Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook Review - Collectibility
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook for Men is reviewed here for collectible value. Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron) is a well known personality in the culinary world. He is also known for his several cocktail-oriented books including Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide and Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink. His restaurants can be found in several cities around the world including Beverly Hills, Oman, Palo Alto, Berlin and more. I can close my eyes and completely picture the Beverly Hills Trader Vic's location -- almost an institution in the city. Unfortunately, I heard it closed about a few years ago.
Trader Vic's books vary in value and are not as widely available as many of the vintage books from the 50's. I've owned a few copies of his Bartender's Guide as well as a Pacific Islands cookbook and his Book of Food and Drink. This is the first copy I've found of the Kitchen Kibitzer. Given the number of cookbooks I come across or purchase, I would venture to say that since never crossing my path until two days ago--this cookbook is somewhat more difficult to find. I believe it is the last cookbook or one of the last cookbooks that he wrote.
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibizter could be categorized as a humorous cookbook, the chapter titles alone attest to it incuding: Show-Off Cooking, For Nimrods and The Summer Bachelor among them.
Cookbook Title: Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook for Men
Author: Trader Vic
Publisher: Doubleday & Company
Copyright: 1952
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 223 pages
Specialization Categories: Vintage Cookbooks, Restaurant Cookbooks, Humorous Cookbooks
Average Price: $10-$15 used
Noted Recipes: Pete's Meatballs, Red Snapper Fisherman Style, Butterfly Steaks Flambe, Victor Denny Waffles, Strawberries Victor Hugo
COOKBOOK COLLECTIBILITY RATINGS RATINGS EXPLAINED
Availability: 7.0
Popularity: 6.0
Investment Outlook: 6.5
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Final Collectibility Factor: 6.5
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook - Availability Rating - 7.0
I utilize my own cookbook collecting experience (used book stores, flea markets, estate sales, family collections, book sales, etc.) as well as measure availability on the popular online book sites and auction sites to determine this rating. In this case, there seems to be a limited number available online, and...I've not come across this book in the many years my wife and I have been collecting.
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook - Popularity Rating - 6.0
Though not likely a well known book, Trader Vic cookbooks and restaurants as a general, are popular and known over the world, especially the cocktail-related and bartender books. I've ranked this a 6.0 for popularity based more on the general Trader Vic subject vs. this particular book. All his books are fairly popular.
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook - Investment Outlook - 6.5
In terms of Investment Outlook, this cookbook should be a good bet. Trader Vic's cookbooks are all nice collectibles and this one, designed mostly for men (though the jacket states "and for the women who cook for men") is unique. I've rated it a 6.5, as I would several of the other Trader Vic's cookbooks. They remain popular, sought after, and will likely endure as the years pass.
Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer Cookbook - Final Collectibility Factor Rating - 6.5
My Final Collectibility Factor Rating is the sum of the above ratings. This book comes out on par with some of the Betty Crocker and other vintage cookbooks.
