Reasons for buying cookbooks

[jgm]

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a cookbook to get just one recipe. Actually, I figured that if one recipe was good, there were probably several good recipes in it. (Since it has yet to arrive , the jury is still out.)

When I was a beginning cook, it wasn't unusual for me to buy a cookbook to get just one recipe. But now that my cooking horizons have expanded, I often purchase a book based on the author's reputation.

What are the reasons that will prompt you to purchase cookbooks?

[Caroline923]

A couple of weeks ago, I ordered a cookbook to get just one recipe.  Actually, I figured that if one recipe was good, there were probably several good recipes in it.  (Since it has yet to arrive    , the jury is still out.)

When I was a beginning cook, it wasn't unusual for me to buy a cookbook to get just one recipe.  But now that my cooking horizons have expanded, I often purchase a book based on the author's reputation.

What are the reasons that will prompt you to purchase cookbooks?

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You need a reason to buy a cook book??? Clearly you are not as obsessed as I am!! That said, and already owning more than Amazon.com and ebay combined - I do look for the author first, and I still find that good photography is a strong pull to purchase.

[moosnsqrl]

Much the same as why people climb mountains - because they're there.

I try to fill a niche (ethnic, course, ingredient I have an overabundance of). Lately I've been leaning toward books that are more informative, but include some recipes. That way I feel less silly when I sit down and read them from cover to cover (although recipes can be thought of as having a plot, I guess).

What title are you waiting impatiently to receive?

[cajungirl]

Well I'm a collector, thats one reason. (God help me if I ever have to move, I have more than 300 cookbooks. I usually get them at Estate Sales, even if I'm not particularly interesteed in the subject or author at the time because I've found that sooner or later I go to them for research or inspiration.

The ones I order are because I'm in a particular phase, like now its artisan bread baking.

[Busboy]

I like to drink too much and then wander into used bookstores -- reason enough to pick up yet another couple of cookbooks. My wife does, too.

Also, we have wayyyyy to much room in the kitchen.

[BeauNoze]

I go through phases. Whatever cuisine I'm interested in at the moment.

I also read cookbooks like novels, so I tend to go for the narrative ones.

[moosnsqrl]

Also, we have wayyyyy to much room in the kitchen.

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Now that's something I don't recall ever reading on the eG Forums!

[Busboy]

Also, we have wayyyyy to much room in the kitchen.

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Now that's something I don't recall ever reading on the eG Forums!

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A bit tongue in cheek there.

[Anna N]

Need is most certainly NOT the reason.

A friend who stays here often happened to finally notice that my bookshelves are jammed with cookbooks. Among them is Mark Bittman's "How to Cook Everything". It stands out like a sore thumb in its bright yellow dust jacket. So my friend asked, "If you a book called "How to Cook Everthing", why do you need all the others?" I shrugged helplessly since he would never understand.

Mostly I see them as reading material and not necessarily as recipe books. Like others upthread, I am more and more inclined to want much more than recipes in a cookbook. I want to learn things about ingredients, food history, techniques, etc. I doubt that owning any more of them would improve my cooking (which still needs lots of help) but some of them might improve my mind and many of them are hugely entertaining. Most have been acquired at garage sales or charity shops.

[jgm]

What title are you waiting impatiently to receive?

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It's a Desserts by Pierre Herme cookbook; I read something on some forum here about an awesome lemon cream he did; and I'm always interested in lemon desserts.

[tino27]

Usually I buy books that cover very specific topics, like artisinal bread making (as mentioned before) that focus usually more on technique than actual recipes. If I'm looking for a specific recipe, I'm more apt to go on-line and use Google. Plus the benefit of on-line searching is that you usually find about six different ways to make the same recipe. You can then take that information and make your own version, depending on your tastes. That being said, the Information Technology section of my bookcase is slowly being overrun with various recipe and technique books.

[moosnsqrl]

That being said, the Information Technology section of my bookcase is slowly being overrun with various recipe and technique books. 

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Ah, there's hope for you yet, then!

[Zeemanb]

I do it just to pass the time between episodes of "Semi-Homemade".

[purplewiz]

At least one of the following must be true:

There is a recipe in the book I want to make. As in right now, next meal available, let me go get the ingredients.

One of a select group of friends has recommended the book highly. (Friends in this group have impeccable taste in food. If they say try something, I KNOW it's worth trying.)

The book fills in a gap in my reference section.

Something in the book makes me laugh. This explains my "novelty cookbook" section, although the recipe for baby food pate in "The Phony Gourmet" is really very good.

One of my goals for this year was to cook something from at least some of the cookbooks I haven't ever cooked from, and so far, I'm batting .000 on that one. I am realizing that some of these cookbooks just aren't ever going to be useful, and I follow the above guidelines to make sure I don't buy any more in this category. I don't have room for decorative cookbooks.

Marcia.

[NWKate]

Unfortunately, just because I can!

Gustatorally yours,

Kate

[Angela Alaimo]

Well, apparently last night I bought The Silver Spoon (english) for the exercise. If I'd have known how long I was going to have to walk around with it, I would have brought a wheelbarrow.

Still, any book that has a green bean chapter deserves at least a red wagon ride.

[judiu]

Unfortunately, just because I can!

Gustatorally yours,

Kate

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Same here!

[Jasmine]

I collect books--of all genres. I'm also a completionist...

WRT cookbooks...I think I started off with books I thought were generalist tomes, and then went to ingredient or meal-specific ones, and then authors who were familiar to me (usually through TV).

Now, I look to fill voids and/or travel substitutes...Kitchen of Light, Paris in a Basket are examples of the travel substitutes...I'm also likely to look at a book that a blogger has succesffully experimented with.

One thing I'm noticing is I really don't want books that have tonnes of photographs. Yes, they are nice, but I'd rather see the effort put into well-written recipes that work.

Right now I'm trying very hard to NOT buy any new books...which means my purchases have decreased to one every few weeks. I'm trying to be choosier with what I pick up...that said, there are a couple of authors I will pick up if I notice a new book is out.

Mind you, I've signed on as a cookbook reviewer for a new online foodie mag, so I'm getting one free cookbook a month...which isn't helping my groaning shelves.

One of these days I'll have to do a major weeding...

j

[andiesenji]

Because I want them. I feel that cookbooks are a fascinating reflection of our culture.

I too am a collector, not only of cookbooks, I collect some early 20th century writers. Egyptology books from 19th and early 20th century, "classic" mysteries and a few other subjects.

The latter half of last week I attended LA WorldCon at the Anaheim Convention Center.

WorldCon is an event for Sci-Fi/Fantasy fans and vendors from all over the U.S. and even further afield, bring their goods for sale, including many, many booksellers.

I acquired 21 first editions, all signed, met a few of my favorite authors and got some of my own books signed. Also bought two prints and a bunch of T-shirts and similar "stuff."

[BonVivant]

either for the stunning photography [with or without decent recipes], or great recipes without any photos. i keep them both but hardly ever use them to cook with.

[Adam Balic]

Information.

[FoodMan]

I fall in the "just because I like them category", and yes I also love reading cookbooks and try to have a few on every subject that interests me. The biggest of those is Italian food, I have quiet a few of books on that subject. They most certainly are not "recipe books" and that is what most people do not understand the need for having so many. I love checking out half price books every so often to find great bargains. Most recently I bought two great baking books there.

[kalypso]

What are the reasons that will prompt you to purchase cookbooks?

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Addiction. Pure and simple