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

[maggiethecat]

Two more for me, from the local "antique store". For fifty cents, a copy of the first cookbook I ever used: (I was about ten)"How to Get the Most out of your Sunbeam Mixmaster." Yes, there is it, Lightning Cake.

Also "The International Cook Book." No publication date, but I'm venturing early 30s.

39, 211.

[tommy]

39, 211.

maybe i missed this, but where do you put them all, and how do you keep count? i'm confused.

[maggiethecat]

I've got an underground bunker and a big set of index cards. I learned the Dewey Decimal System while I was at Beauty School in my late teens.

[fresco]

It's surprising--to me at least--how few cookbooks stand the test of time. Prior to moving houses last year, we had well in excess of 200, which got down to about 50 in a general book cull. I'm sure this could go to a dozen or less without making much difference, if any. It was a cathartic experience, which finally rid me of a long standing and irrational Book Worship.

[KNorthrup]

It was a cathartic experience, which finally rid me of a long standing and irrational Book Worship.

Heretic!

[fresco]

It has liberated me to worship Space, the Final Frontier. Until we fill it up with other unnecessaries.

[maggiethecat]

It was a cathartic experience, which finally rid me of a long standing and irrational Book Worship.

Yeah, right!

But I understand...a little. A friend of mine owned a used book store in Seattle, and I emptied out my garage...er, never enough room in the house for all the books. I think I shipped him ten (large) boxes of books.

But I couldn't bear to part with more than a couple of the cookbooks.

[sparrowgrass]

When the Evil One divorced me 3 years ago, the hardest part was dividing the books. I got all the cookbooks, however.

(And most of whatever else I wanted, by the simple expedient of taking a box into the library whenever he wasn't home and packing it full. Too bad I couldn't do that to his retirement account.)

[bloviatrix]

It has liberated me to worship Space, the Final Frontier. Until we fill it up with other unnecessaries.

The First law of space: The amount of crap one accumulates is in direct relationship with the amount of space one has.

You'll be back up to 200 cookbooks in no time.

[SobaAddict70]

I may not have as many cookbooks as you guys, but I sure have you beat in at least one thing:

Magic cards (cards for Magic: the Gathering).

Well over 2500 cards by last count, and growing....

Soba

[tejon]

I currently have 87, but I recently pared down to just the ones I use constantly, since we have limited shelf space - even with a bookcase just for my cookbooks. Can't even express how sad it is to give one away

[heyjude]

Assuming I have any will at all, I am getting rid of up to 100 or so cookbooks when we move in two weeks. The prospect of moving them all is making us crazy. So, do we subtract some when I have the final number or just wait til I get more in the new place?

[maggiethecat]

Assuming I have any will at all, I am getting rid of up to 100 or so cookbooks when we move in two weeks.

Hey, Heyjude:

Given the size of your collection, why waste time getting rid of a mere hundred?

But if you do, let's just wait. When you acquire a hundred to replace the fallen, we'll start adding again.

[KNorthrup]

I may not have as many cookbooks as you guys, but I sure have you beat in at least one thing:

Magic cards (cards for Magic: the Gathering).

Well over 2500 cards by last count, and growing....

Soba

When my younger brother was in the Navy, he was stationed in Tokyo. He came here to visit once and about all I remember of it is driving him to every single comic and gaming shop in town to buy up their entire stock. They weren't commercially available in Japan apparently, and thus he made a killing back on base. 105 degree day and no a/c in the car. Oh and we took him to a bbq place for dinner since that's classically American type food and all and he orders teriyaki chicken.

Haven't added any since my last count. Textbooks instead.

[tanabutler]

I'm on the bunny hill, I guess. After recent weeding, I have fifty cookbooks...and into that number I count Comfort Me with Apples and The Soul of a Chef.

It's only my first day here and I already think I shouldn't be eatin' at the big folks' table.

[Mayhaw Man]

75 give or take

My favorites are Cotton COuntry Collection, a Junior League book from Monroe, LA. and Come On In, another Jr League Book from Jackson, MS. I use Craig Claibornes New York Times Cookbook alot. I also use the Silver Palate and River Road (Lafayette Jr League) some

As far as food writers go I like Calvin Trillin and John Edgerton. THe best food book going in recent years (imho) is Smokestack Lightning. A great BBQ book by Lolis Elie, a writer on the staff of the Times Picayune paper in NO. Incredibly well researched, insightful and funny.

[maggiethecat]

It's only my first day here and I already think I shouldn't be eatin' at the big folks' table.

tanabutler: Welcome! You too, Mayhaw Man.

I'll join you at the Kiddy Table. But as I said earlier on this thread: "This ain't no friggin contest!" Or words to the affect.

39,423.

[Pouncy]

56, all stuffed in one little Target bookshelf...

[maggiethecat]

Welcome, Pouncy!

39,479

[tanabutler]

Among how many people, Maggiecat?

[madziast]

about 60 and counting. most to cook from, some to drool.

Edited August 10, 2003 by madziast (log)

[maggiethecat]

39, 539.

tanabutler; I'm not ignoring your quastion. I'll check and post an average...when I have time to do all the counting and dividing.

Welcome to eGullet, madziast.

Edited August 11, 2003 by maggiethecat (log)

[jfd666]

20, give or take.

[maggiethecat]

Welcome to eGullet, jfd556.

That would be:

39.559.

[OPJK]

238 (and this after having given away about 200).