Welcome Bookies! Not Another Cookbook

Welcome Bookies!

httpmom 17 years ago

If you're a foodie, you probably have more cookbooks than missing socks or money. I quit counting after two hundred and that's after I donate a few dozen yearly to the Friends Of The Library. Forget book stores! I buy 'em used on amazon. I sell 'em used on amazon! I even have duplicates in a fire proof safe!

Face it, no one needs this many cookbooks! I read them at bedtime, I have them on coffee tables, counter tops, bathroom floors, glove boxes, vanity tables, and outside lawn chairs! I have vintage books, foreign books, junior league books, celebrity chef books, OOP books, ones with burnt, stained, and ripped jackets...I swear I own cookbooks that haven't even been published yet! And god forbid if one would go missing! I would shout such bad words I'd scare the dogs and horses!

That's because these are treasured beyond value. This group is dedicated to those very special books that I call earthquake kit packers! The crème de la crème...from your collection.

Flag
pleclare 17 years ago said:

After 40 years of cooking,sure I have some of those books. Look forward to the group!

Flag
rml 17 years ago said:

I have a few books that may not have the "best" recipes, but they hold my heart and the tradition of my family.

Flag
sparow64 17 years ago said:

I collect cookebookds...got that from my mom, she has hundreds. I don't have that many yet! LOL...I love to read them and look at them. I do buy myself one from the locl area every time I go on a trip. Looking forward to having someone to talk about this hobby/share this hobby with!!

Flag
httpmom 17 years ago said:

If it holds the heart of your family...it's a treasure and should be added to the list!
Thanks,
C.

Flag
httpmom 17 years ago said:

Yep, those travel ones are impossible to resist!
Any excuse!

Flag
dixiediner 17 years ago said:

Sure is glad to know I'm not the only one.

I have inherited all my grandmothers, great grandmothers and also my great great grandmother's cookbooks and hand written recipe books. They are written in pencil and with such fancy handwriting that it's hard for me to decipher many of the recipes. I treasure each and every one.

Then there's the cookbooks I've collected myself - like someone said they may not all have the best recipes in them but they are all a treasure to me. My maternal side is PA Dutch and my paternal side is Southern. I have recipes spanning from PA to MS!

One thing that makes me sad though is my mother in law would NEVER share a recipe with me. She passed away this past December and took all her recipe secrets with her. She never shared them with her own 3 daughters. My husband tells me often, "this is just like Mama made".

Flag
trackwidow 17 years ago said:

Hi, my name is Lisa and I am a cookbook addict.

Seriously, I have several hundred and they are like potato chips, you just can't stop getting them. I just got 2 great ones from my parents on bread baking. Oh My! I am currently recovering from ankle surgery and am unable to cook, let alone, walk, so it will be a while before I am baking bread, but when I do, watch out!

This is a great group, one for cookbook junkies like me. I also have duplicates of favorites. I thought I was the only one. I told my daughters that they can have them when they move out. The duplicates, that is. Nobody is taking my prize collection from me.

Flag
sparow64 17 years ago said:

My favorite cookbook is handwritten by my Mom. She gave my sister and me one for Christmas about 20 years ago. At the time, she owned her own retail business and worked pretty much around the clock. My Mom has never been one to do crafts, in any fashion, and for 3 years, every so often I would call and say what did you do last night "Oh, was up late (meaning 2 am or so) working on Christmas". Could not fathom what in the world she might be making, and 3 years later, on Christmas, my sister and I opened these identical cookbooks. She had spent hours upon hours pouring over recipes to use that would appeal to each of us, and also handwritten little household and life tips in there. Every so often I will see a place where she misspelled words or left a word out because she was so exhausted when she was actually writing the recipes!! This has all the recipes I grew up with, and several from her collection of cookbooks, magazines, etc. I use it all the time. But treasure it even more knowing the effort and love she put into writing it.

Flag
httpmom 17 years ago said:

That's a beautiful story! Handwritten...too...what a treasure!

Flag
berry 17 years ago said:

Great group... thanks Httpmom, I love to collect cook books, and I have the oportunity to collect cookbooks from around the world becouse my family's work is traveling around the world, old books are great, now with great pictures and step by steps, is easiest to cook... I don't have hundred yet, but more than 60 and wonderful books.

