Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 3)

[Suzanne F]

I am indeed a Saskatchewan Canuck! Good sleuthing there.

Thanks for the welcome, everyone, and I'll have to get to posting so that I get access to everything.

I am a food lover, not a chef nor do I pretend to be, but I love to cook (and eat) so this place looks just wonderful.

I read cookbooks like novels, so looking at all the titles listed here is going to give me more fodder than I'll ever read, but that's a good thing, no?

Saskanuck: That's what/where I figured you were. Just didn't want to seem un-nice. (No, I'm not Canadian, but just came back from a week there. ) You will find a nice balance of professionals and amateurs here, all of whom are listened to with the same attention. And many other readers-of-cookbooks-as-novels.

Gariotin: When my mother passed away, it was easy for me to absorb most of her very small collection. But the copies of Volumes 1 and 2 of Mastering the Art were given to the friend I've known longest, more than 30 years at the time (by now more than 40). This friend called me the other day to thank me for introducing her to Julia. That is the best memorial.

[Alex]

Bargain Books strikes again!

Los Barrios Family Cookbook: Tex-Mex Recipes from the Heart of San Antonio

Down to Earth: Great Recipes for Root Vegetables

[tanabutler]

Balmagowry, I happily will receive ANY spare Julia Child cookbooks. I have only one (baking)...and I feel remiss. Empty. A shell of a woman!

And I've been terrible, I haven't been to the post office to mail your book, Judiu. Has the address changed?

PM me if you like. I have to go today, as I am also mailing my camera back to the hospital.

[maggiethecat]

I had to blow the dust off my calculator --I've been gone for awhile. Ladies and gents, we've passed a milestone: 70,189. That would be 13.29 miles of cookbooks end to end.

Welcome to all the new eGulls I've met here recently. And peeps, I never cease to be amazed at the generosity of this community.

[patti]

I found Bourdain's "A Cook's Tour" at a used bookstore yesterday. I guess that one doesn't count as a cookbook, does it?

[Suzanne F]

I found Bourdain's "A Cook's Tour" at a used bookstore yesterday. I guess that one doesn't count as a cookbook, does it?

Not a cookbook, no, but it counts here. We are not such sticklers here for titles. If it's about food, it counts. Right, Ms. Maggie?

BTW: yet another for me: The Pepper Lady's Pocket Pepper Primer by Jean Andrews. It's my idea of a perfect reference book: photos of every item described, and almost all the photos are life-size; the writeups are clear, interesting, and include substitutions, uses and much other information.

[Suzanne F]

Well, one more Made in Marseille by Daniel Young.

[Anna N]

Once again, from a garage sale for $1.00---- From Julia Child's Kitchen - HOORAY.

There were more that I bought but most will be read and given away as cookbooks are beginning to take over my life and home AGAIN!

[Suzanne F]

There were more that I bought but most will be read and given away as cookbooks are beginning to take over my life and home AGAIN!

You got a problem with that, lady?

[GG Mora]

Okay, so I finally got around to counting...86. That includes the recent addition (Friday) of Madhur Jaffrey Indian Cooking (not to be confused with Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking). The count also includes all of my Food Lit – Tony Bourdain, Robert Wolke, Russ Parsons, Harold McGee, and 4 years' Best Food Writing. Doesn't include all issues of Saveur from #10 on – must count for something, yah? And if anyone has any bright ideas as to how I might lay hands on those first 9 issues....

Edited September 6, 2004 by GG Mora (log)

[skrattypants]

i can't count them all because i can't find them all. i buy cookbooks for a local specialty shop so every month i'm adding another dozen to the pile.

i love the simpsons episode where marge is lying in bed, reading "Recipes to Think About in Bed".

i only cook from the ones that don't close anymore.

[maggiethecat]

I found Bourdain's "A Cook's Tour" at a used bookstore yesterday. I guess that one doesn't count as a cookbook, does it?

←

Yes, Patty (and thanks, Suzanne!) food related books count. I draw the line at magazines and software only.

70,279. And speaking of food writing, I'm enjoying Villas's "Stalking the Green Fairy" enormously.

[chefsteban]

OK All totaled up, I have 326 books about cooking...if which about half of them are on Mexican food...my oldest mexican cookbook goes back to 1898.......What can I say...I love to cook Mexican style.

Edited September 11, 2004 by chefsteban (log)

[maggiethecat]

Welcome, chefsteban! Your cool collection brings us to 70,605.

