Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 2)

[heyjude]

A friend and I took a lovely road trip to the bookstores in Bellingham yesterday. I found 8 treasures including 2 old Jacques Pepin's and a rare copy of The Dilettante Book of Chocolates and Confections. And we had a delicious lunch at The Chuckanut Oyster Bar.

[maggiethecat]

heyjude, what a lovely excursion. This cookbook thread can always count on you!

63,462.

[Verjuice]

Okay, I have 56, but that's not including books about food.

I have an Edward Gorey canvas tote that reads "There's no such thing as too many books". Perhaps it's time to sew a "c-o-o-k" on top of the last word

Edited to add: Scratch the 56. I just counted 108. Missed a shelf.

Edited April 25, 2004 by Verjuice (log)

[bloviatrix]

Right now, I am in Los Angeles, and I think I heard somewhere that there is a great cookbook store, or a great place where I can find cookbooks. I heard this a few years ago. I would like to find this place, if at all possible.

Here's the place in LA

The Cook's Library

8373 W. Third Street

Los Angeles, California 90048

Tel: (323) 655-3141

www.cookslibrary.com

[hjshorter]

The Mom's Guide to Meal Makeovers, subtitled "Improving the Way your family eats, one meal at a time." There seems to be a convenience food backlash - a good thing IMO.

And Jamie's Kitchen.

[maggiethecat]

that's not including books about food.

Have another count, verjuice -- books about food count! And bloviatrix, dear, thanks for the address; I'll shoot it to my newlt minted egull daughter in LA, should she miss it here.

There seems to be a convenience food backlash - a good thing IMO.

Oh dear yes, Heather.

63,564.

[heyjude]

In Pasadena, you will find one of the country's best used and rare cookbook stores. Look up Janet Jarvits and her site will tell you all you need to know and give you a map to get there. Very different, but a great complement to the Cook's Library. Let us know what you buy.

[Suzanne F]

Back from the IACP conference -- I won't count all the recipe booklets I picked up (even though they are pretty page-y), although Jenn-Air's The Art of Convection and the Canol Industry's Canola Cooks II should qualify. And then there are the 2 books the Hazelnut people were giving away. . . And, of course, the 4 others I bought off the reduced-price table from Books for Cooks. So that's a total of 8 more.

BTW: my criterion is: if it goes on the bookshelf, it's a book; into the file cabinet or magazine holders, no.

[Shannon_Elise]

I have 8 more cookbooks to add to my collection:

From Barnes and Noble.com:

The New York Times Passover Cookbook (I'm not Jewish, nor have I ever attended a Seder, but I looked at this at the library and had to have it)

From Nordstroms:

The Nordstroms Family Cookbook, other people go to this store and come out with sweaters, jewlery, or ties. I go and come out with expensive shoes, a purse, and a cookbook.

From Half Price Books:

The Time Life Series (I already have the Art of Austrian Cooking):

Classic French Cooking

The Cooking of Germany

The Cooking of Italy

The Cooking of Japan

Retro Desserts by Wayne Harley Brachman

Dessert Circus by Jaques Torres

and on a non-cookbook note, I finally got "The Physiology of Taste" by Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin. As an amateur food writer, I feel neglectful that it has taken me this long to get my hands on this one.

Shannon

[bloviatrix]

I picked up a copy of Jacques Pepin's The Apprentice today.

[phaelon56]

Count me in for 113 cookbooks.  I haven't bought one in ages either, rather I have been relying heavily on the internet for sourcing new recipes.  I can't believe, with the amount of time I spend both cooking and web surfing, that I just recently discovered eGullet.

We're also in disbelief that it took you so long to get here.... we've been waiting.

I'm a library kinda guy and having moved so many times over the years, tend not to accumulate books unless they're reference books that I'll look at repeatedly (art books, photography and cookbooks).

Having gotten really enthused about and active with cooking only in the past few years, I have only a handful - not including pamphlets, brochures and clippings my "library" is comprised of exactly 8 books.

