36 replies to this topic

[torakris]

Do you have one cookbook that has been used so much it is falling apart and possibly held together with tape?
Does it automatically open to your favorite pages, because you have pushed on the binding too ahrd too many times?
Are the pages stained with drops of now unidentifiable food?

So what book in your collection does this describe?

For me it is the New Basics, though I don't use it as much any more, for a while it was my favorite (ok my only!) cookbook and it tends to open to page 746, the lemon shortbread recipe.

[davidscooking]

Diana Kennedy, The Art of Mexican Cooking

[Anna N]

For me it is the New Basics, though I don't use it as much any more, for a while it was my favorite (ok my only!) cookbook and it tends to open to page 746, the lemon shortbread recipe.

I have the book. It is marked with fortyleven sticky notes and yet I don't think I have made a single recipe from it - a sign of how utterly unfocussed I am! But .... it now has a new sticky note on page 746! Hmmmmmmmmmmm....

[pariah_kerry]

I have my Grandma's "White House Cook Book" published in 1911. The pages are brittle and brown, the spine broken...It has great photos and many recipes for pigeons, squirrels, and "mock" ice. It has months worth of menu plans: a Monday Luncheon: Sliced Head Cheese, Bread Omelet, Parsnip Fritters, Cold Slaw Graham Bread, Mince Pie, and Tea. It also includes many home remedies for the sick including poultices, a section entitled "How to Use Hot Water", and one recipe that "is worth ten times the price of this book to any female requiring the need of these regulating pills." Other "toilet" recipes include how to make soap, antidotes for arsenic and opium, and great tips on etiquette. I forget how much I love this book.

[awbrig]

Keith Famie's Book just doesnt do it to me like it used to...

Edited by gfron1, 28 August 2007 - 11:05 AM.

[Michael Laiskonis]

Keith Famie's Book just doesnt do it to me like it used to...

And just what, exactly, did it do to you?

[awbrig]

And just what, exactly, did it do to you?

Cook rice.

[torakris]

And just what, exactly, did it do to you?

Cook rice.

Cool!

[Michael Laiskonis]

The local restaurant community used to poke fun at Keith long before the Survivor thing...

Honestly, brig, did you like his book?

[awbrig]

Honestly, brig, did you like his book?

I was kidding, actually. I would have never bought that book...

[Michael Laiskonis]

Yeah, I should've assumed that. I just didin't want to risk busting on someone's Famie cool! They're fragile.

[suzilightning]

the paperback edition of fanny farmer...

actually found another copy at a used bookstore and took it to our local book bindry so it stays in (relatively) pristine condition

[nightscotsman]

Rose Levy Beranbaum's "The Cake Bible" - the most food stained book in my collection.

Bernard Clayton's "The Complete Book of Pastry" - A whole section of pages is falling out. Thanks to heyjude for finding me a new hardbound copy!

[fifi]

Zarela Martinez' "Food From My Heart". I take pretty good care of my books so I am going by the number of Post-It tags hanging out. As we speak (er... type), I am making a batch of the Chiapas style marinade for a big piece of pig leg to cook tomorrow.

[Suzanne F]

The only one of mine to fall apart -- other than, yes, the paperback of Fannie Farmer that I bought in about 1967 -- is Barbara Kafka's Microwave Gourmet. Not, I hasten to add, because I use it so much. It's just cheaply bound.

[nerissa]

I have my grandmother's 1961 1st ed. of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, vol. 1 and 2. Vol. 1 is following apart, but opens easily to the recipe for soufflee grand marnier--my grandfather's speciality. Also, there are a few crayon scribbles in it from my sister when she was a child.

I still cook from it frequently-- but it is falling apart.

[Chef/Writer Spencer]

I lost the cover to my French Laundry cookbook back in 2001. I've referenced it many a time on the hot line, with greasy, flour caked fingers. There are conversions, notes and proudly the author's signature within the pages. The names, addresses and phone numbers of every chef I admire are plastered all over the first two pages. Back before I got this gig I spent an entire spring trying to get a stage gig with the likes of N. Van Aken, Trotter, Keller, Mark Millitello (did a SOS dinner as his prep bitch), and Boulud. TFL Cookbook was my note pad.

Now a picture of my mother is tucked into the Guinea Hen en Crepinette de Byaldi page. Keller saw the pic when he was signing it and commented.

When Laura C. saw my book she said..."Wow...look at that thing. Good thing we like em banged up." I was righteously relieved.

[Jon Tseng]

Gordon Ramsay's Passion for flavour lost its spine a while back - victim of particularly severe reffing because of its useful range of "building block" recipes which can be used elsewhere

Front and back covers of my paperback larousse also fell off a while back on account of constant browsing (the spine of the hardcover version also gone, although due to genuine abuse rather than overuse)

cheerio

J

[sng sling]

I've re-built my 1970 The James Beard Cookbook several times, along with the Volume I of Julia Child's Mastering. My Pepin La Technique isn't that beat up, but is missing a corner eaten by our much-loved and long-gone Golden Retriever...