[dougery]

Wow, there are some serious libraries out there! I'll add my 37 books to the total, now if you asked how many file folders of recipes are out there... that is a totally different story.

[Squeat Mungry]

Another for me:

New Southern Kitchen -- Damon Lee Fowler

[joiei]

I just picked up Frank Stitt's new book and am loving it. Besides a pretty good book he is a very nice guy. When you are in Birmingham next, check out Highlands.

[snowangel]

Welcome, chefsteban! Your cool collection brings us to 70,605.

←

Do my two feet of recipes on recipe cards count? Many of them are from my great grandmother, written in that spidery handwriting, with a fountain pen (keep them dry!), on yellowing cards...

[MGLloyd]

I have three wall units placed side by side. Each unit is 3 feet wide by 6 feet tall with four shelves each completely filled with cookbooks including those books stuffed in the space between the tops of the books and the bottom of the next shelf up. I have counted them, and I have 356 cookbooks. This does not include the two shelves filled with back issues of Cook's Illustrated and Gourmet magazines.

And yet, just yesterday, I sent in a Jessica's Biscuit order for six more cookbooks. I wonder if I should go to a 12 step program or something.....

Edited September 13, 2004 by MGLloyd (log)

[Anna N]

This HAS to stop!

A week ago I found a single volume from the Time-Life series, The Good Cook. It's the Beef and Veal volume and it totally fascinating for me - I hope I can find more volumes one day. Got it for $1 at a garage sale.

Then we headed up to a cottage for five days - just returned yesterday - and I got desperate for reading matter. We drove into town, Peterborough, and I spent at least an hour in Chapters. So many, many temptations! I lovingly handled both volumes of Julia's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" but, after living with "In Julia's Kitchen" for a couple of weeks, they seemed very dry and technical. They may tell you much about cooking but the "Kitchen" tells much about Julia. So I put them both back and, instead, because I needed food for thought, I bought Clifford A Wright's "Little Foods of the Mediterranean". And, as I was heading to the checkout spotted remained copies of Kasma Loha-Unchit's "Dancing Shrimp" and had to have a copy of that too!

[Pere Hugo]

Speaking of the Time-Life Good Cook series, I have the complete set of 28--from "Beverages" to "Candy" and everything in between. I got them by subscription in the '80's and recall eagerly waiting for the next monthly volume. The series taught me a whole lot about real, genuine cooking.

I have several hundred cookbooks by now but its been a while since I have bought because it seems more self-indulgent than before. But I do covet Paul Bertolli's new "Cooking by Hand"--let's hope it goes on sale real soon.

[Suzanne F]

Pere Hugo -- definitely get the Bertolli! I no longer buy books for the recipes, but only for the reference material they contain, and this was a great addition to my shelves! Keep checking for "used" copies on Amazon or on powells.com, or some of the other book-selling sites.

[artisan02]

Speaking of the Time-Life Good Cook series, I have the complete set of 28--from "Beverages" to "Candy" and everything in between. I got them by subscription in the '80's and recall eagerly waiting for the next monthly volume. The series taught me a whole lot about real, genuine cooking.

I have almost all of that series, but am missing about 2-3 books of it. I still haven't found the Preserving one, which I lust after. However they are all in storage now, so I am not going to hunt for the remaining volumes just yet. Maybe when I finally settle down again, I will get the remaining books.

This is such a classic, and very classy series. However, I think they were coming out in the 70's. I distinctly remember getting and using them then.

Edited September 13, 2004 by artisan02 (log)

[judiu]

With many thanks to all the people from this forum who have contributed to my "re-building" collection, I can proudly state that, 1 month after the fire in my home I now have 22 cookbooks! Thanks for all your help, folks! Plus I just ordered the new David Rosengarten from a private dealer on Amazon. I swear that I'd ordered it from this same person before, but I've been known to be wrong about things like that every so often!

[artisan02]

Pere Hugo -- definitely get the Bertolli! I no longer buy books for the recipes, but only for the reference material they contain, and this was a great addition to my shelves!  Keep checking for "used" copies on Amazon or on powells.com, or some of the other book-selling sites.

←

I totally agree with Suzanne! This is an incredible book. Oh, I guess I forgot to add it to my totals...

I think I had better add up and list my new books: I think I have about 12 new books since I posted my totals a bit ago. Maybe more: I found some bargains around here.