This post focuses on the top 10 cookbooks to make sure to include in a cookbook collection. For someone interested in cookbook collecting, this will give you a head start on the basic books to include as the foundation of your collection. These are the more mainstream cookbooks of the past. They may not necessarily be the most valuable of cookbooks as many antique cookbooks, signed cookbooks and cookbooks of present day often fetch higher prices, but these are are definitely the basis of a solid collection. Some of these books have been reviewed in-depth in this blog with their collectibility ratings for anyone interested in more detail. I have included some of the top-level information for each below as well as links for those which have been rated in earlier blog postings.
Publisher: General Mills
Copyright: 1969 stated First Edition
Formats: Hardcover and Ring Binder Editions
Average Price: $40 ($50 for stated First Edition in good condition or for a 1972 special Sears Holiday Edition)
Notes: This book is often referred to by collectors as Betty Crocker's "Red Pie" Cookbook due to its pie shaped photo montage cover design. It is loaded with recipes and photos. Recipes are mainly American dishes thought there are dishes from other regions as well.
Publisher: General Mills
Copyright: 1961, First Edition
Formats: Hardcover with a Mondrian style pink, yellow, white and blue cover
Average Price: $45 ($75 for the First Edition, First Printing with a hardcover format)
Notes: Another Betty Crocker classic. I have an earlier (1950) Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book rated on my blog, but the 1961 Betty Crocker's New Picture Cookbook is the most valuable of all the Betty Crocker cookbooks. It is important to find a good condition copy or the value will go down substantially. With some cookbooks--they are so rare--imperfections can be forgiven, not with this one.
Authors: Mary and Vincent Price (the movie actor)
Copyright: 1965, First Printing
Format: Padded bronze/copper colored hardcover, 456 pages, Gilt Lettering
Average Price: $40 (ranges from $30-$90 dependent upon condition and availability in the online bookstore and auction markets)
Notes: This is definitely one of the most beautiful cookbooks published in terms of cover design, material, and detail such as ribbon bookmarks and nice illustrations.
Authors: Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker
Copyright: 1931, First Printing, First Edition published by A. C. Clayton Printing Co
Format: Blue hardcover with gilt lettering
Average Price: Over $500 for this 1931 First Edition of which only 3,000 copies were printed. The later commercial edition was published by Bobs-Merrill Company in 1936 as were the later editions which came in different cover formats from a white dust jacket to a blue and white cloth cover. The 1936 "First Edition" which is not the true First but First Bobs-Merrill edition is valued at around $50.
Notes: Joy of Cooking is considered by many to be the "bible of American cooking." It is known for its simplistic formatted recipes and is one of the best selling cookbooks of all time. Almost every cook knows of this book or has it on their shelf. Many cookbook collectors will have various editions of the book in their collection--as mentioned above, the book had several cover designs and formats.
Authors: Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle, Simone Beck
Copyright: 1961, First Edition
Format: Hardcover with white and red design and blue and white dust jacket.
Average Price: $10-$15 (Julia Child signed cookbook copies $200 - $250)
Notes: This remains the top French cookbook in terms of popularity and recognition. Of note, if there is ever a signed cookbook you'd want to get, Julia Child signed copies of this book sell for some of the highest prices on online book sites.
Author: Fanny Gillette, Hugo Zieman (later editions)
Copyright: 1887, First Edition
Format: Hardcover white cloth
Average Price: $75-$150
Notes: I have rarely seen copies of the 1887 edition for sale but early printings shortly thereafter are usually available for sale online. The price above is for the 1887 printing though I think it could fetch in upwards of $150 if a true first in good condition. Other printings sell for around $30-$35. The 1887 edition would be considered rare.
Editor: Dorothy Kirk
Copyright: 1942, First Edition
Format: White hardcover with recipe categories in bullet format down the left side of the cover in red and blue lettering for titles.
Average Price: $75 (for the 1942 First Edition)
Notes: This book has over 2,600 recipes which makes it a favorite among collectors and cooks alike. The book's easy recipe format makes it all the more appealing. This book is a good investment for any serious collector as its value will continue to rise as with other classics of this sort.
Author: Weight Watchers editors
Copyright: 2005, First Edition
Format: Softcover cookbook with lime green background on top half, photos of prepared meals on the bottom half.
Average Price: $45
Notes: Though a newer book, unlike the rest on this list, I am including it as it is one of the most sought after cookbooks online. This is certainly the one of the most popular Weight Watchers cookbooks published to date. It is at this point in time, a hard-to-find cookbook and only a limited number of copies are for sale online at any given time. Slow cooking is a popular trend and this book has some wonderful recipes. Because of the limited number of copies for sale, it has gained even more popularity over the past year and its value keeps increasing.
Author: Prosper Montagne
Copyright: 1961, First Edition
Format: Dark blue, thick hardcover with dust jacket.
Average Price: $12-$15 (the 2001 edition sells for $45-$50 though the one to put in your collection is the original--revised and updated later editions tend to lose value over time)
Notes: This cookbook is probably in a close tie with Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking in terms of the most popular of French cookbooks. The book has loads of illustrations (over 1,000) and 8,500 recipes in all.
Publisher: Time Life
Editor: Richard Olney Copyright: 1979 - Early 1980's
Format: Hardcover books with different colored spines. When aligned you get a kind of rainbow effect on the shelf.
Books in the Series: Beef & Veal * Beverages * Breads * Cakes * Candy * Classic Desserts * Cookies & Crackers * Dried Beans and Grains * Eggs & Cheese * Fish * Fruit * Hors d'Oeuvres * Lamb * Outdoor Cooking * Pastas * Pies & Pastries * Pork * Poultry * Preserving * Salads * Sauces * Shellfish * Snacks & Sandwiches * Soups * Terrines * Variety Meats * Vegetables * Wine
Average Price: $100 - $125 dependent upon condition of the books
Notes: A lot of collectors loves these books as they are no longer in print and it is exciting to try and collect the full set of 28 books. They can be found as a complete set but I think that takes part of the fun out of collecting them. These books are nice as well as they include a lot of color photos in them. In their entirety, they also make a rounded base for cooking as they include a complete set of cooking topics.
