Monday, October 11, 2010

Cookbooks: One Thing I Still Collect

My growing up years can be broken down into a series of interests and resulting collections.  I amassed a rock collection, a stamp collection, a coin collection, and even a fishing tackle collection (to accompany my fishing obsession).  My girls are fascinated to learn about and, if possible, see what I used to collect.  However, those have been set aside or sold in garage sales over the years.   After moving nine times in the last 13 years, I see little point now in accumulating things I happen to fancy.  Except cookbooks.

Though I have given away several to people I know, a doting mother and mother-in-law continue to supply me with more recipe books.  And last year, on a trip to Chicago (for our anniversary), I couldn't resist buying two more cookbooks.  They were the only "souvenirs" I brought home.


Of my current collection, 10 of my favorite cookbooks are:
  1. The Anderson Family Cookbook (family recipes compiled by my aunt)
  2. Betty Crocker's New Choices Cookbook
  3. Cambridge Cookbook (a church cookbook)
  4. Cooking with Kilby (a collection of recipes from 11 college housemates)
  5. Family Circle Cookbook: New Tastes for New Times
  6. Paris Bistro Cooking
  7. More with Less
  8. Taste of Home Quick Cooking 2001
  9. Taste of Home Quick Cooking 2003
  10. Taste of Home Quick Cooking 2008

    Sometimes I dream of adding the Joy of Cooking and a few other classic titles to the mix.  But in truth, I possess an abundance of books, magazines, and websites from which to draw inspiration and advice.  So I am learning to be content with what I already have.

    Where do you draw your favorite recipes from?  
    The internet, magazines, or certain cookbooks?

    Top Ten {Tuesday} 

    1 comment:

    LBDDiaries said...

    I have a LOT of amazing cookbooks (over 25). My mom had a series from 1970 "Foods from Around the World" then all my Cajun ones, older ones, and yes, I went to ebay a while back and repurchased The Joy of Cooking! I like taking time to brew some tea, go to my quite place, and browse through the book, page by page, taking in the pictures, remembering mom's take on something, and on some, enjoying the story behind the food. You can't turn pages like that on internet. There's just something about a book!