Cookbooks – How Many Do You Own? (Part 1)

[heyjude]

I have seven new cookbooks if you include Dr. Atkins, which I won't be offended if you don't, but once I started the diet, I needed inspiration beyond cheese omelets. Others include Ducasse and The Scoop by Lori Longbotham. It's almost time to cull to make room for new (and old) ones. I'm book scouting this week at several local used book stores.

[Marmish]

33,431.  And welcome to eGullet, Marmish.

Thanks! I've been hanging around awhile, but am trying to break outta my shell!

[ktinkel]

Gee, I was feeling almost embarrassed -- even odd -- about having so many food-related books. But I don't stand out in this crowd!

I have 503 (plus a few that I know have strayed somewhere temporarily), lining one 10-foot wall in our dining room. I counted recipe and technique books, references, general writings on food and cooking, and books by and about cooks.

Interesting topic.

Kathleen

[hjshorter]

Welcome to egullet, Kathleen!

What are some of your favorites?

[ktinkel]

Thanks. I've been lurking for a month or so.

As for favorites, it depends on when you ask. Right now I have Nicolas Freeling's The Kitchen Book & The Cook Book and John Allemang's The Importance of Lunch on my nightstand. They're especially good for reading in short bursts.

We're nuts for Chinese food, especially Sichuan. Lately I've been most passionate about Madame Chiang's Szechwan Cookbook, Robert Delfs's The Good Cooking of Szechwan, and the Joyce Chen Cook Book. But this changes from time to time, and I generally trust Calvin & Audrey Lee's Gourmet Chinese Regional Cookbook. But I can be fickle...

When I need to solve an everyday cooking problem, I find Mark Bittmann's How to Cook Everything to be extremely useful. It has gradually become the book of first recourse, in fact. Lately I've been looking to Lidia Bastianich -- her recipes and mindset help me reproduce some of the dishes we enjoyed when we lived in 'Little Sicily' (Spring Street before SoHo!).

When I lust for good writing, I read John Thorne, Jeffrey Steingarten, and Calvin Trillin, and periodically re-read their books.

So I guess it all depends. (No discipline, you see!)

Kathleen

[bloviatrix]

Including the cookbooks, reference books, general writing on food, etc I'm at 155.

My husband keeps putting me on notice -- I have to sneak books into the house.

[Gular]

17 including my mom's (we share in this family) but then I rarely use recipes except maybe as loose guidelines. I find it hard to follow recipes to the T. Anyone else have this problem?

Cooking is an ADVENTURE!

Edited July 7, 2003 by Gular (log)

[Anna N]

Time for a recount: Yikes! I've gone from 45 in Feb to 81 in July - this has to stop - most were "gifts" from a daughter who spends every Saturday morning going to garage sales.

So add another 36 to the total.

Anna N

[sandra]

3 more books on plated/restaurant desserts - pastry final is coming up and I need inspiration!

[maggiethecat]

34,152.

6.46 miles.

[Wolfert]

Hi Maggie:

I can throw about 101 yards into the pot.

I've been collecting a long time. My first purchase was the "Glamour Magazine after-five cookbook" That was back in the 50's. My collection had nowhere to go but up.

Edited July 8, 2003 by Wolfert (log)

[maggiethecat]

I've been collecting a long time. My first purchase was the "Glamour Magazine after-five cookbook"

Ms. Wolfert:

Actually, this sounds rather, well, glamormous.

Using my arbitrary measurement of 12" per cookbook...that's 303.

34,455.

[Wolfert]

no, I was figuring 101 yards or 303 feet and each foot standing in for 10 to 12 cookbooks.

[maggiethecat]

no, I was figuring 101 yards or 303 feet and each foot standing in for 10 to 12 cookbooks.

Yes, that makes sense! Wow...I'll say 11 per foot. 3333.

37,485.

[Wolfert]

it's a sickness, i assure you.

on the other hand, this collection started about 46 years ago. I like to think I've accumulated about 72 books a year...or less than 2 a week!

[bsan]

I have three at home...but to be honest, they're all the same one.

[Chad]

Hmm, 'bout 40 for me if you include the wine books. Man, I feel like an amateur.

Chad

[maggiethecat]

37,528. Hey, we've just broken seven miles! Oh, add one for me: I got "Best Food Writind 2002" for my birthday.

37, 529.

[schmoopie]

I love this topic! my husband has been teasing me about the number of cookbooks I have for years. It should be noted that he doesn't complain about the number of meals I make from them or use them to inspire me, of course.

It was wonderful to be able to report that I have a fraction of what most everyone else has!!

121 on the kitchen shelves - 45 in the closet and about a dozen loaned to various friends = 178

[hotle]

got 'em in several spots all over the house, and i'm too lazy to count 'em exactly, but about 100. amateur here, too!

[sandra]

OH - 2 more for me... Roux Brother on Patisserie (10% off due to itty bitty damage) and La Maison du Chocolat - Robert Linxe

[Suzanne F]

Not another cookbook, but another food book: The Slow Food Guide to New York City Restaurants, Markets, Bars (bought pre-release, at the Fancy Food Show).

[maggiethecat]

Thanks, all! 37,808.

[maggiethecat]

One more for me, used, from Amazon because it's out of print. In my continuing reasearch about those French guys whose names ended with ski (Podzerski, Babinski) I am holding the "Larousse Tradition French Cooking" by Curnonsky. It's the English translation of "Larousse Cuisines et Vins de France," is very pretty, 700 pages long and weighs in at four pounds.

37, 809.

[KNorthrup]

I have three at home...but to be honest, they're all the same one.

Delayed reaction. Which one?