Barbecue and grilling cookbooks are great for outdoor cooking ideas for any time of the year. In honor of Labor Day, we thought we'd put together a list of some of the top collectible and vintage cookbooks for this weekend's barbecue festivities and other barbecue-perfect holidays.
Read on to see the 5 collectible barbecue-themed cookbooks we have selected and learn more about each of them.
Author: Members of Kansas City Barbeque Society
Publisher: Kansas City Barbeque Society
Average Price Used: $10.00
Notes: This cookbook is one of the top cookbooks in the barbecue and grilling category. It’s no surprise that The Kansas City Barbeque Society Cookbook is a national award winner of a Tabasco Community Award. Recipes like Pistachio Sausage, Phantom Memphis Gumbo, and Barbecued Orange Duck are some of the standout dishes offered in the cookbook. The Kansas City Barbeque Society is the world’s largest organization of barbecue enthusiasts. Who would know barbecue better than this melting pot of competition barbecue cooks?
Author: Editors, Philip Morris
Publisher: Phillip Morris
Average Price Used: $14.00
Notes: Marlboro published some stunning cookbooks that were exclusively available to their Marlboro Miles rewards members. We can’t begin to describe this beautiful cookbook with its fold-out poster and postcard style inserts, delicious barbecue and grilling recipes, and more. Favorites like Hot Cinnamon Rolls, Whiskey Steak, and Crusty Corn Trout are all inside this cookbook…plus there are “Special Times” recipes for celebrations and holidays like Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.We have a more in-depth collectibility review on this cookbook on our store blog.
Marlboro made some other amazing cookbooks. We have one of them currently available called Marlboro Cook Like A Man
Author: General Mills Editors
Publisher: Golden Press
Average Price Used: $12.00
Notes: There are several different editions of this cookbook. This is the 1967 “New” Outdoor Cookbook from Betty Crocker. It has wire ring binding. There are 450 recipes in the cookbook for literally every kind of outdoor cooking imaginable including smoker, grill, campfire, rotisserie, camp stove and more. Everything from salads to sauces to desserts is included among the main barbecue recipes, as well.
Author: Ken Beck and Jim Clark
Publisher: Rutledge Hill Press
Average Price Used: $8.00
Notes: Nothing says “barbecue” like a cookbook of cowboy fare. There are many cookbooks of this genre, but the All American Cowboy Cookbook is a fun cookbook because the recipes come from the United States’ top western stars from TV and film to rodeo stars and more. Clint Eastwood’s Spaghetti Western accompanies recipes from other western actors/actresses and singers like Waylon Jennings, Roy Rogers, Annie Oakley, and James Garner. There are almost 200 classic Old West photos inside.
Author: Jamie Purviance
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Average Price Used: $10.00
Notes: Weber has produced several cookbooks on the subject of grilling and outdoor cooking. Weber, a household name in grilling, never fails to provide a memorable cookbook. Weber’s Art of the Grill is one of our favorites from the company. It has over 100 grilling recipes for dishes like Diablo Shrimp, Bourbon Barbecue Beans, and S’mores All Grown up. This cookbook also contains tips and techniques for making outdoor cooking easy.
We are giving away a set of 5 Junior League cookbooks in a drawing on July 4, 2017. It is free to enter. (This drawing has ended).
Cookbook Village is offering a special cookbook giveaway drawing to share the magic of cookbooks with others. Our prize is made up of five special Junior League cookbooks -- representing cookbooks from the different leagues. We hope to bring one lucky prize winner some memorable cookbooks for the start of -- or in addition to -- their cookbook collection.
Junior League of San Diego, California Sol Food • Junior League of Salt Lake City, Always in Season • Junior League of Monroe, Louisiana, Cotton Country Collection • Junior League of South Texas, Some Like It Hot • Junior League of Phoenix: Fiesta Under the Sun
Drawing has ended.
Congrats to our winner Frances G. in Meridian, MS!
Entries must be submitted by 8:00pm EDT (5:00pm PDT) on Tuesday, July 4, 2017. One drawing entry per customer. One giveaway entrant will be randomly selected on July 4th the evening the drawing closes. Cookbook Village features quality collectible and used cookbooks -- the prize set is part of our selection.
]]>This Restaurant, Hotel and Inn Cookbooks Checklist is a follow-up to my post on Cookbook Collecting Specialization. It is part of a series of posts with some lists related to different collecting "specializations" or categories. My favorite type of cookbook, restaurant and inns/hotels cookbooks, seemed like a good place to start. I will try to grow the lists over time so they can serve as a quick checklist for those of you interested in collecting special categories of cookbooks. Note that the names may be shortened from the original title or have some explanatory copy such as restaurant added for clarity.
