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

[Xanthippe]

Arche:Thanks for reminding me to get "Cornbread Nation." The South is still inscrutable to me.

Care to elaborate, maggie? What, specifically, do you find inscrutable about the south??

[pumpkiny]

Um, conservative would be 500 here...

Probably 10 more after visiting New England Mobile Book Fair (mother of Jessica's Biscuit) later this week...

(This thread convinced me to register @ eGullet after reading/lurking as a guest since the early days...)

Edited May 12, 2003 by pumpkiny (log)

[maggiethecat]

Arche:Thanks for reminding me to get "Cornbread Nation." The South is still inscrutable to me.

Care to elaborate, maggie? What, specifically, do you find inscrutable about the south??

X...Everything!

My experience south of the Mason-Dixon is limited to a frantic scramble at Dallas/Ft. Worth to make a connection to Oklahoma City on business(Come to think of it, Texas doesn't count, right?)

and three days is Panama City Beach over my father in law's 80th birthday. Lot's of Senior Citizen Buffets.

The South has a huge and deep culinary tradition. I know it only from Chicago Soul Food.

I am navy blue through and through. Montreal and Chicago. Two great food towns, but Not Southern. I am relying on Varmint and the South/Southeast Forum to shed some light. And yes, I would love to eat en situe.

I have yet to taste, say, cheese grits.

[nerissa]

I am sure others will disagree, but Florida and Texas are not the south. The South can be divided into various regions; their names reflect the history of the south: The old south, the deep south, the new south. (i was born and raised in the old south by a yankee mother and a prodigal son)

Maggie, come over to my house for grits. anytime.

Err...cookbooks, looking to get a new one. Bored with my current ones. Cannot wait to read The Apprentice

Can anyone recommend a cookbook by Jacques Pepin?

[Kim WB]

pumpkiny, welcome. Add two more for me..Happy mother's day! Actually, just add one..I'll keep Blue Ginger. But Nigella is going back to Border's...just not a distinctive enough voice, IMHO ...I think I might use the credit for Sara Moulton, a gift for a friend who is becoming adventurous...

[maggiethecat]

Maggie, come over to my house for grits.  anytime. 

Can anyone recommend a cookbook by Jacques Pepin?

Nerissa: Time, date, address, sweetie!

St Jacques?

"La Methode" et "Le Technique", bien sur. I am very fond of "Celebrations" and "J and J Cook at Home."

All of them are reliable.

[KNorthrup]

225.

Oddly round number. Latest purchase is David Rosengarten's 'Taste.' Inspired largely by all the paeans to his old show by everyone on egullet who otherwise hates TFN. Remaindered for $9.95.

I also just completed my Time-Life Foods (Flavors?) of the World collection. Amazingly, I never had to go on-line or otherwise through the post. Found them all in town. Eventually. Now what? It feels empty to no longer have a quest. How was their The Good Cook series?

[torakris]

Add 2 more for me!

I really have to stop this!

[snowangel]

So, does it count as two cookbooks if one buys one copy for home and one for the cabin?

I just purchased two copies of The Perfect Cake (one for home, one for cabin), one copy of Maida Heatter's first cookie book (for the cabin; I have one at home) and a mid-70's copy of Joy for the cabin (I have one at home).

THe home books were previously reported. The cabin books are new. I should probably check the cookbook shelf up there and do a count (way under 10).

"Cookbooks for a cabin?" one might ask?

An all purpose cookbook is always a good thing. As to the baking ones; when it's cold and rainy, and one wants to conserve wood (it's a lot of work to make wood), baking is a great kid activity and cabin warmer-upper.

Our cabin is very well stocked with staples. If I could just figure out a way to get a Kitchenaide mixer to work without electricity (and don't suggest a generator -- too noisy)...

[Suzanne F]

I also just completed my Time-Life Foods [that's right]  of the World collection.  Amazingly, I never had to go on-line or otherwise through the post.  Found them all in town.  Eventually.  Now what?  It feels empty to no longer have a quest.  How was their The Good Cook series?

The Good Cook is, well, good. But you have to be careful, because some volumes duplicate. I've got (among others) Snacks and Canapes and Snacks and Sandwiches, and there's a lot of overlap. But the neat thing about that series is the sources: cookbooks from all over we might never, ever see.

[sparrowgrass]

maggie, stay away from grits--grits is nasty. The only food that doubles as mortar. And I don't care if you put cheese or garlic or old overshoes in grits, grits has no redeeming social value.

However, you are certainly welcome to come down here for fried okra and catfish, green beans with bacon, and gooey butter cake (a St Louis specialty).

[Dave the Cook]

I am sure others will disagree, but Florida and Texas are not the south.

Gulf Coast Texas is Southern -- Houston is built on a swamp, after all, and the food owes as much to New Orleans as it does to El Paso. The rest of Texas is another country, and the citizens are not shy about telling you so. Also, the Florida Panhandle qualifies -- they don't call 'em Crackers for nothing.