When it comes to coffee varieties I think I've got y'all beat - about two dozen types of green beans in my stash at present and several more on their way.

I picked up a copy of Jacques Pepin's The Apprentice today.

Donald Trump's got nothin' on that Pepin guy - except the hair and the supermodel girlfriend. But that doesn't count for much in my book - I'll guess that The Donald™ can't cook to save his life.

[balmagowry]

And, of course, the 4 others I bought off the reduced-price table from Books for Cooks.

I deduce then that the conference was in either Baltimore or London. Which?

[maggiethecat]

BTW: my criterion is: if it goes on the bookshelf, it's a book; into the file cabinet or magazine holders, no.

Mine too!

63,581.

[Barb48]

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've always collected cookbooks. I'd say since I was 17 or 18. I once gave my sister at least 50...I kept the ones I thought suited me best. Now I have about 75.

I would "read" them like a good mystery novel. Funny thing is, after reading so many I could instinctively use different cooking methods...and you know the "hints" that most of the cookbooks contain sunk in also.

A good cookbook is a terrible thing to waste......

[Yasmin]

I own about 50 including some from India in different languages, the ones I refer to most are the ones compiled as fundraisers by churches, temples, employee committees, there are some wonderful "Down Home" recipes in these cook books. Recently when my niece got married I bought a blank book titled "My Favorite Recipes" and hand wrote some of my best recipes in it and the ones passed on to me by family members - grandmothers, aunts, neighbors, friends etc. and gave it to her for a shower gift, there are blank pages for her to add her recipes over the years, she tells me that she refers to it all the time.

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Recently when my niece got married I bought a blank book titled "My Favorite Recipes" and hand wrote some of my best recipes in it and the ones passed on to me by family members - grandmothers, aunts, neighbors, friends etc. and gave it to her for a shower gift, there are blank pages for her to add her recipes over the years, she tells me that she refers to it all the time.

That's such a great idea! I'm happy and jealous for your niece!

Pat

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Then, I read Sleepy_Dragon's comments, echoing my own futile efforts at managing the wealth:  "No more until I've dealt with what I already have."  Bwaahaahaa!  How often have I said that? 

Well, I just want to say that so far since first posting in this thread, I have held off from buying more cookbooks!

Actually... oh damn. I guess it's not entirely true if we count food-related books too. Crap, never mind. I am up to 80 now, thanks to The Apprentice: My Life In the Kitchen, by Jacques Pepin.

Oh well. No regrets though!

Pat

Edited April 30, 2004 by Sleepy_Dragon (log)

[Suzanne F]

And, of course, the 4 others I bought off the reduced-price table from Books for Cooks.

I deduce then that the conference was in either Baltimore or London. Which?

Bawlmer. JAZ and I were roomies, and if I may be so bold, I became the envy of many when I got a big hug from Tony Bourdain before his panel. Which, by the way, was quite interesting (Kitchen Memoir: Trend or Fad; and boy oh boy you should have heard Michael Ruhlmann lay into the dishonesty of Ruth Reichl's fabrications [in response to my, um, leading question] )

And for the purpose of this thread, I should have 3 more books coming, all by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, as a result of the silent auction at the conference.

[trinity63]

Last check I had about 323 various cook books. I'd love more, just no place to put them!

[JAZ]

And, of course, the 4 others I bought off the reduced-price table from Books for Cooks.

I deduce then that the conference was in either Baltimore or London. Which?

Bawlmer. JAZ and I were roomies, and if I may be so bold, I became the envy of many when I got a big hug from Tony Bourdain before his panel. Which, by the way, was quite interesting (Kitchen Memoir: Trend or Fad; and boy oh boy you should have heard Michael Ruhlmann lay into the dishonesty of Ruth Reichl's fabrications [in response to my, um, leading question] )

And for the purpose of this thread, I should have 3 more books coming, all by Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, as a result of the silent auction at the conference.