Blue Moon Inn Restaurant Cookbook - Montgomery
Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook - Irondale
Fiddlehead Cookbook - Juneau
Olivia's at the Skagway Inn Cookbook - Skagway
Riversong Lodge Cookbook
American Western Cooking - Roaring Fork - Scottsdale
Cafe Terra Cotta Cookbook - Tuscon
Canyon Ranch Cooks - Canyon Ranch Spa - Tuscon
Favorite Recipes from Mii Amo Spa - Sedona
Janos Cookbook - Tuscon
New Native American Cuisine: Kai Restaurant - Chandler
Royal Palms Cookbook - Resort and Spa - Phoenix
Sedona Heartline Cafe Cookbook - Sedona
Sonoita Seasons Cookbook - Karen's Wine Country Cafe - Sonoita
Vincent's Cookbook - Phoenix
Cliff House Inn Cookbook - Jasper
Four Sisters Inns Cookbook - Country Inns
Angeli Caffe Piza Pasta Panini - Los Angeles
Bel-Air Hotel Cookbook - Los Angeles
Bottega, Michael Charello - Yountville, Napa Valley
Brown Derby Cookbook - Los Angeles
California Pizza Kitchen Cookbook - Los Angeles & Multiple Locations
César Tapas Bar Cookbook - Berkeley
Cha Cha Cha Cookbook - San Francisco & Multiple Locations
Chef Chu's Cookbook - San Francisco Peninsula Restaurant
Chez Panisse Pasta Pizza Cookbook - Berkely
Cicciotti's Kitchen Cookbook - Italian Restaurant - Cardiff
City Cuisine - Los Angeles
Contemporary Italian: Favorite Recipes from Kuleto's Restaurant - San Francisco
Thyme in a Bottle - Croce's Restaurant and Jazz Bar - San Diego (Gaslamp District)
Dining in Monterey Peninsula Cookbook
Dinner Authentic Cafe Cookbook - Los Angeles
El Cocodrilo's Cookbook - Pacific Grove
Fandango Cookbook - Pacific Grove
Fishwife's Pearls - Seafood Restaurant - Seaside
Gamble House Luncheon Cookbook - Pasadena
Il Fornaio Baking Book - Los Angeles
Japanese Country Cookbook - MINGEI-YA, San Francisco
Ken Frank's La Toque - Napa Valley
Judy Zeidler's International Deli Cookbook - Broadway Deli, Santa Monica
Kimberley Crest Cookbook - Redlands
Michael's - Santa Monica
Morning Food Cafe Beaujolais - Mendocino
Otis Marston's Cookbook - Pasadena
Patina Cookbook - Los Angeles
Restaurants of San Francisco - San Francisco
Restaurant Secrets Orange County - Misc. Restaurants
Sacramental Magic in a Small-Town Cafe Cookbook - Brother Juniper's Cafe Santa Rosa
Secrets of Success Cookbook -Restaurants San Francisco
Seychelles Restaurant: The Eclectic Noodle Cookbook - Santa Cruz
Sofi Aegean Kitchen Cookbook - Greek Restaurant Los Angeles
Sonoma Inn Spa Food Cookbook
Spago Chocolate Cookbook - Beverly Hills
Spago Desserts Cookbook - Beverly Hills
Stars Desserts Cookbook - San Francisco
Summertime Anytime Cookbook - Shutters on the Beach - Santa Monica
Sunday Suppers at Lucques Restaurant - Los Angeles
Tadich Grill Cookbook - San Francisco
Taste of Palm Springs - Palm Springs
Terra Restaurant: Cooking from the Heart of Napa Valley - St. Helena
The Palm Restaurant Cookbook - Los Angeles
Thyme in a Bottle - Croce's Restaurant San Diego
Tra Vigne Cookbook - Napa Valley
A La Aspen Cookbook
Copper Kettle Cookbook - Aspen
Claire's Classic American Vegetarian Cooking - Claire's Corner Copia Restaurant - New Haven
New Spa Food Cookbook - Norwich Inn
Damiano's at the Tarrimore House Cookbook - Delray Beach
Florida's Historic Restaurants and Their Recipes
Louie's Backyard Cookbook - Key West
Marina Cafe - Destin
Recipes from Petit Marmite - Palm Beach
Sea Breeze by the Bay Cookbook - Seabreeze, Tampa
The Abbey - Atlanta
Boarding House Reach - Smith House Restaurant - Dahlonega
Blue Willow Inn Restaurant Cookbook - Social Circle
Lovejoy Plantation Cookbook - Atlanta
Uncle Bubba's Savannah Seafood - Savannah
Castagnola's Cooking Italian in Hawaii
D.K's Sushi Chronicles from Hawaii - Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar
Hawaii Cooks - Flavors from Roy's Pacific Rim Kitchen Longhi's Recipes and Reflections from Maui's Most Opinionated Restaurateur - Maui
New Cuisine of Hawaii Cookbook
Pacific Bounty Cookbook - Roy Yamaguchi of Roy's
Waioli Cook Book (1 and 2) - Waioli Tea Room - Honolulu
Berghoff Cafe Restaurant Cookbook - Chicago
Charlie Trotter's Cookbook
Chef Louis Cookbook - Bakery Restaurant - Chicago
Harry Caray's Restaurant Cookbook - Chicago
Osteria: Hearty Italian Fare from Rick Tramonto's Kitchen - Chicago
Spiaggia Cookbook - Italian Restaurant - Chicago
Taste of Terrace Hill Cookbook - Des Moines
Beaumont Inn Special Recipes Cookbook - Harrodsburg
Brennan's Cookbook - New Orleans
Commander's Palace Cookbook - New Orleans
Court of Two Sisters Cookbook - New Orleans
Don's Secrets - Don's Seafood and Steakhouse, Lafayette (multiple locations)
Dominique's Fresh Flavors Cookbook - New Orleans
From Our Front Porch, Front Porch Restaurant - Clinton
LeRuth's Front Door Back Door - Gretna
Ralph & Kacoo A Taste of Louisiana - Ralph & Kacoo: The Seafood Restaurant, New Orleans
Simply Elegant: The Cuisine of the Windsor Court Hotel - New Orleans
The Arrows Cookbook - Farmhouse
Cheechako Cookbook - Damariscotta
Blue Ginger - Wellesley
Figs Table - Figs Restaurant - Boston
Nantucket Open-House Cookbook - Que Sera Sarah Restaurant
The Olive's Table Cookbook - Boston (Todd English restaurant)
Signature Recipes of the Hampshire House on Beacon Hill - Hampshire House, Boston
The Common Grill Cookbook - Chelsea
Best Recipes of Minnesota Inns and Restaurants Cookbook
Jasper's Restaurant Kitchen Cookbook - Kansas City
Sugar Hill Farms Cookbook - Blue Eye
Unity Vegetarian Cookbook - Lee's Summit
Victory Rivertown Inn Cookbook - Historic Lexington
Fiamma Italian Cookbook - Restaurant in the MGM Grand - Las Vegas
Pitcher Mountain Inn Cookbook
