May 14th
2005
Encouraged by so many other patients participants in this recently initiated meme exercise, I found enough support and momentum to finally come out and admit: My name is Nicky, I'm 31 years old and I am a cookbook addict, too.
For more background to this interesting meme please see Anthony’s original post.
1. Rationale behind what we're seeing?
Apart from the stacks of post-it like notes (food magazine ripouts, printouts, handwritten recipes) the cookbooks photographed are only the ones that ganged together, single ones that are scattered all over the place were not considered for the shooting - most of them are constantly relocating, even to most unexpected places. Yes there are also a few next to the bathtub...
And not to forget food magazines...give me a convincing coverpage (and some interesting topics, too!) - your mine.
2. Most recommended?
I have a great short term memory, I guess that is why I typically recommend the last ones purchased. The one I'd pick right now is "Stylish India" by Monisha Bharadwaj, it has a great design, delicious food images in contrast to some original and old Indian pictures.
3. Cookbook that made you what you were?
Certainly the "Bayerisches Kochbuch" (Bavarian Cookbook) from Maria Hofmann & Helmut Lydtin. First published in the 1930's, the revised version I have (from the 70’s) contains over 1700 recipes and quite out of fashion or "old-school" photography. My grandma lived by it, making most wonderful dishes. I inherited it, including all the good memories.
4. Porniest cookbook?
All my cookbooks are PG-13... ;) Edit: Since I'm a little hooked on design/photography, I consider lots of my books quite "porny" - impossible to pick just one.
5. Sophie's Choice cookbook?
Probably a Donna Hay one, because of the pure and simplistic layout and one of a kind photography of mouthwatering dishes. When I discovered her books quite a while ago, it felt a bit like discovering a whole new world. (Thanks for clarifying this question here, "That is- "if I had one to save. Something less obscure".")
6. If you were a cookbook, which cookbook would you be?
Can't honestly say what my title would be, as there is no real preference for a given cuisine, dish or direction - or maybe desserts?
Anyway, I would want to be on top of one of my stacks :)
7. If your cookbook we're extremely valuable, so valuable you might hide it with other valuables, where would that place be?
I’m glad we don’t live in a rough neighborhood, but if I really had to, it'd be the place next to O's golf clubs and all possible worries would dissolve immediately...
I joined the cookbook-fun too, thanks to my daily visit to your blog! Lots of love from Amsterdam, Kitchenqueen Tai.
I'm interested to see that you find Donna Hay's books to be indespensible. I have "New Food Fast" and "Entertaining" by Donna Hay on my lesser used shelf. They were gifts and I absolutely love the layout and the pictures but I've never actually made anything from either book. If you have either of those books, which things in there would you gasp about and say "What?? You haven't tried... you really must!"
I'm glad to hear that we're not the only ones who have cookbooks in the bathroom. That's where we keep our Harold McGee "On Food and Cooking" as well.
-Elizabeth
Cookbook passion. Luv your site and the creative ways you display the pictures.
Hi Mav,
I'm probably bad with this, but I definitely like my books in all the different places - even if Oliver at times feels a little stalked by them... Send hugs to C&D :)
KitchenQueen Tai, Elizabeth, Sylvie,
I very much enjoyed reading your cookbooks posts! Seems like we really do share the same passion for "sophisticated literature"...
Elizabeth,
great that I'm not the only one leaving cookbooks wherever I go! Even though they're among my favourite cookbooks, for the same reasons you mentioned, I'm still working my way through them at a slow pace. Most of the recipes I adapt quite a bit, the most recent one was lamb with a red-wine reduction sauce from The New Cook, which turned out great.
I too have been fascinated to read about others' cookbook obsessions. And I just realized that none of us even mentioned the humungous eclectic cookbook on the internet - epicurious, various blogs... in fact, I'm just about to go and knead cardamom bread dough from a recipe I read on "Tigers and Strawberries" (tigerberries.blogspot.com)
-Elizabeth
[...] First of all… post a picture of my cookbooks??!! Hahahahahaha! Even if I had a camera, I’m not sure I can step back far enough to get a picture of all of them. And I suppose you expect me to collect all the cookbooks that are in all of the rooms?? There are three shelves of cookbooks in the kitchen. There are a few more cookbooks on the bookshelf beside the computer. There are several more cooking magazines and a few cookbooks beside the bed. And I’m pretty sure there are a couple on the bookshelves in the living room as well. And of course, the public library has a number of cookbooks that I borrow for extended periods, return and then borrow again. The library books I generally store on the telephone table. edit 15 May: When I read delicious:days - on cookbooks, I was reminded that we too have cookbooks in the bathroom. And now I’m beginning to wonder if we don’t have cookbooks just about everywhere in the house. I just remembered that there is even a Joy of Cooking paperback in with the camping gear in the basement. [...]
Dear all, is it possible to send me the english translation of recipe number 1031 in the “Bayerisches Kochbuch” (Bavarian Cookbook) from Maria Hofmann & Helmut Lydtin. The recipe is for Apple Strudel. It is my favorite dessert and I would love to make it in the USA. Thank you, Vicki
EDIT: Hi Vicki, I'd recommend Babelfish for your request. No perfect translations, but usually enough to understand recipes in foreign languages. Btw, the book features 5 different recipes for Apple Strudel and the recipe number you mentioned is a recipe for "Zwetschgenbavesen" (at least in my old copy of the book).
On the same note, we've been eyeing with an Apple Strudel recipe from our dear friend Dagmar from Vienna for quite some time now, I think I'll post it during apple season ;)
Vicki...If you send me the recipe I can have it translated for you.
it's so sweet that you guys have cookbooks next to the tub! i just love it. donna hay rocks. enjoy... mav