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Time Life "Foods of the World" series


Kim WB

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Foods of the World Series?  Once you get past hot dogs, peanuts, cracker jacks, and beer, what is there?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

It depends on who's playing: sushi in California, crab cakes in Baltimore, bullets at Yankee Stadium, and so on.

Now, now! We wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea that Yankee Stadium is dangerous, would we?

Michael aka "Pan"

 

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the volume on Wine and Spirits which is a sort of add-on to the entire set of books.

Is that worthwhile? I've seen it but ignored it because wine habits have changed even more than food over the last 30 years.

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Thanks for the tips. I just picked up a copy of "The Cooking of Provincial France" in the series, written by MFK Fisher. It had the recipe pamphlet (three hole punched, not spiral bound) for "THe Cooking of Italy" stuck inside it. All for $2. I'll now keep my eyes open for more.

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Foods of the World Series?  Once you get past hot dogs, peanuts, cracker jacks, and beer, what is there?

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

It depends on who's playing: sushi in California, crab cakes in Baltimore, bullets at Yankee Stadium, and so on.

Now, now! We wouldn't want people to get the wrong idea that Yankee Stadium is dangerous, would we?

I don't care. I'm a Mets fan. :biggrin:

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It seems I'm the only person so far willing to admit that I bought the series by subscription, starting in 1970. I remember reading them cover to cover when they each book came, and they inspired a lot of alternatives to newlywed hamburger helper. You can tell our favorite recipes by the nastiness of the pages.

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It seems I'm the only person so far willing to admit that I bought the series by subscription, starting in 1970. I remember reading them cover to cover when they each book came, and they inspired a lot of alternatives to newlywed hamburger helper. You can tell our favorite recipes by the nastiness of the pages.

I'll admit it. I did. But sadly, I've lost many of them through many relocations through the years.

I have always wanted to do an inventory of the ones I have left, and fill in the others.

Also, I remember too, like you, being so excited when each new one came.

When a friend discovered she was going to be moving to Germany, I gave her the German one, thinking I could replace it. But I never did.

This thread has inspired me to take whatever steps necessary to search out the volumes I need to complete the set.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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I saw Maggie's set of books at her Famous Get Together and Im very jealous..that is a great collection....

I love looking at other people's cookbooks especially ones that you know have been used extensively, like Maggie and Lou's...

What dinners they must have prepared!

Edited by awbrig (log)
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I, too, got the set when originally published. The books are a little "shopworn" from being moved so many times and put into storage for periods up to two years. I don't have room for the beautiful books at present, but keep the spirals at hand. I think I have the Good Cook series, too, but have never used them much.

I notice on the Janet Jarvits site that Vincent Price's "Treasury" is sold for as much as $100 and $200. What a book that one is.

Ruth Dondanville aka "ruthcooks"

“Are you making a statement, or are you making dinner?” Mario Batali

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I notice on the Janet Jarvits site that Vincent Price's "Treasury" is sold for as much as $100 and $200.  What a book that one is.

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but what can people say about that one? I know he and his wife were well known for their love of food, it's not just a novelty thing. And a local bookstore has two copies -- $70 and $90. Worth it?

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I notice on the Janet Jarvits site that Vincent Price's "Treasury" is sold for as much as $100 and $200.  What a book that one is.

Sorry to hijack the thread slightly, but what can people say about that one? I know he and his wife were well known for their love of food, it's not just a novelty thing. And a local bookstore has two copies -- $70 and $90. Worth it?

Wow, that much? My mother has that book and it's wonderful. I just asked her for it recently.

Heather Johnson

In Good Thyme

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The Prices' book is very collectible and many people still cook from it. It's important to know that there were several editions and the original put out by Ampersand in 1965 is worth the most, especially if it's signed. The editions put out in later years by Bernard Geis Associates, G.P. Putman and Grosset and Dunlap go for as little as $35. There were even some bootlegged reprints made in China of obviously lower value. It should be in everyone's collection.

Judy Amster

Cookbook Specialist and Consultant

amsterjudy@gmail.com

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I love my copy of the Vincent Price. It was a gift from an elderly gentleman, given with the agreement that I'd treasure it and never sell it. The recipe collection is good, but my favorite part are the menus. Price included menus from all his favorite restaurants (some of them with prices), making it an amazing time capsule of food around the world, circa 1965.

Kathleen Purvis, food editor, The Charlotte (NC) Observer

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I love looking at other people's cookbooks especially ones that you know have been used extensively

This is always a wonderful peek into the life of a Cooking Buddy, or a new aquaintance. I remember checking out the collection of a girlfriend from France. I was so madly jealous. Hundreds of cookbooks, all in French, many of them her mother's or grandmother's. These books had been put to good use for a long, long time. I still treasure the Francoise Bernard "Recettes Faciles" she gave this tyro cook for a wedding present. On the back page she wrote (in that spidery French handwriting)the conversions from metric to English measures. I wonder where Eda is now.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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Also, re: T-L Foods of the World, somewhere along the line I scored a pamphlet with a master index of all the recipes. It's stapled, not spiral-bound. Very convenient for locating a particular thing.

It was in one of those piles of pamphlets that accumulate in the corners of the lowest shelves in used bookstores, which I usually don't bother to rifle. Maybe it was right on top.

Priscilla

Writer, cook, & c. ●  Twitter

 

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Powell's just got in at least half a dozen titles. I have them all, so sharing that info. About $10 apiece.

powells.com

Apologies if I've mentioned this before, and more apologies for enabling, but one service they now offer is a daily email listing all used books received and added that day. Just used titles, not new. And you sign up by category and cookbooks is an option. So first dibs at everything. Note also that the daily list is, on average, about 120 titles.

And no I don't work for them. Just a big fan of how easy they make collecting.

One other caveat for folks getting inspired to start picking up the books. It's very very frustrating to be reading through the hardcovers and hit a great sounding recipe description or photo and discover it's only in the spiral section. Not to say you should pass up hardcovers when no corresponding spirals are immediately available, but it is a downside to the format.

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This thread has inspired me to broaden my collection of these great books. So far I've gotten about 10 Good Cooks books in the last few days on eBay for a song! I'm looking at some of the Foods of the World series too, as I never saw those before. I won the Scandinavian set today for $3.00! :cool:

This will be fun and can be a new project/hobby to keep me off the streets and out of trouble. :wink:

Katie M. Loeb
Booze Muse, Spiritual Advisor

Author: Shake, Stir, Pour:Fresh Homegrown Cocktails

Cheers!
Bartendrix,Intoxicologist, Beverage Consultant, Philadelphia, PA
Captain Liberty of the Good Varietals, Aphrodite of Alcohol

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After reading this thread, I saw some at a garage sale today and bought the lot for $40. They hardly look used. They include 14 large books, and 14 spiral bound books. I have Germany, Provincial France, Chinese, British Isles, American, Middle Eastern, Scandinavia, Spain and Portugal, Vienna's Empire, Wines and Spirits, Latin American, Japan, India, and Italy. Which am I missing? I'm excited to look through these.

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I did a quick count of our bookshelf and came up with 29(this may include a couple of dupes). Others include 5 or 6 regional American, Pacific & Southeast Asia, Classic French, Russia, Caribbean.

Enjoy

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What a wonderful series!!

I remember that I got them, by subscription, once a month, in a slipcase with the recipe book for .............$6.95 each................This was in '70, '71. They are still among my most used for cooking and most read for sheer enjoyment.

Bill Benge

Moab, Utah

"I like eggs", Leon Spinks

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