Restaurants & Recipes New York New Jersey Cookbook
Washington Inn Cooks for Friends Cookbook - Cape May
Cafe Pasqual's Coobook - Santa Fe
Cooking at the Natural Cafe - Santa Fe
El Farol Tapas and Spanish Cuisine - Santa Fe
Harvey House Cookbook: Memories of Dining Along Santa Fe - Santa Fe
In the Pink - Pink Adobe, Santa Fe
Los Barrios Family Cookbook - San Antonio
Pink Adobe Cookbook - Pink Adobe, Santa Fe
Santa Fe Restaurants Recipes Cookbook
Taos Recipe Cookbook
Alfred Portale's Gotham Bar and Grill Cookbook - New York City
Arcadia Seasonal Mural and Cookbook - Manhattan
Cafe Pongo Cookbook - New York City
Cakes & Cowpokes Cookbook - New York Restaurants
Campagna Table Cookbook - Shrub Oak
Charlie Palmer Cookbook - Restaurant Aureole New York
Colony Cookbook
Da Silvano Cookbook - New York City
Daniel's Dish - DANIEL, New York City
Dessert Circus Cookbook - Le Cirque 2000 New York Palace Hotel
Grand Central Oyster Bar & Restaurant Cookbook - New York City
High Heat Cookbook - Beacon Restaurant - New York City
La Bonne Soupe Bistro Restaurant Cookbook
Luchow's Cookbook - German Restaurant - New York
Mezzaluna Cookbook - New York City
Moosewood Cookbook
New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant Cookbook
New York A La Carte - Restaurants
Nuevo Latino Cookbook - Patria Restaurant - Manhattan (Closed)
Patsy's Cookbook - New York City
Rao's Cookbook: Over 100 Years of Italian Home Cooking - East Harlem/Manhattan
Recipes of Grotta Azzurra, New York City - Little Italy
Red Cat Cookbook - The Red Cat, New York City Chelsea district
Restaurants & Recipes New York New Jersey Cookbook
Ritz-Carlton Hotel Restaurant Cookbook
Russian Tea Room Cookbook
Simple Cuisine Cookbook - Chef Lafayette Restaurant
Splendid Fair Cookbook - Four Seasons Restaurant
The "21" Cookbook
Tribeca Grill Cookbook
Union Square Cafe Cookbook - New York
Union Square Cafe Cookbook: Second Helpings - New York
Waldorf Astoria Cookbook
Yo Blacken This - Delta Grill, New York City
Young Man & The Sea - Esca Italian Seafood Restaurant - New York City
Seasoned in the South: Recipes from Crook's Corner and From Home - Chapel Hill
Fearrington House Cookbook
Mama Dip's Kitchen - Chapel Hill NC
Amish Cookbook - Dutchman Restaurant, Walnut Creek
Fin and Feather Resort Restaurant
Jake's Crawfish - Portland
Maren's Pine Tavern Menu and Recipes
Timberline Lodge - Mount Hood
1758 Sun Inn Cookbook - Bethlehem
Famous Dutch Kitchen Restaurant Cookbook - Frackville
Fireside at Glendorn Lodge - Bradford
Frog Commissary Cookbook
Rittenhouse Hotel Cookbook
Cucina Simpatica: Al Fomo Restaurant - Providence
Hoppin' John's Charleston, Beaufort and Savannah Cookbook
Louis Olsteen Charleston Cuisine Cookbook - Charleston
Choices Restaurant - Franklin, Tennessee
Miss Mary Bobo Cookbook - Boarding House - Lynchburg
Taste of Tradition - Opryland Hotel - Nashville
Coyote Cafe Cookbook - Santa Fe Restaurant
Don Imus Ranch Cookbook Kids and Cowboys - Santa Fe
Driskill Hotel - Austin
Excelsior House Cookbook - Jefferson
Matt Martinez Cookbook - El Rancho Restaurant
Pink Adobe Cookbook - Santa Fe
Star Canyon & Aquaknox Cookbook
Under the Mushroom - LIttle Mushroom Restaurant - Dallas
Viva Margarita Cookbook El Paso Chile Co.
Lion House Desserts Cookbook - Salt Lake City
Lion House Recipes Cookbook - Salt Lake City
Blueberry Hill Menu Cookbook
A Taste of the 18th Century - Michie Tavern - Charlottesville
Inn at Little Washington Cookbook - Washington, Virginia
Chez Francoic Cookbook: Cuisine of Alsace - L'Auberge Chez Francois
Ark Restaurant Cookbook
Bay and Ocean ARK Restaurant Cuisine - Seattle
Cafe Nervosa Cookbook - Seattle
For Goodnes Sake - Mary McCrank's Dinner House Recipes - Chehalis
Here's the Beef Cookbook - Seattle
Shoalwater's Finest Dinners - Shelburne Inn, Seattle
Steamliner Diner Cookbook - Bainbridge Island
Ovens of Brittany Cookbook - Restaurants
Carolyn's Recipe Collection: Best of the Bankrupt Bakery" - Sheridan
Even More Top Secret Recipes Cookbook
Great Country Inns of America Cookbook
Hooters Cookbook (The) - Multiple Locations
Hot Spots Cookbook - America's Fiery Foods
McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurant Cookbook
Morton's Steak Bible
Northwest Best Places Cookbook - Restaurants & Inns
Bill's Open Kitchen Cookbook - Sydney
Asian Tapas and Wild Sushi, Raku Restaurant - Vancouver
Taste of Vancouver Cookbook - Restaurants
Jacques Maximin Cookbook - Chantecler Restaurant
Prunier's - The Story of a Great Restaurant
Caffe Gilli - Florence
Villa D'Este - Hotel on Lake Como
Cuisine and Art of Pueblo Bonito - Hotels Mexico
Atomic Cafe Cookbook - Auckland
Antonio Carluccio's Neal Street Restaurant Cookbook
Cooking at the Merchant House - Ludow, Shropshire
La Potiniere and Friends - Great Britain and Scotland
New Jewish Cooking - Bevis Marks restaurant
Traditional Vegetarian Cooking - Crank's Restaurant
Treasury of Great Recipes Cookbook (Mary & Vincent Price)
]]>Cookbook Village often posts best of lists of used cookbooks. This article, 5 Celebrity Singers Who Have Written Cookbooks, exposes some of the surprising singers that can sing and cook. Most of the below cookbooks are signed copies with signature imagery available in our Flickr cookbook covers and chef signatures gallery. See the values of the cookbooks based on our past sales and find out who made the list. We'll give you a hint... our favorite singer is on the list and if you Follow Cookbook Village on Pinterest you'll have noticed him on our Cookbook Village Favorites board.