Lily: grits at my place, too: cheese, butter -- or shrimp, if you like.

Sparrowgrass: to think I used to like you!

[Really Nice!]

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.

At one time there were well over 1,000. A couple garage sales for benefits (to friends of ill health) reduced it drastically. Now it's around 600-700, but my most prized are those that are autographed; Thomas Keller, Alice Waters, Jacques Pepin, Julia Childs...

But most I treasure my culinary school notebooks. You won't find those in any bookstore, until I gather my notes together and...

[Suzanne F]

maggie, stay away from grits--grits is nasty.  The only food that doubles as mortar.  And I don't care if you put cheese or garlic or old overshoes in grits, grits has no redeeming social value.).

Them's fightin' words! (And I am most definitely a Northerner.)

I like you ANYWAY.

[hjshorter]

The Good Cook is, well, good.  But you have to be careful, because some volumes duplicate.  I've got (among others) Snacks and Canapes and Snacks and Sandwiches, and there's a lot of overlap.  But the neat thing about that series is the sources: cookbooks from all over we might never, ever see.

When was it published? I need a new quest myself.

Just bought two more cookbooks myself. Brooke Dojny's Flash in the Pan about easy one-pan dinners. It looks pretty good. Scott is now commuting instead of working at home, so I have to do all of the cooking now - with two kids underfoot. I need some shortcuts right now. And How to Cook Without a Book, which I will be returning.

[JAZ]

Just bought two more cookbooks myself.  Brooke Dojny's Flash in the Pan about easy one-pan dinners.  It looks pretty good.  Scott is now commuting instead of working at home, so I have to do all of the cooking now - with two kids underfoot.  I need some shortcuts right now.  And How to Cook Without a Book, which I will be returning.

Just wondering why you're returning it. I find Pam Anderson's books to be very disappointing in general; I bought The Perfect Recipe and should have returned it, but it's way too late now.

On the Southern front -- has anyone bought The Gift of Southern Cooking (Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock)? It looks interesting.

And finally, you can add two more for me, Maggie.

(edited to reduce quote).

Edited May 23, 2003 by JAZ (log)

[hjshorter]

Just wondering why you're returning it. I find Pam Anderson's books to be very disappointing in general; I bought The Perfect Recipe and should have returned it, but it's way too late now.

I just found it completely uninspiring and too basic. Plus the format is a nightmare to cook from.

[maggiethecat]

That makes it 27, 657. 5.238 miles.

I forsee a road trip. Missouri: Sparrowgrass, I haven't eaten breakfast yet. My stomach is calling an audible.

Georgia: Archie...I understand your grits are famous. All verieties, please.

[Suzanne F]

The copyright dates in The Good Cook are 1980, 1981, and 1982.

[Richard Kilgore]

nerissa - Texas is not just one place. East Texas and at least parts of the Texas Gulf Coast are quite clearly part of the South.

[KNorthrup]

Just bought two more cookbooks myself.  And How to Cook Without a Book, which I will be returning.

On the Southern front -- has anyone bought The Gift of Southern Cooking (Edna Lewis and Scott Peacock)? It looks interesting.

You know, I have several disappointing cookbooks but it never occured to me to just return them. Except a Mark Bittman. I did send that back.

A recent disappointment was Edna Lewis's Pursuit of Flavor. But I did just read somewhere that it's not as good as her others. Almost all ghost-written and by long distance so there's no personality. So I've been tempted to try the Peacock collaboration anyway.

[sparrowgrass]

I don't care whether y'all like me or not, grits is gross. I feel the same way about oatmeal.

Let me see what else we could have for dinner--wilted lettuce salad, cabbage fried with bacon, country ham, Mississippi mud cake. . . .

I do think it's time for you to get on I-55, maggie. I'll leave the light on for you, it's a 10 hour drive from Warrenville.

[Xanthippe]

I don't care whether y'all like me or not, grits is gross.  I feel the same way about oatmeal.

Let me see what else we could have for dinner--wilted lettuce salad, cabbage fried with bacon, country ham, Mississippi mud cake. . . .

I do think it's time for you to get on I-55, maggie.  I'll leave the light on for you, it's a 10 hour drive from Warrenville.

I like you just fine, sparrowgrass, but I also adore grits! Do you like polenta??

St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake, wilted lettuce salad, cabbage fried up with bacon, country ham, and Mississippi Mud Cake: on these we can most definitely agree!!

Maggie, please add another five books to our total . . .

Edited May 23, 2003 by Xanthippe (log)

[maggiethecat]

I received "The Nero Wolfe Cookbook" from Amazon today. Hmmm...it's research for a TDG piece...tax deductible?

And five more from my very favorite shrew. 27,663

[Lisa1349]

Hey FG, feel free to donate those duplicates to me!

Maggie, I will count tomorrow. 2 bookcases worth

Favorites: The Armchair James Beard (Pancake recipe awesome!)

The Pie and Pastry Bible

Lisa