Advertorial cookbooks: I like 'em

[Fat Guy]

Used to be, my first instinct upon seeing an advertorial cookbook -- in other words a cookbook sponsored by a food company or companies and designed to sell product -- was to distrust it. But lately I've been questioning that reaction. Just as many good recipes can be found on food-company websites and on the backs of boxes and sides of cans, good recipes can be published in these blatantly commercial cookbooks. Advertorial cookbooks, when done well, can be valuable sources of information. It wouldn't surprise me if the resources behind them, in terms of research and recipe testing, are superior to those invested in a standard cookbook. The journalistic value of objectivity doesn't seem particularly important when it comes to recipes. I'm fine with them as long as they make sense.

And when such a book is free, what is there to complain about? Over the weekend, on the way out of Costco, I was handed this year's edition of "Favorite Recipes the Costco Way." Each recipe uses a brand-name product or products sold at Costco. It's a pretty nice book: 280 recipes and a lot of tips, many of them by big-name chefs like Mario Batali and Rocco DiSpirito, with full-color photos throughout. I found more recipes in the Costco book that gave me ideas for things I'd actually cook in real life than I have in the last couple of dozen "real" cookbooks to come across my desk. Any one of those ideas would be worth, well, more than the price of the book.

[rconnelly]

I like the retro ones that came with all those new-fangled appliances like blenders and waffle irons. I also like the old ones from flour companies etc.

Not only are there basic how-to's and recipes, but they give great insight to the way we were.

[gfron1]

We must be psychically connected! All weekend I was thinking it would be fun to do nothing but these type of recipes for a month or year and see what happens. Its on my to-do list!

[Fat Guy]

We must be psychically connected! 

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Heaven help us.

[Big Bunny]

Some of these books really are bargains. Off hand I can think of the Land-o-Lakes (butter) cookie book(s), and Krinos food's Greek cookbook, written by Diane Kochilas.

BB

[wattacetti]

The only one that I have (Ikea's Real Swedish Food Book) was a bargain: "free with the purchase of a $5.99 Manager's Special meatball meal" at the Port Coquitlam Ikea.

It's got color photos and I've looked through it as a plating cross-reference for several Scandinavian recipes. It is surprisingly consistent against the recipes even with the product placement.

I did get into trouble over the meatballs because my former manager in all seriousness used it as an example of poor fiscal stewardship at review time.

[Dianabanana]

Many well-known cookbook authors worked as recipe developers for food companies before hitting the bigtime. I'm unfortunately blanking on names right now, maybe somebody can help me out.

[baroness]

As a former Pillsbury employee, I can vouch for the extensive testing that is done before a recipe or product is released to the public. Any variable you can reasonably think of is tried and evaluated. These 'corporate' recipes are dependable, and can serve as a starting point for experiments//variations.

[janeer]

I have a collection of old pamphlets from food companies, and they are wonderful sources of solid recipes. My oldest is from 1896--Ceresota flour company; I have several from flour and baking powder companies. More "recent" ones, from the 1960s, include one from Eagle sweetened condensed milk and a really fine one from Baker's chocolate. Of course, there are some quite famous "back-of-the box" recipes, such as the one for Toll House cookies, the meatloaf recipe from Quaker Oats, or the divine refrigerator cake on the box of chocolate wafers.

[faine]

I agree with you - there can be some real winners lurking around in those glossy highly staged pages. I really want the Ikea book now. Mmm, swedish meatballs.

Still, I *really* love these things for their entertainment value, especially when it comes to attempts at packaging egregiously unhealthy food (nacho cheese sauce, cheetohs, pork rinds) into some sort of Wholesome Family Meal. That stuff just kills me. I'm also thinking of a beautiful advertisement I spotted in People Magazine for some sort of festive holiday dessert composed of instant pudding, Nilla Wafers (admittedly delicious), mashed up oreos, and instant whipped cream. God bless America and our proclivity for shelf stable cookery.

[The Old Foodie]

If you want to go Retro, there is a wonderful selection of advertising cookbooks from pre-1920 at the Digital Scriptorium

The only cookbook my mum had was the Be-Ro flour cookbook (which is in the Scriptorium under Baking) - I learned to bake from it. Most of the books are American (if you love retro-jello, the books are there)

Janet

[faine]

Thanks for your link, Old Foodie! Just wanted to say I adore your website...there's nothing I like better then poring through old menus and various other food related items. Appreciate it.

[maggiethecat]

I love all those pamphlets from Hersheys or Land o' Lakes or Carnation that pop up this time of year in the grocery aisles. Fudge, triple chocolate mint cookies -- they've entered my holiday oeuvre.

And then there's the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) glossy mags that appear once a quarter. Sure, they're shilling for the booze companies, but the recipes and photography are first rate -- better than many food mags.

[janeer]

If you want to go Retro, there is a wonderful selection of advertising cookbooks from pre-1920 at the Digital Scriptorium

The only cookbook my mum had was the Be-Ro flour cookbook (which is in the Scriptorium under Baking) - I learned to bake from it. Most of the books are American (if you love retro-jello, the books are there)

Janet

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Janet, thank you for the link; I'm one of your rss subscribers; as a fellow historian and foodie, love your blog.