Read on to see the 5 celebrity singers' cookbooks and the sale price or value of each. We've thrown in a dash of background here and there for good measure. Use our Comments feature below the article to post other celebrity singers that have published cookbooks.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 214 pages
Copyright: 1997
Author: Naomi Judd
Publisher: GT Publishing Corporation
This signed used cookbook sold at Cookbook Village for: $31.01
Another country singer, Naomi Judd, published this Naomi's Home Companion cookbook. She signed quite a few of her cookbooks--we've personally sold two signed copies of her book at Cookbook Village over the years. The book includes a collection of her family recipes from over the years, including a lot of quick meals she made for her famous daughters. Recipes are named after her famous friends and family such as: Ashley's Four-Layered Dessert to Tammy Wynette's Favorite Bus Recipe and Wynonna's Cherry Jell-O Salad. A Naomi Judd signed cookbook seems to fetch more than a Loretta Lynn as Naomi's signed cookbook brought in nearly double the dollars... ringing in at $31.01.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 208 pages
Copyright: 2004
Author: Loretta Lynn
Publisher: Rutledge Hill Press
This signed used cookbook sold at Cookbook Village for: $16.50
Country singer Loretta Lynn published her You're Cookin' It Country cookbook in 2004. It includes 129 of her favorite recipes along with 25 stories including one on entertaining Jack White of the White Stripes (a personal favorite). The value of a signed Loretta Lynn is probably higher than the $16.50 we received. We've spotted her signature on an index card that sold for $30. Guess we are more Jack White than Loretta.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 225 pages
Copyright: 1970
Authors: Liberace and Carol Truax
Publisher: Doubleday
This used cookbook sells for: $30. We have no record of the value of a signed copy but we estimate $60-$100.
Cookbook Village has never owned a copy of Liberace Cooks! but we were inspired by LA Times Food Editor Russ Parsons article and posts on his own collection of signed cookbooks. We were unaware until reading his blog that Liberace had a cookbook. Our collection of signed books we have sold over the years has included all kinds of actors, singers and top chefs, but never the famed Liberace. As Palm Springs enthusiasts we are surprised we've never come across it during our travels to the city of his Winter home. That's where we found our next book on the list. Read on...
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 260 pages
Copyright: 1997
Editors: Frank Sinatra, Barbara Sinatra
Publisher: Barbara Sinatra Children's Center
We would have never guessed that our favorite singer of all time, Frank Sinatra, edited a cookbook of his favorite recipes. We knew he was big on charities but had never guessed cooking was among his other more well-known talents. And, we now love him all the more for it. He just keeps getting better. In addition to cookbooks, Sinatra is the one collecting addiction we still allow ourselves to indulge in. Anyway, we could go on and about Ol' Blue Eyes. His Sinatra Celebrity Cookbook is co-edited with his wife Barbara Sinatra (formerly Barbara Marx). We've heard the recipes in the book are a hit with those who own it and are truly delicious. That's not often the case with a celebrity cookbook (or so we've found). The cookbook includes some dishes from famous celebrity friends including Katharine Hepburn and Kirk Douglas. The book we have available is signed by Barbara Marx Sinatra.
Format: Vinyl softcover with spiral binding.
Copyright: 1982
Authors: Johnny Mathis, Peter Brash and Marge Birch
Publisher: T.E.C. Publishers
This Johnny Mathis signed cookbook sold for: $300
Cookbook Village has a comprehensive cookbook collectibility review on this signed Johnny Mathis Cooking for You Alone Cookbook. We were surprised when we picked up this little book and saw a Mathis signature inside. Wow. What a surprise. We knew we had a true cookbook collector's find but didn't realize just how great it was until we realized it was highly sought after sans signature. Now with the autograph included, it bumped it up to the $300 mark. If we had auctioned it, it may have even gone above it but we opted to list it at a fixed price at the time. For more on this used cookbook treasure, see our review.
]]>Cookbook Village specializes in a variety of categories of used cookbooks. In a survey we conducted on top collectible cookbook categories, signed cookbooks were the top choice of collectible for 10% of our customers, making it the third most desirable category after vintage cookbooks and restaurant cookbooks. Over the past years, we received a good deal of questions regarding the value of a variety of cookbooks, with many asking the impact of a signature or autograph inside the book. This article covers some key information regarding signed cookbooks.
If a chef or celebrity signed cookbook, the value is generally much higher and can go up as much as four times the value of an unsigned copy. If the signature is from an author who is not a public figure, the value generally remains the same as the unsigned copy. There are some chefs that consistently signed their cookbooks through book signing events, special initial release signed editions and similar. The cookbooks with these signatures generally only slightly increase in value. Chef signed cookbooks from chefs such as Martin Yan and Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck, and even Vincent Price (for his coveted cookbook Treasury of Great Recipes) are fairly mainstream and easily found online. A quick search on eBay for a signed Emeril cookbook brings up generally over 100 results.
Chefs with more elusive cookbook autographs are James Beard, Hubert Keller, and Alice Waters. They can be found, but are more difficult to find, thus the values of signed cookbooks tend to be a good deal higher than other signed cookbooks and generally don't stay available online for long.
If you are wondering what some of these autographed cookbooks might fetch, here are some examples of the values of signed cookbooks Cookbook Village has sold in the past (book's condition and sale pricing may vary this value):
These chefs have some of the most creative signatures we've seen to date:
Raymond Oliver
Michel Richard
Alfred Portale
Graham Kerr
Dom DeLuise
Daniel Orr
Louis Szathmary
Frank Davis
]]>This is a sequel post to our popular article Top 10 Most Collectible Cookbooks. Included here are the top classic cookbooks from the past that are consistently searched online on CookbookVillage.com used and vintage cookbook webstore. These cookbooks earn their spot on the list as cookbook classics that have been collected by many throughout the years. They are by no means the highest value cookbooks nor are they the trendy cookbooks of the moment. Still, each is a valuable piece of culinary history.
