Coming of Age Among Cookbooks and Grunge
Everyday Food editor Sandy Gluck yesterday posted a tweet asking followers about kitchen gadget collections. That post got me thinking about my cookbook collection which is composed of mostly vintage editions procured at garage sales, online and used bookstores. I’ve been fascinated with the books since I was a kid. I was that odd child people talk about. On weekends when my peers were watching cartoons I would watch Julia Child on PBS. And in between the Nancy Drew novels I would peruse my mother’s cookbooks.
The first, and most often used, was Betty Crocker’s Cookbook, the 1972 edition with the ‘red pie’ on the cover (1). I remember pulling out the book one day when my mom was out running errands and deciding I would make an apple pie—I believe it was around 4th or 5th grade. I can’t remember how it tasted—let’s hope it was tasty.
We used the cookbook mostly for baking; cookies, cakes, brownies and quick breads. Many weekends were spent in the kitchen fighting with my brothers over who would lick the mixer paddles. I actually can’t recall any ‘meal’ made from the book. Instead, most dinners at our house were put together from family recipes long stored in our heads.
And this is how I thought about cooking—Italian family recipes mixed with some ‘Americanized’ deserts—until I was a Jr. in High School. I spent the summer between 10th and 11th grade in an exchange program in France, and when I returned I was enamored of all things French. I wanted to be French, speak better French, live in France and most importantly eat like the French. It was upon my return back home that I discovered a strange cookbook that I had never touched before. It had been sitting there on the kitchen bookshelf my entire life with its Fleur de Lys, the roast beef on the cover and the black and white picture of chefs on the back. Of course I’m talking about Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. And even though Julia mesmerized me on TV, it had never occurred to me to open the book and actually cook those dishes.
But there it was full of foods I had never heard of and ingredients we never stocked in our house. My first conquest was Mousseline au Chocolat-chocolate mouse. Pages 604-605 are forever blemished with my chocolate fingerprints. I’ve since taken the book off my mother’s shelf and it now lives with me.
I made the mousse for a French class project–filled my mother’s mustard yellow Tupperware bowl with the mouse, boarded the bus and brought it to class. Mind you this was 1990/1991. The cool kids were certainly not reading French cookbooks, instead they were discovering Seattle grunge and skateboarding. Just another reason why I was very happy when high school was over. And while both Julia and Kurt Cobain are gone, I still have my chocolate mousse, onion soup and boeuf bourguignon recipes.
(1) Mom, it was the 1972 edition, right?
My bible is also Betty Crocker’s Cookbook. I borrowed my mom’s copy (5th edition, photo collage cover) for years until she found me a 1969 4th edition binder copy (red pie) for a whopping 25 cents at a library book sale. Best find ever.
Kristin,
I love this post! Mostly bc that Betty Crocker cookbook is definitely sitting on my mother’s shelf. Thanks for the tips on my runny sauce — I’m going to have try the recipe again soon. That’s one of the tricks with this cooking the books for EDF — I’m not having time to repeat the keepers yet! I think I am going to make their paella for Monday. Ever made paella? http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=b1fcd3deb6a0f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD
Alison,
No, I’ve eaten a ton of Paella but never made it. Perhaps I’ll make the same recipe on Sunday and then on Monday we can compare posts and pics?
Mel, In doing the research about the 4th edition of Betty Crocker I found many people who indicated this was their favorite edition of the cookboook. The posts indicated the 4th edition had better versions of several cookie recipes. I’ll have to pick up newer copy to check out the difference.
Kristin, Yes, 1972. It’s my favorite cookbook and it contains the only recipe I’ve ever used to make apple pie.
Thanks mom! And while I agree it’s a good cookbook, I’ve forever switched to the Pate brisee dough recipe from Martha Stewart http://tinyurl.com/5n58po I will never use shortening again.
Nice post, I enjoyed reading it. I collect vintage cookbooks as well. I did start reading cooking at a very young age and this had become my passion. People probably think I’m crazy. Can you tell me from what year to what year we should consider a book vintage? Waiting to hear from you.:)
Hi Helene, I don’t have a formal definition of vintage, but I think that antique and collector folks generally define anything 20+ years old as vintage and 50-100+ years as antique. But I was simply talking about the fact that I collect cookbooks, most of them being non-contemporary. I enjoy the historical element of the book as it traces food and cultural trends over the years.
I always found myself thumbing through that exact version of the Betty Crocker cookbook at my grandmother’s house. There’s a recipe for some sort of outer space cookie, right? The image has a black background with little saucer shaped pastel cookies. Does that ring a bell? Obviously my memory of my 5 year old self is a bit fuzzy… I think that cookbook also has a recipe for something called Sea Foam cookies which were disgusting. I obviously need to pick one of these up on half.com.
That same orange binder is my most used cookbook, and my favorite thrift store score.
Well…seems like I have stumbled into a like mind. I remember my mom having a similar edition Betty Crocker Cookbook to yours. (remember the binders with the cards, too??) What I use is a 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook. I love the color illustrations, the fact that it reminds me of grandma (she lives quite a distance away), and because it actually explains some basic cooking. Many modern cookbooks assume you already know how to cook the basics. I refer to it often on making the simplest omelets and biscuits because I am so…just…well…stunted skill-wise in the kitchen.
You have me inspired - this week I think I will write about my “short list” of faves.
Kristin, you left out the part about those “meals” being made at remote locations (local eateries). Just kidding, Mom! The chicken cutlets and homemade sauce made every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday very delightful