 2014. I saw several people posting about their local, in-person cookbook club meetings. I realized there had to be others, like me, who, for reasons like childcare, work, time constraints, or distance, couldn’t join an in-person club, but still wanted to participate. To date, we’ve featured over 170 books, and I’ve personally cooked over 2,100 recipes from those books.
How does the club work?
DB: Our main club features a savory book every month, along with a baking book every two months. As the host, I select the books. My picks highlight international and U.S. regional cuisines, as well as works from both well-known and emerging authors. I try to offer a mix of new and older releases.
I then highlight several recipes, which are featured in the recipe challenges that take place twice a month. For each challenge, members are encouraged to make the same recipe and share photos of their dishes using the club’s hashtag #rainydaybitescookbookclub.
I also host an end-of-month baking party, #bakewithrainydaybites, where members can bake any recipe from any cookbook they own. This is a great way to encourage people to use their current collections. Last year’s theme was global desserts. This year’s theme is the Year of Flavor, with each month dedicated to a different flavor (i.e., vanilla, chocolate, nuts, etc.).
Additionally, I’ve started a bread baking club this year, #greatgrainsgroup, where members bake a loaf of sourdough bread each month, with an optional inclusion or scoring/shaping challenge, along with a different bread from around the world. Group members can use any recipe from any cookbook. This club is especially close to my heart, as sourdough and bread baking have become my current passions.
How has the club helped you find community?
DB: Cooking from the same book, at the same time, using the same recipes, provides a wonderful platform for shared experiences. Everyone serves as a source of inspiration and knowledge for other members through our collective successes and failures. By picking a particular book or recipe, it also challenges people to try new dishes, cuisines, or techniques. In the end, it’s about bringing people together from all over the world who share a passion for cooking, baking, bread making, and, of course, cookbooks. Many of the club members have become friends in real life, too. I have personally developed several close friendships from the group.
What is the first cookbook you remember cooking out of?
DB: I learned to cook from my mom, who, unlike me, never used cookbooks, and from working in our family restaurant. I didn’t buy my first cookbook until my early 20s. After cooking for over 40 years, it’s difficult to recall the exact first cookbook I used, but I’d guess it was Betty Crocker.
What kind of cookbook reader/user are you?
DB: I would describe myself as a voracious cookbook reader, user, and collector. I love my cookbooks so much that l often choose them over clothes or dining out, as they truly bring me joy. I enjoy selecting a book for a more in-depth exploration, which means making at least 12 recipes from it. For other books, I mainly use them for inspiration. I always have stacks of cookbooks by the fireplace and on my bedside table, and I enjoy browsing through them for new ideas.
What is a cookbook that totally transports you?
DB: The cookbooks that transport me, and are among my favorites, are the ones that combine recipes with travelogue elements. I have a deep interest in other cultures, foods, and customs, so I gravitate toward books that blend recipes with history, personal stories from locals, and beautiful photos of both the food and the country. Some examples include: Jerusalem (Bookshop/Amazon) by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, Amber & Rye (Bookshop/Amazon) by Zuzu Zak, Carpathia: Food from the Heart of Romania (Bookshop/Amazon) by Irina Georgescu; and Islas (Bookshop/Amazon) by Von Diaz.
What’s a cookbook that you find supremely beautiful?
DB: Dark Rye & Honey Cake: Festival Baking from Belgium, the Heart of the Low Countries (Bookshop/Amazon) by Regula Ysewijn weaves a breathtaking tapestry of history, art, and centuries of food culture into a single book. With its depth of research, incredible recipes, and stunning photography, it’s nothing short of a masterpiece.
What’s a cookbook that you find supremely useful?
DB: As someone who cooks frequently and rarely eats out, I find cookbooks that promote using pantry staples to avoid waste, spark creativity, or offer quick and flavorful recipes particularly helpful. My three current favorites in this category are What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cooking (Bookshop/Amazon) by Caro Chambers, What Goes With What (Bookshop/Amazon) by Julia Turshen, and Basics to Brilliance (Amazon) by Donna Hay.
What’s one book you’re sheepish to admit you’ve never cooked out of?
DB: Given the size of my collection, there are several books I haven’t cooked from, but if I had to pick one, it would be Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Bookshop/Amazon) by Julia Child. While I have made many of her recipes from other books, I have yet to try any from this classic.
You’re only allowed to cook from three books for the rest of your life. What are they?
DB: This is a challenging question! However, if I must choose, here are three of my favorites: Ottolenghi Simple (Bookshop/Amazon) by Yotam Ottolenghi, East (Bookshop/Amazon) by Meera Soda, and Cook Like a Local (Bookshop/Amazon) by Chris Shepherd.
What’s the best part about hosting the Rainy Day Bites cookbook club?
DB: It has been incredibly meaningful to see people become friends, try cooking new recipes, learn about different cuisines, and support each other. Over the years, I have highlighted cookbooks that tell a story and reflect a diverse group of cultures. I hope to continue fostering a community where everyone is welcome at the same table.
Interview has been lightly edited. If you purchase a book through one of these links, I may receive a small commission.
More to Nibble On
NYT Bestsellers: Cookbooks on the list this week: Umma and Shred Happens: So Easy, So Good. There must be magic in that title, because this book is certain to be on the list next week.
A big week for book announcements: Mokonuts! I’ve eaten there twice and every bite is delicious. Thanks for the heads up
! Also, reveals the cover for the reissue of Ready for Dessert, and ’s upcoming book looks both practical and beautiful.What I cooked this week: the Baked Artichoke Casserole from Mother Sauce and the Kimchi Spaghetti from Dinner (thanks
for sharing the recipe!)
Have you ever been in a cookbook club, either IRL or on IG? Or on Substack! I see a lot of newsletter writers hosting cookbook clubs for their subscribers. Let me know in the comments, and if you enjoyed this issue please hit the “like” button. My love language is praise, and every little heart makes me very happy! :)
I adore reading about other people who have created such a deep community and connection using cookbooks. Also anyone who cooks upwards of 12 recipes from a cookbook has my ❤️
I’ve been a member of a baking club in London for 10 years, they just meet once a month in a rented room above a pub, anyone can come, and bring a baked cake or savoury which roughly fits that month’s theme. It’s great fun! No one cares if something’s gone wrong, it’s just a nice chilled evening with a huge table of cakes.