Each cookbook below has some high level details including the book's value. The list is not ordered. You may also notice some key cookbooks like Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook and others did not make it onto the list. We purposely did not include any of the cookbooks from our earlier article to avoid duplication.
Further note that most of the below books are part of our inventory when available, but quickly sell out. Be sure to check our site next time you are searching for one of these as we receive new stock all the time.
Author: Ruth Berolzheimer (Editor)
Publisher: Garden City Publishing or Consolidated (two different publishers)
Copyright: 1939 First Edition (may state 1938, but the first edition was published in 1939)
Formats: Hardcover
Average Price: $25-$40 (up to $60 for the Victory binding wartime editions)
Notes: This cookbook is at the top of our list for classic vintage cookbooks that stand the test of time. This cookbook is always in demand. As you'll see on our Cookbook Collecting collectibility review of this book, there are many collectors interested in the value and background of this cookbook. There are many editions and bindings of this cookbook which raises a lot of questions about different covers, editions, values, and more.
Author: Better Homes and Gardens (Editors)
Publisher: Meredith Publishing Company
Copyright: 1930 is the first edition. This cookbook was published with several minor variations on the book's title. The cover shown is the most popular of the various covers with the cookware that includes pieces of the title reversed out of the image in white.
Formats: Hardcover (generally a ring-bound binder)
Average Price: $20-$45 for vintage editions -- the 1953 edition is on the high end of the range
Notes: Another popular cookbook classic, Better Homes is one of the cookbooks people love to collect in all its various editions and covers. The cookbook doesn't have as high of a value as some of its equals of the time. However, it is always in demand and many call it their favorite go-to cookbook. If you haven't seen a copy of this book and are familiar with the Betty Crocker's "red pie" cover cookbook, Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook has a similar style and format.
Author: Good Housekeeping (Editors). Some editions state Dorothy Marsh (Editor)
Publisher: Multiple Publishers (Hearst Corporation, Rinehart & Company, Stamford House, International Readers League, and perhaps others)
Copyright: The book shown in our collectibility review is the 1942 edition. Good Housekeeping began publishing cookbooks in 1906. The earliest edition we know of with the same title is the 1933 edition, but we no longer have one in stock to determine if it's the same content as the later editions and indeed the first of this particular book.
Formats: Hardcover
Average Price: $20-$45 for vintage editions. The most valuable editions are the 1944 (top), 1942, and 1933, followed by the black cover 1955 edition.
Notes: Good Housekeeping is literally a household name. We get dozens of requests for specific editions of this truly classic cookbook collectible. Many collectors strive to collect all editions and covers of this book. The value of a single edition isn't particular high, but a nice set of several different editions might double the value if sold as a collection.
Author: Meta Givens
Publisher: J.G. Ferguson Pub. Co
Copyright: 1947
Formats: Hardcover - two volumes (there is also a single book with both volumes). There are dust jackets in the later editions, but the set is not often seen with the jackets intact and they sometimes will take down the price as the books become unrecognizable to purchasers.
Average Price: $20-$40. Condition plays a big role in the outcome of the sale price.
Notes: Though not as widely known as classics like Good Housekeeping or Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, this Meta Givens Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking set is a popular collector's item and very desirable to own as part of a cookbook collection. This type of encyclopedia style cookbook has been published by many, but the Meta Givens set is definitely one of the most desirable, perhaps because of its sheer volume of recipes and information that provide a lifetime's worth of meal choices.
Author: Mrs. Simon Kander (Lizzie Black Kander)
Publisher: J.G. Ferguson Pub. Co
Copyright: 1901 is the first edition
Formats: Hardcover
Average Price: $15-$30. Condition plays a big role in the outcome of the sale price.
Notes: This is perhaps one of the top fundraising/charity cookbooks ever published with many editions being published over the years. It was originally a fundraising cookbook for the Jewish Settlement House in Milwaukee. It ended up being a sort of cooking bible for immigrants coming to America from Eastern Europe. According to an interesting article we found from NPR, the cookbook originally contained few Jewish recipes though many call it a Jewish cookbook. It was evidently revised by Kander over a 40-year period to include foods from around the world, including Jewish holiday recipes.
Author: Ruth Berolzheimer (Editor)
Publisher: Culinary Arts Institute
Copyright:1948 is the first edition. There is a Deluxe edition that was published some time later
Formats: Hardcover
Average Price: $15-$20.
Notes: This is the second encyclopedia style cookbook to make our list. This cookbook classic is another must-have for your collection. It is a huge over 1,000 page cookbook volume filled with so many recipes it will make your head spin (in a good way). This is a great book with pictures, instruction, and recipes.
Author: Blanche S. Rhett, Letti Gay and Helen Woodward
Publisher: Random House
Copyright: 1930 first edition
Formats: Hardcover
Average Price: $30-$40.
Notes: 200 Years of Charleston Cooking is probably the one cookbook to make our list that is more scarce and difficult to find. It's not truly rare, but there aren't mass copies available like there are for many of the other cookbooks on the list. We have been fortunate to have this book appear twice in our store. We include it in this list as it is a solid example of a classic cookbook. It contains a lot of historical information and regional content from Charleston.
Community cookbooks from the Junior League or your local club, church, temple, fraternal organization, or non-profit have evolved to be more than just a means to raise funds. These cookbooks are snapshot of the times and a way for community members to share and document their treasured memories and recipes.
Frequently published in a spiral softcover format in the past, many of today's community cookbooks are near works of art, surpassing in quality books from some of the world's top chefs. Just look at the Junior League of Louisville's Splendor in the Bluegrass cookbook or the stunning Come on In cookbook from the Junior League of Jackson Mississippi.
Cookbook Village carries a broad collection of community cookbooks. We thought it fitting that our article be dedicated to this wonderful genre.
Community cookbooks reviewed by major culinary publications can shape demand with collectors and cookbook fans. We have a long waiting list for Encore! Nashville Junior League cookbook thanks to a Southern Living Community Cookbook of the Month review.