Flag
debra47 17 years ago said:

What a great idea. There is also another group on this site that someone else had started which I think is On The Shelf. Haven't been there lately so not sure how active it has been.

I too have a weakness for cookbooks and so does the husband now. Whenever I am back in the U.S. I come back with a bunch of cookbooks that I can't get over here. We also collect cookbooks from flea markets and second hand bookshops.

Had to laugh when I read httpmom's comment about cookbooks everywhere as I am in a similar situation. We even have some under the coffee table in the living room.

I'll look forward to reading about everyone's favorite cookbooks and will be sure to add my indispensable ones.

Flag
httpmom 17 years ago said:

I am putting them in as a recipe because I can't figure any other way to put it up with a picture. If anyone wants to add a favorite book...just put it as a recipe and add it to the "Not Another Cookbook" group.

Flag
rml 17 years ago said:

Sparow, I have a similar book. My mother included family pictures that are related to the recipes...for instance, she found a recipe for Greek Bean soup when we were living in Florida, so she included a pic of our FL house and comments about the picture and the recipe. I cried while flipping through it for the first time.

Flag
divaliscious 17 years ago said:

What a great idea for a group! I love reading everyone's personal stories of how many cookbooks you all actually own. And to think 'people' don't read anymore - I say hogwash! They are reading their cookbooks of course!

I may not have as many of several of you mention here - and I say brava to those who have so many - but like some of you, I have several copies of certain coveted books that have been passed down with Grandma and my mother's little personal notes, and one copy with someone else's little notes. How these are treasured!

One in particular is now out of print (I must own four copies in various stages of quality) that I wouldn't part with - that I like to refer to as 'the family bible' since every family member owns a copy and we all refer to this one (at least me, almost daily!)

Flag
rml 17 years ago said:

Since I'm not posting pics with the books, I thought I'd just make a list of a few favs...hope that's ok.

Parish Fare: A Collection of Recipes by St. Joseph's Church & Schools
From Greenville, MS (My Mother went to the schools and was married in the Church. This is similar to Jr. League books. I've used it so many times that the back cover is missing and the pages are yellow. My Mom found alot of her recipes from this book.

High Flying Fare: Oceana Officer Spouse's Club
This book is full of recipes submitted by my friends, so I don't have to beg for a specific recipe...I just open this book. It's Full of those "secret" recipes that normally won't get passed around. I believe the money they raise by selling the books goes to a Scholarship fund for Navy dependents.

Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a Day, by Jeff Hertzberg & Zoe Francois
Thepiggs turned me on to this book. They also have a website with videos. You can go to the Bread Group for the link. The book itself doesn't have many good pics, but it doesn't need them...It's full of great, easy recipes to modify the basic artisan recipe like....pizza, pitta, brioche, pecan caramel rolls, rye, oatmeal....It has tips, techniques, equipment...tons of info.

Food to Die For: Secrets from Kay Scarpetta's Kitchen, by Patricia Cornwell.
All of these recipes are mentioned in her novels. (Kay is a Medical Examiner who solves mysteries) . Ms. Cornwell includes excerpts from her novels and talks about the recipes. It's a beautifully written and illustrated book and the recipes are good!
(Short ex:) When all else fails, I cook. Some people go out after a god-awful day and slam a tennis ball around or jog their joints to pieces on a fitness course. I had a friend in Coral Gables who would escape to the beach with her folding chair and burn off her stress with sun and a slightly pornographic romance she wouldn't have been caught dead reading in her professional world - - she was a district court judge....I've never been particularly athletic and there wasn't a decent beach within reasonable driving distance.....and though Italian cuisine isn't my only love, it has always been what I do best.
This is a wonderfully entertaining book and a great read.

I also have all of the Frugal Gourmet's books. I loved his show and was very sad when he passed away.

Flag
rml 17 years ago said:

One more favorite....for now:

Italian Family Cooking: Unlocking a Treasury of Recipes and Stories, by Father Joseph Orsini....forword by Regis Philbin.
Old and New World Italian recipes with wonderful stories by Father Orsini. No pics, but it doesn't need them. With his beautiful description, you can use your imagination. Excellent recipes and a great read.

Flag
httpmom 17 years ago said:

What is the name of the Out Of Print book you refer to as your family "bible"? Very curious here.

Flag