Cookbooks!

Shroomgirl's inventory made me think about how many cookbooks we probably all have, too.

I probably have 200-250 of them, of which a regularly use maybe a half-dozen. The others are specialty (ok, I do love Martha's pie and tart book) or ethnic (Mexican, Moroccan, Italian, etc.), and I'm a sucker for any kind of historic cookbooks (reprints of old cookbooks or collections of documented recipes from various time periods).

Some of them I look at and wonder what kind of medication I must have been on when I bought them! Others are simply a pleasure to sit and read, whether or not I make anything from them or not. Every time I get a new kitchen-toy (bread-maker, icecream maker), I have to get a couple of cookbooks for it. Plus, I have several binders of recipes that I've pulled off the internet or from other sources.

My most-frequently used books are two James Beards - American Cookery and the New James Beard. I use my Marcella Hazan Classic Italian cookbooks a lot, too.

So, what are your cookbook vices?

[Mezzaluna]

Right, Maryeo- I also have some "What was I thinking???" cookbooks, like the soy sauce book from Kikkoman. My oldest one is "Poetry in Cookery", dated 1897. I have 4 of Julia's, 4 of James Beard's. I like Jane Brody's Good Food Book and also have her Good Food Gourmet. I have 3 Craig Claibornes, too. I have one low carb cookbook and am actively looking for more. My favorite Italian book is Lidia Bastianich's Italian Table; my favorite Jewish one, even above Joan Nathan, is Mama Leah's Jewish Kitchen. All told, I have about 8 feet of shelf space taken up with cookbooks, and another 3 feet of archived magazines (Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Gourmet, etc.).

Wow, I didn't even think about the magazines ...

I think the most interesting things about food is the historical and cultural aspects of it. We look back at some of the older cookbooks and recipes and say "yuck! they actually ATE spleen?!?"

My best friend was working on mounting an exhibit of what the cuisine of other cultures would look like without foods that were indigenous to North America. Italian food without tomatoes? Asian cuisine without hot peppers or corn/cornstarch? Hard to imagine.

Mmmmm . . . gribnis. I'm not Jewish, but the aforementioned best friend is. One of my favorite recollections is of one summer when she spent several weeks visiting. She took the stance that Jews can't make brownies and Schicksas can't make tuna salad. We staged a cook-off, and she was right! Then we made a monster-batch of chopped liver and pigged out on that (you should excuse the expression ).

[Isa]

I never counted my cookbooks, too afraid of the total. I would guess over 50 plus boxes of magazine, love those Ikea magazine storage boxes. They sit on top of the bookcase.

My favourites, what a tough question. I really like Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan and The Cook & The Gardener by Amanda Hesser. I receive the Dean & Deluca cookbook at Christmas last year. I didn't think I would like it but it's a good book with a great section on beans. The newest book is always among my favourite so I have to include From Simple To Spectacular.

The Larousse Gastronomique is wonderful. You can find everything it in. I love the historical aspect of it. At the store I checked the new French version and was disappointed to see that they remove a lot of the history in it. What a shame.

Since it will soon be Christmas I have to include a few pastry books. For cookies Rose's Christmas Cookies by Rose Levy Beranbaum. Great selection of cookies. I also use a lot of the Christmas issues of Bon Appé*** and Gourmet. These days I'm using my Australian Christmas cookbook a lot. La pâtisserie des frères Roux and Gaston Lenotre pastry book, French version and The Chocolate Bible by Christian Teubner are great books for this time of the year. Plus let's not forget my own recipes file. I could not live without those tried and true recipes.

Like everyone else I have some books I wonder why on earth I bought them. When I am convince I will never use them I sell them at second hand book store and use the money to buy new one.

I could go on and on but I'll stop here. I really love all my books they each have something unique to offer and could not live without all of them. I feel bad to pick favourites, they all are.

[lynne]

As I was dusting the library the other day, my count was 387!!!!!! Actually I bought one last night, so make it 388!

As to what kind?

I have a tendancy to get "hooked" on a cuisine and buy related books. Several on African, Indian, Carribbean, etc. My largest collection is probably mediteranean. Regional cuisine, my favourites are Low Country.


Then you've got the vegetarian cookbooks from that time period (Moosewood Cookbook is my favourite!). Then I didn't count how many baking cookbooks... I have more "Appetizer" cookbooks than the public library! (They have more on chocolate though...)

Being a B&B owner, everyone gives you a breakfast or B&B cookbook for gift giving occcasions.(or the Jr. League or church cookbook that is currently popular)

Having goofy friends; I have the Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island (need 19 recipes for banana cream pie?), Andy Griffith and other TV show cookbooks...Need I mention the Elvis Presley "Are you hungry tonight?"

Then I have also gotten into antique cookbooks and it's really interesting to see how the same cookbook (even Better Homes and Gardens) changes from edition to edition. I'm missing one of those. Several Joy of Cooking editions, Larousse, etc.

My most often used are the 60's grangers cookbook from western PA (best baking recipes -- even if sdome of the recipes are a handful of this and a shake of that!), Joy of Cooking.

Then there are the 8 1-1/2 foot shelves of magazines (not to mention the stacks I haven't gotten to in my bedroom!) I guess I have some reading - make that skimming to do!

Boy I'm feeling guilty!

