Retro Reads discussion

Maybe keep to those books first published before 1980?

Let's see what you've got! :)

Hello, what's this? It is COOKBOOK time!

Um - I have a set of Good Housekeeping Library of Cooking paper backs that were bought for me on my engagement, so well before 1980 ... Meat Cookery, Poultry & Game, Salad Vegetables and Fruit, Fish and Shellfish, Sweets, Puddings and Desserts. All stained, all still being used.

I still have a few of the Time series of single-subject cookbooks, though I have offloaded most of them. Sold by subscription in the 1970s and early 1980s. On a more serious note, I have my mother's and grandmother's old editions of The Joy of Cooking, plus an older reissue of Mrs. Beeton (1930s vintage?), a first edition of Julia Childs's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (never use it), and a 1960s or 1970s Gourmet cookbook (awful recipes, ditto).

I have Perfect Cooking by Marguerite Patten. In fact I have two copies as my first one was falling to pieces! I couldn't bear to get rid of it so it sits in splendour on my bookcase for nostalgia's sake whereas the new (well, old but all in one piece) one is in the kitchen.

One of the clever things about it was that she gave a basic recipe and then variations to dress it up for guests or make it more economical, or just for variety. Nowadays I'm sure they'd make each one a separate recipe of course to bulk the book out! She also noted common problems, like fruit falling to the bottom of a cake when being baked, and how to avoid them. I still use those tips today!

I think she became well known in WW2, producing food advice for women cooking under rationing in the UK.

It's funny how cookery books are so nostalgic. I borrowed one from the library once, must be 30 years ago, and I can still remember how good I felt reading it. I've been trying to remember in recent years what it was called! Wholefood Cooking or some such. Can't remember the author but I remember the brown cover. I do the occasional internet search but haven't seen it yet. I'd buy it though, just for that warm fuzzy feeling!

Sue wrote: "I have Perfect Cooking by Marguerite Patten. In fact I have two copies as my first one was falling to pieces! I couldn't bear to get rid of it so it sits in splendour..."

So true - I saw a fascinating article a couple years ago about the cooking show craze here in America! Apparently, even though people just sit on the couch and just watch someone else cook on television, it gives them some sort of nostalgic rush.

Abigail, I find that interesting about your Julia Child cookbook since she’s been back in vogue in the last several years - I never saw her on PBS, but she seemed delightful. I always wonder if home cooks actually used her cookbooks. I recently borrowed one from the library called Julia’s Kitchen Wisdom, and it’s got the format Sue mentioned, with a master recipe and several variations.

It’s not a long book, but even though I’ve only glanced through it I can already see that it would be handy to own. I’ve always wanted to be that kind of cook, who has a basic recipe in my head and can throw together a meal with a few basic ingredients – a MacGyver of the kitchen! A chicken breast and a tomato and boom, I’ve got a meal in 20 minutes! But, no such luck - been cooking family meals for years (minus the last couple years with brain surgeries), still rely on recipes...

A MacGyver of the kitchen (great phrase that, Susan!) would definitely not be inclined to work from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The recipes take hours—just not practical! Plus they aren’t attuned to today’s health-conscious cookery—butter and cream galore.

I have a falling-apart (from my own use, too) Maida Givens' Encyclopedia of Cooking, two volumes of things like butchering not only a chicken correctly but also cooking a squirrel or two. Yes, I used the chicken tips as a youngster, but, alas, squirrels have not come my way. Seriously, though, it had everything I needed as a teen cook.

I have another falling-apart volume, Betty Crocker's Cookbook, also from my teenage years, which has serious scribbles in it for quadrupling recipes.

My daughter, who's famous for her thrift store and yard sale finds, found M.F.K. Fisher's books for me a few years ago, and talk about entertaining reading! I highly recommend them.

As far as butter and cream go, I follow my before-his-time OB who said that no one should ever eat anything he can't pronounce. He was talking about margarine, in particular, and I have eschewed it ever since. Well, actually, I quit using it before then, but he gave me professional validation! And, haha! along those lines, I just rendered my own lard, and had cracklin's and quinoa and a farm fresh egg for breakfast. But, I do stress that we get farm-raised pork and beef from people we know, and although I don't have a source for local butter yet, I still dream of a mini-Jersey for that need... (meantime, I do buy organic)

P.S. I'm so excited about this thread - I love my cookbooks!

