Cookbooks have always intrigued me. I even call myself a Cookbook Junkie because I have picked up so many during the years. Where do I find them? First of all I look for them in the public library, book stores, friend’s houses. In the past few years I have even started looking for recipes on the internet. I am not that versed in looking for things on the internet but I can ask for a recipe and get lots of examples to choose from.
Why this compulsion for Cookbooks ?
I have never been what I consider to be a good cook. So, enter the Cookbook Junkie. This is where I search for cookbooks from any and every source. I go to the public library. I have even had them order me the cookbook that I checked out so that I can write in it and have it in my library. The book stores always have a beautiful section on cooking, how do I choose which ONE book to buy? Can’t. Have to have more than one. Then there are the “used-to-be” friends where I would borrow their cookbooks and keep them for so long that I think they are mine.
Cookbooks seem to a good money maker. When my husband and I were still square dancing, before our children came along and before our square dance club folded, we sold cookbooks with recipes from the different square dancing clubs in our region. It was really interesting to note that we had recipes donated by U.S. Senators and Ambasadors from different countries. Getting the ingredients for those recipies is a challenge for me in my small town.
And then there are the different towns in my small county where the ladies would have a club (one husband called them the “chat and chew” clubs) and they would gather their best recipes to put in the book. Again, this was a way for those clubs to make money for their charitable projects. Each town in the county had such a ladies club so that means I have each town’s recipe book. If that club would make a “volume 2” edition you can bet I found one to buy. More than once I have said “I couldn’t bake if it were not for this club’s cookbook”.
When I was single I was a Peace Corp Volunteer in an African country. One of the volunteers wanted to put together a cookbook with all of our favorite recipes. Then the final copy was a photo-copy of the recipes. Nothing fancy about that. This brings back the good memories I have from my time in Africa.
Now that I have these cookbooks in my hands I will read them front to back and see what sound good to me. I will somehow mark them, usually on a piece of paper to mark the page but not the recipe, to remind me of what sounded good. Naturally, I do not have all of the ingredients on hand that they call for so I am sure to make some “adjustments” and then wonder why the end product does not taste as good as I thought it would.
Treasurers I have found in Cookbooks
There are many different things that I have found in cookbooks in addition to the recipes.
- There are tips of wisdom. How about things to keep? That would include your sense of humor and your hair!! Also “Recipes for speeches should always include shortening”.
- What about things to get rid of? That would include borrowed books, late hours and grudges.
- Definitions of words, such as: Eternity is…”Waiting for the tow truck to show up” or “20 minutes of aerobic exercises” and “Listening for the sound of a key in the lock at 2 A.M”.
- And then there are the comical recipes, such as “How to cook a snake”
What’s for dinner?
So, with all of these options, why is it I am always asking “What’s for dinner tonight?” Oh, yes, I remember. I was going to try that new recipe. Now where did I find it? And do I have the ingredients on hand? That is just too much trouble to find it when I am busy so it is hamburgers AGAIN! But wait! Now I can get a bottle of Fine Wine and I will call it gourmet! This is something that I have on hand all of the time and because of the Wine of the Month program I do not have to go out to shop for it. That is heaven for me!
Happy Eating!
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