[Isa]

I forgot to mention my secret stash of Japanese cookbooks. I've had this passion for Japan ever since I was a kid and was given a book called Noriko the little Japanese. It was a French book that depicted the typical day of a little Japanese girl. It was full of pictures of her class, her room, her toys. The toys she had were unreal, miniature tea set and gorgeous dolls. The food she served at tea time, was amazing, delicate cakes shaped like flowers display on plates of different shapes. You get the idea.

As I grew up, I kept this passion. Then I discovered a Japanese restaurant in town. I beg to be taken there for dinner. Eventually I went in. There were tatami rooms where people sat on the floor, shoes were left at the entrance. I couldn't decide what to order, wanted to taste everything. After minutes of hesitation. I ordered a meal that was to be served in a lacquered lunchbox. Everything was display in small compartments, like little jewels, almost too pretty to eat. I never forgot that meal.

From then on, I started buying any and all Japanese objects I could find. Kimono, chopsticks, novels, tableware, travel guides. I wanted it all. That is how I started my collection. Now I have enough tableware to supply a restaurant plus all the recipes I could ever need.

I dream of visiting Japan. Been looking at brochures for the longest time, consulting my travel guides to make sure I would see everything. Finally it was becoming real, I would go to Japan. I never made it. Fate decided otherwise. On bad days I still look at my brochures imagining a trip that I fear I will never take.

C'mon, Sisi . . . you never know. Life is full of surprises, and you never know what it will bring. You're still here and Japan is still there, so it isn't impossible that the two of you will get together.

PS - Sisi, don't EVER give up a dream!

[Isa]

Not to worry I am not giving up yet. It just a bit ouf of my reach for now.

By the time I get there it will be so expensive that I'll go, have a sushi dinner and I'll have to come back because I will have spend all my money.

You know what I would really like? I want some plastic sushi pieces. Would be magnet under, would look great on my fridge.

[Isa]

Forgot something.

Lynne,

You seem to have a few vegetarians cookbooks, which are your favorites? You mention Moosewood but they have so many.

I have 40 to 50 cookbooks and a lot of back issues of Cooks. CookWise, Shirley O. Corriher is becoming my fav. One I've had since 1965 is Herters Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices. It's falling apart but some of the recipes are favorites...here's one...we like it.

* Exported from MasterCook *

Beef Stroganoff, the Original Recipe

Recipe By : Serge Stroginoff 1729
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Main Dishes And Casseroles

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
5 tablespoons butter -- divided
1 small yellow onion -- chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups beef consomme
1 cup sour buttermilk* -- no substitute
2 pounds beef stew meat -- or shoulder roast
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Slice the beef thin, in about 1/4" strips, 2 inches long. Salt and pepper the meat and brown it in 3 tablespoons butter and the chopped onion. Set aside.
2. For the sauce: Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat until it just barely starts to turn brown. Immediately take it off the heat and stir in 1 3/4 tablespoons flour to form a medium syrupy consistency (not a thick paste). Add 1 1/2 cups cold beef consomme and stir well.
3. Place over medium high heat and bring to a slow boil, stirring constantly. Add one cup sour buttermilk and stir in well.
4. Add meat and all juices, stir well and gently simmer just to heat through. Serve this with fluffy mashed potatoes or rice and a good slice of dark buttered bread.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

NOTES : *Do not use sour cream in this recipe.
To 'sour' buttermilk let it stand, at room temperature, covered, until it thickens.

[shroomgirl]

HMMMMM not counted but alot....
most used LeNotre, Puck, Joy of cooking 3 last volumes, Julia Childs ...any and all, Maida Heatters cookies (yes!!!), Time Life series, Moosewood (original one), I have a special one from the 50s put out by Home Economists on desserts....this one is in a brown manela envelope with no binder or cover and is what I go to for the GOOD STUFF.
Various odds and ends
I have a dear friend that has an exstensive collection that I borrow from on a regular basis, he just ordered a fondue book for me...better than the library.

[Isa]

My first cookbook was a pastry book by Lenotre. I still use it regularly. I like is ice and candymaking book. Just did the candied orange zest. Would love to get the Ecole Lenotre serie, those books look wonderful.

Nice to know I'm not the only one guilty of having WAAAAAAAAY too many cookbooks!! We just moved, and packing all of them made me realize just how out of hand my collection has become. I had over 900, but I sold about 150 of them to a used book store before we moved. Plus I have every issue of Art Culinaire, every issue of Food Arts, every issue of Saveur and have over 15 years of Bon Appetits, plus 5-8 years of assorted other magazines. It's insane what a pack rat I am!

Especially since I never actually use any of the recipes (except for baking). I mainly read books for inspiration when I am feeling creatively tapped out but still need to write today's fresh sheet and develop next month's menu. Because of this, I like pictures a lot! I get more inspired from pictures than from words.

The books I refer to most often are probably all of Charlie Trotter's, Patrick O'Connell, Charlie Palmer, The French Laundry, my textbooks from school (McGee, Friberg and The New Professional) and The Cake Bible.

Kathleen

Not that this has anything to do with cookbooks, but you mentioned Patrick O'Connell, I had an offer one time to try out for his kitchen. He expected me to drive out there and spend a weekend cooking and taking tests to see whether I was capable of working for him. For FREE!!! I worked around talented chefs in the Washington DC area like Ewald Notter, Yannick Cam, Henry Haller etc. and nobody wanted me to drive 100 miles work 20 hours (for free), take a test and then come back again. I politely declined! He is a wonderful and talented Chef, but not so great that I would go that far for a job! Now if it was Jean Louis Palladin..... we would talk!