[Sun Grease]

The Complete Greek CookBook by Theresa Yianilos is by far my most worn, used, and loved cookbook in my entire collection. It has special significance in my life in that my Grandmother gave it to me on a trip my family made to see her about 7 years ago. My Grandmother is the person that ignited the passion in me to not only cook, but do it as a profession. I reference that book many times in that what dish can go wrong that has lemon, the best extra-virgin olive oil, and feta cheese in it?

[torakris]

The Complete Greek CookBook by Theresa Yianilos is by far my most worn, used, and loved cookbook in my entire collection.  It has special significance in my life in that my Grandmother gave it to me on a trip my family made to see her about 7 years ago.  My Grandmother is the person that ignited the passion in me to not only cook, but do it as a profession.  I reference that book many times in that what dish can go wrong that has lemon, the best extra-virgin olive oil, and feta cheese in it?

Sun Grease,
welcome to egullet and what a wonderful post!

[weka]

Edmonds Cookery Book, the stalwart in any New Zealander's kitchen. Been about since 1907, unlike me

Leads one to a perfect pavlova, scrumptious scones and a kickass custard...oh and lest I forget and get in loads of trouble....the Christmas fruitcake recipe with royal icing you can stand on! Don't try that last recipe unless your packing a kitchenaide or stronger steel as the mixer will go kerplunk kerplak kablooey. The thoughtful folks at the sure rise baking powder joint also remember to include every chart known to man for conversions, cooking temperatures, etc.

Have been fighting over the only stateside copy in our family for years and it shows the battlescars...need to remedy this soon as else we will be mailing the silly thing back and forth in the post.

- Weka

[Sun Grease]

Sun Grease,
welcome to egullet and what a wonderful post!

Thank you for the welcome, Torakris.

[jackal10]

Elizabeth David's French Provincial Cooking
Sue Paston-Williams The National Trust Book of Christmas and Festive Recipes is falling apart, but I think that is because it wasn't bound well originally

The Servant Maid's Companion (1658) was in bad condition when I acquired it.

[sladeums]

Diana Kennedy, The Art of Mexican Cooking

My copy of this is in crap condition as well.

Has anyone noticed a tendancy of bindings on hardcovers published in the last 5-7 years to be really weak?


I got both this Kennedy book for Christmas 2001 and a Bayless book for Chrismas 2002, and both of the bindings came loose within 2 months with very liberal/careful use.

I've also seen reports that the binding on Thompson's 'Thai Food' is shitty too.

Is there any noticeable trend?

I'm not sure, personally I don't buy many books new - most I get used on eBay...the two I mentioned above were the only 'new' books I own - and also the only cookbooks I have where the binding is shot.

[beans]

I am in receipt of my lovely grandmother's whole collection of cooking publications. The oldest and most beloved book had fallen apart decades ago and the precious pages of instruction for her favourite desserts were the only ones saved -- mutilated, conversions written in the margins and food stained for decades. They were most likely an old Betty Crocker -- the the recipes in the worst shape (*sniff*) are of pineapple upside down cake, lemon meringue pie and divinity.

The second most loved book I inherited is a 1961, fifth printing, revised edition of Out of Alaska's Kitchens. That book has a lot of miles.

Of my own personal pre-existing collection -- none. I have this thing about stained books. The stains drive me mad so I will xerox it as best as possible (poor bindings) replace the book on my shelf and place the photocopy into an Avery plastic page protector. If I don't care for the preparation, I adapt as necessary and/or pitch it to the waste basket and then try another! If it is a bona fide hit, well then it makes it to the "preferred recipe" three ring binder. When needed, it is removed and right there with me to endure unknown batter or sauce specs, grease drips, stuck with dough pieces or wayward drizzles of royal frosting. The handy damp paper towel wipes all anew!

[KNorthrup]

If you don't care about resale or other aesthetics, most Kinkos-type places can convert any volume, hardcover or paperback, into a spiral binding. That's especially handy for books too thick for your average holder.

[duckduck]

After all the joking about Keith Famie's Adventures in Cooking...I do own it. I own all three of his cookbooks. So far everything I have made has been exceptional. I have yet to go wrong with one of his recipes. I own a lot of cook books and have made a ton of things over the years but nothing and I do mean nothing has ever gotten me the reactions I have gotten over the past couple of months with his recipes. I get groans and "When are you going to make that again?" I had to e-mail him and let him know that his Michigan bread pudding got me more "Oh my God.." than I have ever heard in my life over anything I've ever made. His Pacific NW smoked salmon risotto from "Yes, I Can Cook Rice..." was wonderful and the Bonne Terre recipes from his new book "You Really Haven't Been There Until You've Eaten The Food" cajun shrimp, mashed sweet potatoes and anduoille cream sauce are to die for. Just F.Y.I. people.

[awbrig]

After all the joking about Keith Famie's Adventures in Cooking...I do own it. I own all three of his cookbooks. So far everything I have made has been exceptional. I have yet to go wrong with one of his recipes

Someone MQ this person. Just kidding!

Im sure Keith would really appreciate your complimentary comments...I just cant get myself to buy those books...

[Carolyn Tillie]

My 1980-ish copy of the *old* Joy of Cooking is beyond battered. The spine is dead and chunks of it fall out everytime I go for it (at least once a week for some form of reference). I suppose I should get a new one some day...