By Tom

Summer is finally here, and we hope it will last for more than two weeks.

To provide you with an even more summery atmosphere, we’ve asked Tom, our The Hague and Leidschendam expert in cookbooks—and also our expert in travel books and almost everything about the Netherlands!—to give us a short list of cookbooks that will help you whip up summery treats for that warm, seasonal feeling.

And as we say here in the Netherlands: Eet smakkelijk! (Enjoy your food! Bon appétit! Bom apetite!)

Madame Fromage’s Adventures in Cheese by Tenaya Darlington

Europe has many cheese varieties on offer. Whether you are enjoying French cheese at a sidewalk restaurant table or some Dutch cheese after a dinner party at home, cheese always adds something special to your meal.

Madame Fromage gives you lots of information on cheese varieties and shows you how to pair them with food and drinks.

The Salad Lab: Whisk, Toss, Enjoy!: Recipes for Making Fabulous Salads Every Day by Darlene Schrijver

How about a salad when the weather is hot and your appetite small?

Darlene Schrijver has garnered millions of fans on social media ever since she decided to share the recipes she cooks for her daughter, who is an athlete.

Sebze: Vegetarian Recipes from My Turkish Kitchen by Özlem Warren

Turkish cuisine is often overlooked, but influences from Central Asia, the Balkans, Eastern Europe, the Middle East and other parts of the Mediterranean make for an interesting fusion cuisine.

Stuzzichini- The Art of the Italian Snack by Stef Ferrari

When ordering an aperitif at an Italian bar you may be so lucky as to get a free snack to accompany your drink.

Back home, with the days getting shorter and darker, you can relive your Italian experience by making some tasty crostini or Tuscan crepes, for instance. This cookbook also contains recipes for cocktails and other drinks.

Mediterra: Recipes from the Islands and Shores of the Mediterranean by Ben Tish

Tish offers recipes from some of the many different cuisines that can be called ‘Mediterranean’: oven-baked black rice from Spain, quince and honey tarts from Syria and Italian tiramisu, to name just a few.

Enjoy your culinary trip!