For busy city dwellers, dining out can become the norm, rather than the exception. This is especially true when one lives in hip Midtown West, where a lively restaurant scene means that locals are within mere walking distance of some of the city’s best dining. But when the holidays roll around, many of us feel a homeward pull. For some, it’s the nostalgia for the holiday meals of childhood. For others, it’s simply the desire to spend an afternoon in a warm kitchen, trying out a new recipe while the snow falls over the city.

Whatever keeps you at home, the key to putting together a cozy holiday feast is having the right kitchen. And the kitchens in the luxury apartments for rent at 555TEN are definitely right. They are modern, well-equipped, and full of light — exactly the setting required for donning your imaginary (or actual) chef’s hat and enjoying an afternoon of chopping, mixing, stirring, and baking.

The kitchens at 555TEN come in your choice of finish – Sunrise or Sunset. These names refer to light and dark finishes, respectively, but they also hint at another facet of the apartments: the abundance of natural light. The epicurean-style, open kitchens give way to dining rooms that, like other areas of the apartments, offer floor-to-ceiling windows, providing both extensive views of Manhattan and plenty of sunlight. If you’re going to be spending hours working in your kitchen, you might as well have an amazing view.

But while aesthetic perks are important, any home cook will tell you that function reigns supreme in the kitchen. High-end stainless steel appliances ensure that your just-washed dishes will sparkle and your oven-baked goodies will emerge perfectly done and looking flawless. A white quartz breakfast bar doubles as both a workspace and a gathering place, so guests who tend to congregate in the kitchen need not be shooed out. There’s plenty of room for friends to jump in and help you slice and dice, and seating for those family members you want to treat with a break from cooking. Above the breakfast bar, smart open shelving provides an eye-catching spot for cookbooks, glasses, and whatever else you might want to display. This means you can find your guest a wine glass without skipping a beat.

If you’re somewhat of a novice in the kitchen, consider grabbing your coat and heading out to one of the numerous bookshops in the area to pick up a few cookbooks. You’re sure to find inspiration at mainstays like 192 Books on 192 Tenth Avenue at Twenty First Street, Hudson Booksellers at 625 Eighth Avenue, or the Barnes and Noble at 555 Fifth Avenue.

Every year, so many cookbooks are released that it can be tough to even guess which ones you might want. But a great place to start is this list of new cookbooks, chosen with care and posted for the benefit of your taste buds, at Epicurious, the ultimate foodie website. The new release “American Cookie: The Snaps, Drops, Jumbles, Tea Cakes, Bars & Brownies That We Have Loved for Generations” by Anne Byrn looks like it has more than enough ideas to fill a long, snowy afternoon. Plus, the book will look gorgeous on that open shelving, long after your cookies have been devoured.