Karlyne wrote: "I have a falling-apart (from my own use, too) Maida Givens' Encyclopedia of Cooking, two volumes of things like butchering not only a chicken correctly but also cooking a squirrel or two. Yes, I us..."

I think that butter and cream in moderation are fine, and much better than margarine health-wise.

At the library, one of the sections that I weed is the cookbook section, and I really enjoy seeing how the trends change so markedly over the years. Some of the older cookbooks are really quality collections of recipes and technique, and circulate consistently. Then you have the 'faddy' cookbooks that circulate wildly for about 12-18 months, and then never again.

About the only 'vintage' cookbook I still own is my 47 year old copy of The Joy of Cooking. And it still gets used! For nostalgia's sake I have a number of spiral bound cookbooks put out by various churches/organizations as fund raisers--with contributions by family members.
I purged my cookbooks a number of years ago--bye-bye 'Galloping Gourmet' and a lot of 'trendy' titles that I never really cooked from. And I quit buying cookbooks. I still read them and salivate over the pictures and then return them to the library unused.
I have a 3 ring binder full of recipes clipped from newspapers and magazines as well as recipes from family and friends. That's the one that is stained, tattered and much used.

I have a recipe box from my mother that has recipes from friends I never met and from long gone relatives; there's something really poignant in recognizing the handwritten note as being Auntie Sue's or Grandma's.

I wish my miscellaneous recipe collection was in a binder, Barb! Someday...

My recipes are stuck in an old diary - far from efficient!

I had a ruthless cleanout of old cookbooks when I was at the op shop.

The old cookbook I still use regularly is from the 80's so outside of our time frame.

For the basics I use Edmonds Cookery Book This was first published in 1907, my edition undated, but best guess would be 1980-1984. Early editions (especially if not written in or food spattered) now quite valuable. This used to be given to every NZ bride. I only use mine for the basics - icing (frosting to most of you) jam making & bacon & egg pie (NZ summer picnic staple)

Every now & again I still use Laurels Kitchen A Handbook For Vegetarian Co

I did use my old Whole Foods for the Whole Family: La Leche League International Cookbook again last year. Recipes now a bit plain.

I haven't used my Mollie Katzen books for a while. Recipes that were once cutting edge, now seem a little dull.

Abigail wrote: "A MacGyver of the kitchen (great phrase that, Susan!) would definitely not be inclined to work from Mastering the Art of French Cooking. The recipes take hours—just not practical! Plus they aren’t ..."

That’s what I figured...*sigh*

My jam, pickles and sauces making are done from recipes in Aunt Daisy's Pickles, Sauces, Jams and Jellies. It was published by Whitcombe & Tombs, Christchurch in 1949. It cost 2s.6d when my Mum bought it.

Barb in Maryland wrote: "About the only 'vintage' cookbook I still own is my 47 year old copy of The Joy of Cooking. And it still gets used! For nostalgia's sake I have a number of spiral bound cookbooks put out by various..."

Sounds like my recipe collection- but they’re loose (stained and tattered) sheets, I keep meaning to put them in plastic sleeves and a binder, but...

I did a bit of a purge about 5 years ago, when my kitchen was remodeled, and cleared out “faddish” cookbooks, and/or gifts that someone was sure I’d like because I cook - but I never used!

I really think cookbooks are a matter of personal taste - what a family will actually eat, of course, due to personal tastes and dietary or health restrictions, but also personal taste of the cook - is this a style of book I like, does the presentation and writing style make sense to me, will I use it. I can really see that in the cookbooks I’ve kept and used over the years!

I only purchase a cookbook if there are at least 5 recipes that I have tried and liked - but most of my recipes I source online, or through library cookbooks. All of the cookbooks that I own have been published after 1980, other than my Mother's The Joy of Cooking and Betty Crocker's Cookbook and my Grandmother's Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook. The recipes have changed, often calling for more sugar and fat now.

I love cooking!

Critterbee❇ wrote: "I only purchase a cookbook if there are at least 5 recipes that I have tried and liked - but most of my recipes I source online, or through library cookbooks. All of the cookbooks that I own have b..."

I do that, too - “test drive” a cookbook by borrowing it from the library to see if the recipes work for me! That’s a good rule of thumb, 5 recipes tried and enjoyed.

I love to "read" cookbooks, too, whether or not I'm actually looking for a recipe. The stories, where and who they come from, fascinate me.