Anything from the Southern States is always in high demand in the Cookbook Village store. We assume it's that amazing Southern cuisine. Peachtree Bouquet and Charleston Receipts are hard to keep in stock for long. Our second copy of 200 Years of Charleston Cooking lasted just days on our shelf. Newly stocked in our webstore from the South are the Atlanta Cooknotes cookbook from the Junior League of Atlanta, the St. Joseph’s Foundation in Savannah’s From Black Tie to Blackeyed Peas Cookbook: Savannah’s Savory Secrets, the vintage cookbook Fascinating Foods from the Deep South from the University Club of Tuscaloosa Alabama, and a beautiful Settings on the Dock of the Bay Cookbook from the Assistance League Bay Area, Texas.
International church and community cookbooks remain a strong trend with collectors. Greek, Italian, German, and Scandinavian cuisines, among other international favorites, compiled by a church international organization or club are in high demand. We just re-stocked this wonderful Swedish Recipes Old and New published by the American Daughters of Chicago cookbook. It is packed with amazing recipe after amazing recipe. Back in stock is a popular hard-to-find vintage 1943 war-time edition of the Russian Cook Book For American Homes from Russian War Relief group. The Polish National American Church Cookbook is a scarce find with mainly Polish recipe favorites from the church located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Jewish temple cookbooks have an avid following among many collectors of this genre of community cookbook. We just got in a big collection from a family friend that was downsizing and are still trying to get all the books posted (thank you Shelia E.). The key here is to not just look for Jewish cookbooks, but to look for those from Jewish temples. We love some of the memorable cover art of these books ... and the recipes are among the best of the best in our eyes. Maarev Temple of Encino, California published one of our favorite covers to date with its Shabbas the Rabbi Ate Cholent cookbook. You Want Maybe A Cookie? cookbook by the Temple Solael Sisterhood in West Hills, California is another cover so reflective of the artwork on many of the Jewish temple cookbooks. It's no wonder collectors love these! Of course, not all Jewish temple cookbooks have humorous or cartoon-style covers. Shaarey Zedek Michigan's From Generation to Generation and Temple Beth Torah of Alhambra, Calfornia's Love is the Main Ingredient cookbook's theme their covers around love and family traditions, as do many other temple recipe books.
Amish cookbooks are a sure bet for collectors as even in an economic downturn, they remain popular. The recipes in these books are simply delicious. We aren't surprised these books almost fly off our shelves. Amish Country Cooking Cookbook from West Kootenai, Rexford, Montana shares favorite recipes from the region's Amish community. Das Dutchman Essenhaus Restaurant’s Amish Country Cookbook is an ever popular regional cookbook from one of the top Amish restaurants in the United States.
SHOP COMMUNITY AND JUNIOR LEAGUE COOKBOOKS
]]>Cookbook Village has posted an article on the cookbooks by celebrity singers, so we thought it only fair to balance it out with cookbooks from our favorite film and television stars. Here are some of the celebrity cookbooks that collectors will enjoy. Some are old, some are new -- all are written by- or centered around some of the world's most respected stars of the screen.
Most of these cookbooks have little value unless, of course, they are autographed. The value changes substantially. A few of the celebrity cookbooks below are available in our used and vintage cookbook web store, while others sold out nearly the minute we posted them at some point in the past year or few.
Enjoy the list. Please use the comment section below to share photos and information on your celebrity cookbooks not covered here. We love show and tell! Please allow 24-48 hours for your comment and image (if applicable) to publish.
Fit for a King, though not authored by Elvis Presley, showcases the recipes that were popular in his Graceland home. Many recipes were from his cook Ms. Alvena Roy. Even the menus for meals served for Elvis and Priscilla Presley's wedding reception are found inside the cookbook. Fans of "The King" will enjoy the black and white photos of him included throughout Fit for a King cookbook. Cookbook Village has sold this popular cookbook several times in the past few years and it never fails to quickly leave our book shelves.
Format: Softcover with spiral binding, 240 pages
Copyright: 1992
Author: Elizabeth McKeon, Ralph Gervitz and Julie Bandy
Publisher: Rutledge Hill Press
This collectible cookbook is available at Cookbook Village for: $11.00.
One of the world's most beautiful celebrities is not only an acclaimed actress, but also a wonderful cook. Her Italian family recipes -- over 100 of them -- are found inside this stunning cookbook Sophia shares photos and anecdotes from her childhood and acting career. Pasta is a favorite for Sophia, and this book includes a nice selection of enticing pasta dishes. Published in 1998, the cookbook isn't a vintage cookbook, but it is still a great find and a wonderful celebrity collectible to own -- especially for those who love to collect celebrity cookbooks.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 209 pages
Copyright: 1998
Author: Sophia Loren
Publisher: GT Publishing
Sophia Loren's cookbook is available at Cookbook Village for: $14.00.
This cookbook from actress ZaSu Pitts continues to be a top searched page on our site time and time again. ZaSu starred opposite Mary Pickford. Next to motion pictures, stage, and television, ZaSu was known for her chocolate fudge and candy making. This cookbook showcases her recipes and tricks of the trade. The cover art displays ZaSu Pitts front and center inside an ornament style illustration. We love the wonderful vintage cover of this 1964 cookbook.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 93 pages
Copyright: 1964
Authors: ZaSu Pitts
Publisher: Duell, Sloane and Pearce
This used cookbook is valued at $25. Cookbook Village sold this cookbook and has no further copies available though you can read more about Candy Hits here.
Dinah shore authored a couple cookbooks, her Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah cookbook is the most popular. Shore was not only a singer, but actress and television personality with her several TV shows. We have listed signed copies of this cookbook and like some of the other cookbooks covered here, the value shoots way up with the signature (as would be expected). Many Dinah Shore fans seek out her cookbooks. We wonder if her inspiration to cook will rub off on Leo DiCaprio now that he purchased her Palm Springs home!
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 179 pages
Copyright: 1976, Twelfth Printing (shown)
Authors: Dinah Shore
Publisher: Doubleday and Company, Inc.
Dinah Shore's cookbook is available at Cookbook Village for: $11.00.