I was pretty restrained, having only bought two books there, one of which is food-related, but definitely not a cookbook (Tasting Food, Tasting Freedom by Sidney Mintz). And the other is not really a cookbook either (The Brewmaster's Table by Garrett Oliver -- IACP winner in the beverage category).

But then I made up for the restraint by purchasing the Balthazar book when I got back (IACP design award winner). Oh, and the Momo book too.

So, two or four, depending on your criteria.

[ruthcooks]

Put me down for 44 more cookbooks...

Everytime I read this thread, I order more. The above represent the sublime from Julia Child and Elizabeth David down to the ridiculous--a book called "The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book, 150 quick treats to add zip to your diet".

I was hoping someone had figured out a way for diabetics like me to legally eat a Dobosh Torte (quick version, you understand) as a snack. Instead, the author offered mundane recipes for tuna salad and various substandard classics, such as Shrimp Remoulade with reduced fat/fat free dairy products. Not one good idea in the batch.

I'm drawn to those bargain books on the net, which you can't check out first at the local bookstore. More often or not, they're flops, but once in a while you get a gem like "Eating for a Living, Food, Sex and Dining Out" by Cynthia Wine, Canadian food writer. This one entertained me with wit and humor, my kind of book.

Most of this new batch is still unread, but having unread Calvin Trillins, Madhur Jaffreys and Gale Gands on your shelf is like money in the bank.

[Suzanne F]

Most of this new batch is still unread, but having unread Calvin Trillins, Madhur Jaffreys and Gale Gands on your shelf is like money in the bank.

Amen, sister!

[artisan02]

Most of this new batch is still unread, but having unread Calvin Trillins, Madhur Jaffreys and Gale Gands on your shelf is like money in the bank.

"I don't have any books by Gale Gands yet. I have seen her mentioned, but I have been reluctant to add another unknown (to me ) to my collection while I am traveling around like I am currently.

Is she worth it?

Edited April 30, 2004 by artisan02 (log)

[andiesenji]

I have well over a thousand cookbooks, collecting for more than 40 years they do tend to add up.

A fair number are antiquarian books from the nineteenth century, some very rare.

I am addicted to used book stores and can spend hours plumbing the dusty depths one occasionally comes across in these treasure houses.

(I also collect other types of books.)

I am a member of a cookbook list and there are list members who make my collection look paltry.

I often pick up cookbooks at thrift stores because many times people clear out the belongings of elderly relatives and donate things for which they have no use. Many times I have found cookbooks with extras, cards with hand-written recipes, recipes clipped from magazines and newspapers, helpful hints, photos, and once a $50. bill folded into a page with an ad for an electric skillet clipped from a McCalls magazine dated 1972.

AndieP

[ruthcooks]

!!! SEVEN MORE !!!

Forgive me, father, it's been only two days since my last confession...I just ordered 7 more cookbooks in addition to the ones mentioned above. I warned you I could not read this thread without ordering more books, which is why it had been so long between my last two"reports."

My latest orders:

"Delia's How to Cook: Book Two" ( I don't have Book One)

"Jacques Pepin Celebrates" and "The Apprentice"

"Elements of Taste"

"How to Cook Meat"

MFK's translation of "Physiology of Taste"

and a book about the origin of food slang, or at least I think that's what its about

Not bad for $70 plus shipping...several were used, but I don't buy them used unless they are either new or like new.

As for Gale Gand (still unread, but I just looked through it), I find the food she prepares on the Food Network interest me. More like home cooking with a twist than fussy, painted sauce restaurant dishes. For example, she takes a favorite lemon bar and makes it into "Double-Stuffed Lime-ooo Bars" with an extra cream cheese layer and lime pudding/curd on top. Or paints a chocolate layer on the crust for a Coconut Cream Pie. Have not tried any recipes yet. These are from the "butter sugar flour eggs" book.

I think I'm about ready for a Sticky Toffee Pudding taste test using recipes from Gale, Delia and a couple of others. Nigella?