For a while I collected cookbooks about period recipes: medieval, renaissance, down to Victorian/Edwardian eras. I have 20 or so although I can't say I have done many of the recipes. [memories of the gingered tripe that was served at an SCA coronation feast I attended kind of turned me off the idea of actually eating medieval cuisine]. These are primarily translations for modern cooks of actual period recipes along with some history of the times, foods and presentations.

The oldest "modern" cookbook I own is The American Salad Book by Maximilian de Loup. First pub 1899. My copy is 4th ed printed in 1926. It has recipes for all kinds of salads and dressings. Not only green salads but egg, fish, fowl, game, meat, fruit salads, etc.. No illus but still a cool little book.

Yikes, gingered tripe??!! That would dampen my enthusiasm as well.

Is it the ginger or the tripe, or the combination of the two? Ginger is a nice strong, cleansing flavour, and would go nicely with the chewy, sprongy tripe.

Yea, I am a vegetarian!

I do like ginger, but never had tripe - I’ll pass!

Phair wrote: "For a while I collected cookbooks about period recipes: medieval, renaissance, down to Victorian/Edwardian eras. I have 20 or so although I can't say I have done many of the recipes. [memories of t..."

Interesting! Reminds me of a funny movie I saw years ago, can’t remember the name, something about a modern young woman time traveling back to Jane Austen’s time.

I don’t remember a title, just the very handsome Darcy-character rising, clinging white shirt and all, out of the water, and the realistic portrayal of food - at her first “time travel” meal, the modern woman looks down at her plate, and yuck...it suddenly becomes very real - welcome to a time before refrigeration! I don’t remember what they were eating, but of course her dining companions were tucking in, everything was fine to them. But I realized you never see stuff like that accurately portrayed! At least I don’t, I don’t read or watch time travel stories usually- I don’t have a romantic view of the past before before civil rights and germ theory...of course, Mr. Darcy in his clinging wet shirt had a certain, timeless appeal...

Is that Lost in Austen? It's one of my favorite Jane Austen-related movies.

Susan in NC wrote: "Phair wrote: "For a while I collected cookbooks about period recipes: medieval, renaissance, down to Victorian/Edwardian eras. I have 20 or so although I can't say I have done many of the recipes. ..."

This thread made me recall an interesting hist-fic book I read a while ago:
An Appetite for Violets . Set in 1770s, an under-cook accompanies her mistress on a journey to Italy. Each chapter is headed by a recipe from a hand-written cookbook she is given by her mentor, the head cook. This book has been passed down from cook to cook in the family and includes recipes from 1500s on.
The main character says of the cookbook: "Those women made their perfect dishes, then wrote them down in forget-me-not words so we might taste them. . . . What are receipts but messages from the dead saying 'taste me'. I am minded that when we eat, we eat a dish of love."
Really enjoyed this book. It had the ability to transport me out of the present into that world.

Phair wrote: "This thread made me recall an interesting hist-fic book I read a while ago:
An Appetite for Violets . Set in 1770s, an under-cook accomp..."

My local library has this one, so it has gone on my to read list. :)

A Cordiall Water, a "garland of odd and old receipts" by M.F.K.Fisher has a flavor of the old days, too. It has a lot of "I wonder..." in it.

Peggy wrote: "Is that Lost in Austen? It's one of my favorite Jane Austen-related movies.

Susan in NC wrote: "Phair wrote: "For a while I collected cookbooks about period recipes: medieval, renaissance, down to..."

That sounds right, I think so! I just remember it was funny, and the modern woman likable - her reactions were a hoot!

Phair wrote: "This thread made me recall an interesting hist-fic book I read a while ago:
An Appetite for Violets . Set in 1770s, an under-cook accomp..."

Intriguing...on to the TBR list! My library has it too - yay!

Phair wrote: "This thread made me recall an interesting hist-fic book I read a while ago:
An Appetite for Violets . Set in 1770s, an under-cook accomp..."

It is at my library as well! Reserved and looking forward to reading the book.

I have a reprinted version of the original 1913 The Five Roses Cook Book, once the most popular cook book in Canada! When I was writing my own novel Wildwood, about a woman who has to live off the grid, I wrote to the copyright holders of the Five Roses Cook Book and received permission to reprint five recipes in my novel! So if anyone has the urge to try baking something in a wood stove, please send me photos as I would love to hear your experiences.

