Why a cookbook isn’t the best gift for a food lover

As any music store clerk or rock critic will tell you, most CDs aren’t very good. Same goes for the majority of novels and movies.

Yet cookbooks seemingly escape criticism. If the pictures look nice and the font is sharp and the layout easy to read, there’s a good chance somebody will buy it no matter the quality of the recipes inside.

But like CDs and movies, most cookbooks aren’t very good. When it comes to buying cookbooks, the best advice is caveat emptor.

There are just too many unproven recipes, packaged too nicely

with photos and misleading titles. It can be a minefield trying to find one worth the paper it’s printed on, much less a $24.99 price tag.

When you’re shopping for cookbooks this holiday season, here are some things to look out for.