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Monday, February 16, 2009

My name is Michele and I'm a cookbookaholic

I have heard that the first step on the road to recovery is to admit you have a problem. I have a problem. I collect cookbooks. Collect is a so much nicer word than addiction, don'cha think? Addition means that you can't help yourself. I could stop, if I wanted, really I could. (wait, that's a symptom, right?).

I fueled this addiction this weekend at the VSNA book sale. It was a sad and pathetic site . I made a complete pig of myself at the fairgrounds(no calories imbibed) today by buying 24 new cookbooks (JR walked out with 5 humor books. Do you think he's trying to tell me something? Nah, he's not that subtle). I do want to add that my cookbook extravaganza did not even rival some of the other buyers in the exhibit hall (is justification another addiction symptom?).

The average price for each of the cookbooks was $2.50. Not bad really considering the tons of use I will get out of them. Yeah, I totally understand that the new bookshelf I now need will cost $30 minimum. Added to the price of the books only adds another buck each, still a bargain.

I've already gone through most of them and flagged recipes that I plan to make. Should be fun. I promise I'll share. Like you thought I wouldn't, HA.

Here's a list of my newest acquisitions (librarian speak for excessive hoarding):

  1. The Mayo Clinic Williams-Sonoma Cookbook. Simple Solutions for Eating Well
  2. Williams-Sonoma Healthy Cooking
  3. Grandmother's Cookbook
  4. 365 Easy One-dish Meals
  5. 365 Ways to Cook Pasta
  6. Cooking Light - 5 Ingredients - 15 minute Cookbook
  7. Joy of Gardening Cookbook
  8. Food & Wine Magazine 2002 Recipes
  9. Food & Wine Magazine and Entire Year's Recipes
  10. Veggie Lovers Cookbook
  11. Great Dinners with Less meat
  12. Meatless Cooking: Celebrity Style
  13. The Vegetarian Handbook
  14. Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook
  15. Vegetarian Christmas
  16. 15 Minute Vegetarian Gourmet
  17. Cook it in a Casserole (1943)
  18. The Highlanders Cookbook (1966)
  19. The Good Housekeeping Cookbook (1944)
  20. Magic Chef Cooking (1935)
  21. The Betty Furness Westinghouse Cookbook (1954)
  22. The Wonderful World of Cooking (1954 author signed copy)
  23. The American Heritage Cookbook
  24. McCall's Cookbook.
I went with the mixed bag theory; some cool old ones, some veggie, some fancy, some low-fat/calorie.

I look forward to sharing the best of the recipes from these books. (not last night's though. It sucked. Now, I have a ton of leftovers that I need to make into something else. Crap, I hate when that happens.)

Love,
M
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16 comments:

  1. Coffee with CathyFebruary 16, 2009 at 8:40 AM

    Looks like you found some treasures. I can't wait to hear more about "Meatless Cooking: Celebrity Style!" Your vintage finds sound intriguing, too. Thanks for sharing!

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2009 at 9:46 AM

    I, too, share this addiction and have a basement full of vintage cookbooks and pamphlets. My kitchen bookcase houses my Southern Living Cookbooks back to 1982. It is a sickness. Lately, I have been downloading recipes into my computer and preparing many of the cookbooks for my spring garage sale. I hope I can part with these old friends.

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  3. Real Live LesbianFebruary 16, 2009 at 10:54 AM

    Wow....I'm so jealous!

    I'm an addict, too. But at least we never run out of ideas for dinner.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cape Cod GalFebruary 16, 2009 at 11:38 AM

    If you want, I'll join you in rehab. I have no less than 100 cookbooks. I have the Fannie Farmer cookbook in hardcover and paperback (just in case I need to travel with it). That doesn't include ever issue of Fine Cooking I've received for the past 5 years or the two enormous binders filled with clippings or all of the special issue cooking magazines that come out around the holidays.

    ReplyDelete
  5. blissfully caffeinatedFebruary 16, 2009 at 12:00 PM

    I love cookbooks too. I find the odd parrtnership of the Mayo Clinc and Williams Sonoma to be a particularly intriguing find. Hope you post some of the cool recipes you come across.

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  6. Sprite's KeeperFebruary 16, 2009 at 12:38 PM

    Can I request a recipe or two from #6?

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2009 at 1:02 PM

    My mom has a similar addiction so I help by stealing a few every time a visit.

    I hope you love them all.

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  8. Mum-meFebruary 16, 2009 at 7:10 PM

    I love reading cookbooks too! Although I have to admit that most of the recipes end up being treated like my few exercise books - I read the whole thing through very thoroughly and then say out loud "Well, that will never happen here."

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  9. Vodka MomFebruary 16, 2009 at 7:22 PM

    WOW!! I still love me a little Frugal Gourmet. Even if he is a perv.

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  10. AnonymousFebruary 16, 2009 at 7:27 PM

    I like "collect" a lot better than "addiction" and I feel the same way about the word "crazy" I'm not crazy, I'm *eccentric*.;)

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  11. CaseyFebruary 16, 2009 at 8:37 PM

    Wow, you weren't kidding. I own uhm, three cookbooks and two of them are for the crock pot.

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  12. KeelyFebruary 16, 2009 at 9:03 PM

    The Highlanders Cookbook?

    So...you can make only one?

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  13. Captain DumbassFebruary 16, 2009 at 10:38 PM

    You and Supreme Leader would get along very well.

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousFebruary 17, 2009 at 10:30 AM

    So, what did you make last night that didn't pass muster?

    The oldie Casseroles 'R Us sounds interesting - I'm all for one thingee cooking and no mess afterwards.

    While you were out Cook Bookin', I placed third in the duathlon old lady division. My buddy and I got skunked by an even OLDER lady. Now we gotta carb up on vintage casseroles!

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  15. Dr ZibbsFebruary 17, 2009 at 1:24 PM

    You and me both. And I love to eat. Mmmmm.

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  16. LynnFebruary 17, 2009 at 5:27 PM

    Oh this sounds like something I would do. I never thought I was a cookbook "collector" until I read an article about someone who said she was one, and that she had more than 100 cookbooks. "Hmmm," I thought, "I'll bet I have more than that." I counted, and sure enough I did. And by now have added more. So I guess that makes me a cookbook collector, too. I'd be curious to hear how many cookbooks you have, so I know what number I need to aspire to in order to be a real contender :) I'd love to hear about recipes from #7, #17, and #22.

    ReplyDelete

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