Elinor wrote: "I have a reprinted version of the original 1913 The Five Roses Cook Book, once the most popular cook book in Canada! When I was writing my own novel Wildwood, about a..."

Although I do remember my aunt cooking on a woodstove, I never have! I'm amazed at how those cooks could turn out such delicate beauties, when I tend to complain at my automated, thermostat-controlled easy oven...

Karlyne wrote: "Elinor wrote: "I have a reprinted version of the original 1913 The Five Roses Cook Book, once the most popular cook book in Canada! When I was writing my own novel [book:Wildwood|348..."

Oh my gosh, yes! Or, like during times of rationing (I’m reading a WWII book), they still managed to turn out halfway edible food in rather dire conditions (compared to how spoiled we are today...). Hats off, for sure!

Speaking of spoiled, I have some pumpkin scones in the oven (not wood) and they smell amazing... I mean, seriously mouth-watering!

Yum! Hope you made enough for everyone!

I did! And they're quite delicious, so come on over!

I wish!

Karlyne wrote: "Speaking of spoiled, I have some pumpkin scones in the oven (not wood) and they smell amazing... I mean, seriously mouth-watering!"

Recipe, please!! :D

I would, but I'm one of those seriously annoying people who just wing it! But, the recipe for the icing will make you laugh; I had one of those big Costco cream cheeses, so I thought "Yum! Pumpkin and cream cheese!" So, I've got a cube of it all warmed up to room temp, and then I realize I'm out of powdered sugar. "Rats!" So, I caramelize some brown sugar and butter, add it to the cream cheese with some salt and vanilla, and shazam! it was the perfect foil!

I am drooling all over my iPad.

Sometimes my ideas turn out; sometimes I don't talk about them. 😁

Oh Karlyne, it must be grand to be a member of your household!

Critterbee❇ wrote: "Oh Karlyne, it must be grand to be a member of your household!"

That's funny! One day I was sitting in my office thinking how stultifying it was, and talking to myself, and I realized what I really like to do is feed people. So I quit and managed some espresso shops until I could afford to feed people from home! (Not as a business, just for family and friends and fun). I think I'm a throw back to the 19th century...

Cooking for people you love is truly rewarding!

Karlyne wrote: "Sometimes my ideas turn out; sometimes I don't talk about them. 😁"

Well, I envy you for being brave enough to wing it - I especially regret it now that, due to balance and coordination issues, I want to get back in the kitchen. (If I was able to wing it and cook without recipes, cook more intuitively, it would be easier now!)

Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Sometimes my ideas turn out; sometimes I don't talk about them. 😁"

Well, I envy you for being brave enough to wing it - I especially regret it now that, due to balance and coordina..."

I do follow recipes when it's for something I haven't made before, or not often, but I've been seriously blessed with a family who pretty much thinks my cooking is way better than sliced bread even when it's not, so I've been able to do a lot of tinkering and messing around in the kitchen.

And I just remembered, too, my mom hated to cook, so by the time I was a young teenager, she let me do whatever I wanted in the kitchen, too (she'd already trained me clean up, so there wasn't a problem there. Smart woman.) My love affair with cookbooks began in her kitchen!

Susan, get in there, try some stuff out, and have some fun! Cooking before baking, because baking is more of an exact science.

There are some great cookbooks out (some are not retro, so won't talk much about them) that discuss balance in cooking, and how different parts of dishes are interchangeable. So, as long as you have your elements that meet sweet, salty, sour, bitter and umami, you can mix and match.

And there are fun cooking and baking classes (most big cities have them) where you go and have a blast and learn a new skill, and get to eat what you make!

Susan in NC wrote: "Karlyne wrote: "Sometimes my ideas turn out; sometimes I don't talk about them. 😁"

Well, I envy you for being brave enough to wing it - I especially regret it now that, due to balance and coordina..."

I'm a fan of one-pot meals and anything that can be in the oven for hours and hours - a chuck roast with garlic and peppers and mushrooms in a lidded roaster at about 275-300' for 4-6 hours and then take the lid off and throw some bite-size red potatoes (drizzle them with olive oil if there aren't enough juices) in for the last hour at 350'. Seriously, it's so impressive! And … easy!

Karlyne--sounds like my pot roast recipe! (But you left out the half-bottle of red wine...) Love my Le Crueset dutch oven for slow braising meat in the oven. The house smells so good while its cooking and you can sit back and read--win-win, as far as I'm concerned!