The Animal Crossing series has always been a wholesome and warm experience, and what's better suited to this genre than cooking a fresh Cherry Pie? In the 2.0 update cooking was introduced using Recipe Cards that can be used in the same way as DIY Cards.
Over 140 Recipes have been made available so far, and more may be up for grabs during future events. Here are all the ways to seek out those scrummy Cards.
8 Upgrade Your Nook Phone
The first thing to do is access the Nook Stop to unlock the upgraded DIY app on your Nook Phone for Nook Miles. This will add categories for savoury and sweet dishes, and allow you to begin cooking up a storm. It also comes with Recipes for some basic ingredients, such as Sugar and Flour.
There is even finally a use for all those Sea Bass, as combining one with some Weeds will somehow create Grilled Sea Bass With Herbs, yum.
7 Check Out The Nook's Cranny Cabinet
The next step is heading over to Nook's Cranny and bursting open the cabinet for a book of Basic Cooking Recipes. For less than 5000 Bells your Cooking reportoire can be expanded dramatically, adding a further eight possible dishes to craft. One of which will require two Seaweed to be dragged up from the ocean floor, so get your flippers on.
Remember to stop by the cabinet again come Turkey Day, as there will of course be some special Recipes to pick up. Try placing them on your table for a scrumptious-looking feast with your Animal Crossing friends.
6 Buy Turnips To Discover Daisy Mae's Dishes
When Joan's protégé turns up on Sunday morning it's natural to want to roll over and go back to sleep, but the early bird catches the Bamboo Recipes. That's right, buying some Turnips from Daisy Mae will result in a letter the next day detailing Bamboo or Turnip meals to cook.
It seems to be random which Cooking Recipe you'll receive of the four available, such as Bamboo-Shoot Soup and Kabu Ankake (turnip soup). Yet another reason to invest your Bells in the Stalk Market.
5 Pop Every Balloon
It's always a good idea to shoot down any Balloons you see floating by, but with the new addition of Cooking Recipe Cards, the hunt really is on. At times ending with four and nine Balloons can spawn on one side of your map to float across to the other.
The side they spawn on changes at 6pm and 6am so make sure to change beaches if you're planning on getting every single one. Most of the Recipes available can be obtained this way, though it's not the best option to get them all as there are so many possible things your gift could be.
4 Find A Message In A Bottle
The same set of Cooking Recipe Cards that can be popped from a Balloon can be found at random on your beaches every day. Until now it was only DIY Cards that could be pulled out of a washed-up bottle, but now there is a small chance of it being a Recipe instead.
These bottles can also turn up on Mystery Island beaches too, so make sure to check every time you travel somewhere new. If you get a duplicate keep it to trade or sell to friends for Recipes you don't have yet.
3 Visit Villagers While They're Cooking
If you've ever turned up to a Villager's house unannounced and interrupted their fervor while crafting you'll know it's a good way to get DIY Cards. Your neighbors will always hand over a way to make what they've dreamt up, but you can also catch them in the act of cooking. Villagers will have a Gas Range in their house, similar to a Crafting Bench, and will be flipping a pan thoughtfully when you arrive.
Speaking to them will reveal what dish they're attempting, and they'll share the Recipe Card with you. With an island of ten villagers, there will always be one that is either crafting or cooking, so check in on anyone who looks like they're home. This is the best (free) way to expand your cooking knowledge quickly.
2 Catch All Of The Fish
If you've been playing this game since release then you may have given up on fishing since completing the Museum. But it's time to dust off those Fishing Rods because there are fifteen Cooking Recipes that can only be discovered when inspiration meets fishing. You'll need to be casting your line in all different bodies of water, seasons, and times of day to reel in the necessary fish for these Recipes.
As mentioned before, the ability to cook comes with a Sea Bass dish, so maybe try catching a few of those and see what your character comes up with.
1 Use The Happy Home Paradise Kitchens
The 2.0 update wasn't released alone. Nintendo also released a paid DLC allowing players to decorate the homes of their favorite Villagers. If you've bought this part of the game then you may have already unlocked the ability to build the restaurant.
Visiting the kitchens here and speaking to the Chef will net you a free random Cooking Recipe Card. This set of Cards is not unique to the DLC, don't worry, and can all be acquired through visiting Villagers cooking as well as Messages in a Bottle, or the occasional flying gift.