2646 replies to this topic

[maggiethecat]

There have been a few cookbook/recipe threads happening recently. I simply want to know, as a strictly academic exercise, how many cookbooks the greater eGullet commumity owns. End to end, would they circle the world?

C'mon, take a few minutes or half an hour. Post the totals here. And it ain't some friggin' contest! Many great cooks have few books, and many non-cooks own lots.

Food magazines don't count.

I'll keep a running total. Awbrig, don't forget to count the Nancy Silverton book we borrowed.

It's relaxing. Glass of wine in hand, go out there and count.

[maggiethecat]

And within reason, food-related, non-cookbooks count too. Like Trillin, Kuh, or Ruhlman, par example.

[Rail Paul]

Probably 150, ranging from Madeleine Kamman to the Lake Tahoe Women's Club collection of family recipes.

Favorite is Christopher Blake's Easy Elegance, a 1970s book of Louisiana favorites, and some of his special treats. Very evocative of a man who was well loved by his many friends. Many recipes from restaurants, friends, or something from Satchmo's cook.

I usually put 1 or 2 books or magazines on my work table to get me thinking in unexpected directions. Right now they are Bayless's Mexican Kitchen and Crescent Dragonwagon's Soup & Bread. Next up are the Tahoe / Reno restaurants cookbook and Dannenberg's Parisian Boulangries.

[maggiethecat]

O.K., 150 and counting. I remember "Easy Elegance", and will make a point of finding it.

I'll count ours after dinner.

[Jaymes]

I can't play. It's embarrassing.

[Suzanne F]

Five hundred fifty-six. I just checked my catalogue spreadsheet. That doesn't include duplicates of some Time-Life Foods of the World, and multiples of The New Cook that are waiting for me to see the people I want to give them to.





















Ooops, no, I lied. Five hundred fifty-seven. I forgot I haven't yet listed Peterson's Essentials of Cooking.

[pixelchef]

Err.. I have 6. :/

[maggiethecat]

1013

Edited by maggiethecat, 20 February 2003 - 09:18 PM.

[maggiethecat]

I can't play.  It's embarrassing.     

Jaymes, not acceptable! Start counting, Girlfriend. You've got an hour to spare.

[maggiethecat]

357 here.

1370 with three players. Gad.

[ruthcooks]

Every time I get to 400 I have a yard sale. But since most of them are in storage, I've probably added a hundred in the past year.

[maggiethecat]

Every time I get to 400 I have a yard sale.  But since most of them are in storage, I've probably added a hundred in the past year.

Let's say 500. 1870.

[polly]

Roughly 215 cookbooks in my home.

[Jaymes]

I can't play.  It's embarrassing.     

Jaymes, not acceptable! Start counting, Girlfriend. You've got an hour to spare.

878 (and one on order)

[maggiethecat]

That is two thousand four hundred and sixty four cookbooks. Seven owners!

If even twenty more of you 'fess up, we're halfway to the moon.

Jaymes: I'll be in Austin for a week to drink margaritas and try to make a dent in your collection.

[skybluewater]

There have been a few cookbook/recipe threads happening recently.  I simply want to know, as a strictly academic exercise, how many cookbooks the greater eGullet commumity owns.  End to end, would they circle the world?

C'mon, take a few minutes or half an hour.  Post the totals here.  And it ain't some friggin' contest!  Many great cooks have few books, and many non-cooks own lots.

Food magazines don't count.

I'll keep a running total.  Awbrig, don't forget to count the Nancy Silverton book we borrowed.

It's relaxing.  Glass of wine in hand, go out there and count.

I only have 15 or so. I usually don't cook from them. I just like to read about food and learn about cooking. I do plan to keep buying cookbooks. I just have to find a job first.

[Jason Perlow]

Heyjude, one of our Pacific Northwest members, has at LEAST 1000. Her apartment is wall to wall cookbooks.

[maggiethecat]

Skybue: I need a job too. I feel your pain. And, as I said before, this is not a contest.

2,479

[Fat Guy]

It's not really fair for me to play because I get a dozen or so review copies a month. But I've also come by a lot of cookbooks honestly. So I counted a couple of shelves and took an average, then multiplied. Then I did the same for cartons of stored books. We're looking at approximately 1,200 here, with perhaps 200-300 of those being duplicates (shhhh . . . nobody tell Wiley they send me two of everything). That's at most 1/5 of all our books, though, as any eGulleter who has been in the apartment can testify.

[Jaymes]

Jaymes:  I'll be in Austin for a week to drink margaritas and try to make a dent in your collection.

Seriously???

[JAZ]

About 90, with another couple dozen that are about food but in no way cookbooks, and a dozen or so books on cocktails, spirits, wine and beer (these do contain recipes but I'm not sure if they count).

[maggiethecat]

About 90, with another couple dozen that are about food but in no way cookbooks, and a dozen or so books on cocktails, spirits, wine and beer (these do contain recipes but I'm not sure if they count).

Sure, JAZ, they count.

4,075

[maggiethecat]

Jaymes:  I'll be in Austin for a week to drink margaritas and try to make a dent in your collection.

Seriously???

I'll google for fares! I've got the time. Lock up your sons! (PM you later)

[helenas]

around 250

[maggiethecat]

around 250

Thanks Helena. 4,325.
(BTW, I love your sig line. If only!)

[nightscotsman]

Heyjude, one of our Pacific Northwest members, has at LEAST 1000. Her apartment is wall to wall cookbooks.

Actually more like 3,000+!

I have 122 to add to the pile. About half pastry and dessert books.

[Jason Perlow]

Heyjude, one of our Pacific Northwest members, has at LEAST 1000. Her apartment is wall to wall cookbooks.

Actually more like 3,000+!

I have 122 to add to the pile. About half pastry and dessert books.

Yeah, that was a VERY low estimate. I'm pretty sure she has more than anyone on this site.

[Dave the Cook]

328 here, Lily.

[Jon Tseng]

Around a hundred

Not enough - I put them all in a pile recently and was disappointed how small it looked

J

[oraklet]

haven't counted, but would be c. 50, mostly used for reference. or let's say 52, cause i just recieved "compl.tech." and "culin.artistr." from amazon.

"culinary artistry" is an amazing book. haven't read anything like it before. it's as eye-opening as "masse und macht".