Who doesn't adore this amazing actor? I was lucky enough to attend the American Society of Cinematographers Awards one year and Morgan Freeman was honored that year. He is as elegant, and eloquent, as he is on film. We were happy to see this cookbook come out with Morgan and his friends' favorite Caribbean recipes. The cookbook was beautiful -- we are kind of wishing we'd kept this one for ourselves.
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 260 pages
Copyright: 2006
Author: Morgan Freeman
Publisher: Wendy Wilkinson and Donna Lee
This used cookbook is valued at $25. Cookbook Village sold this cookbook and has no further copies available though you can read more about Morgan Freeman and Friends here.
At one time years ago we had auctioned off a signed copy of this cookbook on eBay. We had no idea then, that Corinne Griffith was a top silent movie actress from the 1920s. The book climbed up over the $100 mark back then and we were surprised to learn the result of the sale. We carried an unsigned copy in the Cookbook Village webstore awhile back and though it quickly sold out, without the signature the cookbook is a standard vintage cookbook valued at a fraction of the signed cookbook. The book was published in 1955 and showcased recipes from many other celebrities including Greta Garbo.
Format: Hardcover and dust jacket, 230 pages
Copyright: 1955
Author: Corinne Griffith
Publisher: Farrar, Strauss and Cudahy
This used cookbook is valued at $15 (signed copies are closer to $75-$100). Cookbook Village sold this cookbook and has no further copies available though you can read more about the cookbook here.
The following is a Cookbook Village article that addresses some frequently asked questions about cookbook collecting and investing. Cookbook collectors are like any other kind of collector--they collect for the thrill of the hunt, the feeling of achievement in terms of building their collection, and lastly as an investment to perhaps pass on to their grandchildren, children, or other family members. Many of the questions have been covered in different areas of our blog. This article brings some of them together to for an useful reference.
This truly depends on the cookbook. Some vintage cookbooks are more recognized without their covers. Larousse Gastronomique, Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, vintage Good Housekeeping editions, and McCall's Cookbook are rarely found with a good condition jacket. These books date to the 60s (or earlier) and were also in many cases, a cookbook used daily in the household. In fact, against reason, we have seen the Julia Child's famed cookbook sell for far more without its jacket. A good copy with the jacket in tact is technically more valuable, but it seems recognition plays heavily into value. Generally when the book has no cover art whatsoever on the cloth, its value goes down. When there is some art and the book can be recognized from it look-and-feel, it all depends on how the book is perceived in the market.
Generally, first editions have a higher value than later editions. This is usually only true of vintage cookbooks or sought after collectibles. For contemporary and newer cookbooks, the edition won't make much of an impact on value. Cookbooks are a lot like cars -- they loose value quickly after the initial trend wears off and then regain value after considered vintage or scarce. For earlier cookbooks from the 1930s-1970s, the first edition and first printing (if printed during several different years) is worth more. When a book is somewhat scarce, the edition may not have as much of an impact on value. Book Club Editions tend to have a substantially lower value than first editions and subsequent editions. In the case of a book like Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking (the first volume), the Book Club Edition (our copy may be sold out, but it includes photos so you can see if you have this special Book Club Edition of the book) has almost as much value as a first edition as it is a special printing of the book and sells for a good deal more than many of the later editions. The American Woman's Cookbook is another example of a book where the various types of bindings and editions makes a big impact on value.
We have an article about figuring out how much your cookbooks are worth that gives quite a bit of information to help you value your collection. In generally, most vintage cookbooks do not exceed the $100 mark. Some antique cookbooks may surpass that. Celebrity signed cookbooks can realize higher selling prices, but again, most are under $100 (except the coveted Johnny Mathis or a signed Julia Child first edition.
The cookbooks that make the best collectibles or investment items are vintage cookbooks from the World War II period; autographed cookbooks (especially celebrity); vintage Betty Crocker, Good Housekeeping, and Better Homes and Gardens cookbooks; church and temple cookbooks, vintage international, community and Junior League cookbooks; antique cookbooks. Shown here at right is a chart showing the categories ranked by their popularity with our customers (see full article on this chart). Many other categories contain some popular collectibles, the above are just some of the more popular categories for collectors.
Though Cookbook Village doesn't buy-in cookbooks or collections, we can help point you in the right direction. Our first recommendation is eBay. In general, is a better choice for collectibles than Amazon or other sites. You will earn closer to the book's market value posting it there. Amazon is a viable option, and is a good one if you have time and patience. From our experience, eBay is a smarter choice for selling cookbook collectibles and can be more immediate. You can sell your entire collection as one lot/set and sell it with little effort. eBay has an easy listing program and you can snap a photo of your collection with your mobile phone's camera. Prepare a list in advance of the books you want to sell, the title of each, author, publisher, dates, condition of the book, and brief description. You will need to figure out your shipping method in advance of listing and the total weight of each cookbook or total collection should you opt to sell the collection as a lot (we recommend USPS Media Mail for books). If you aren't comfortable posting to marketplace sites as a seller, find a local eBay consignment store that will sell the collection there for you. They will generally take a listing fee, plus commission on the sales they make on your behalf. see our cookbook collecting blog.
]]>Here at Cookbook Village we often discuss our love of specific cookbook genres like autographed, vintage, and restaurant cookbooks. We have written dozens of articles related to the topic of cookbook collecting specializations including "top five" or "best-of-the-best" lists on the most popular collectibles in different categories.
Most collectors, like us, have a favorite cookbook category. Sometimes though, we break the mold and purchase a book purely for its artistic flair, unique look-and-feel, or stunning cover design. Yes, it feels a bit shallow when we don't even look at the inside pages--the recipes, the stories, the facts. We inherently understand that it's "what's on the inside that counts." Still, we can't help ourselves from sometimes choosing looks over substance. Sound familiar?
Following is our list of some of the most artistic cookbook collectibles. Once you see the images, you'll understand just why we had to have them. Most of these are somewhat difficult collectibles to find and are current sold out from our store. The good news is that we update our inventory constantly and often see things back on the shelf again over time. Also of note is that we have covered these in our cookbook collectibility reviews our Cookbook Collecting and Reviews store blog.
The Paprikas Weiss store in New York City published one of our all time favorite cookbook covers. We covered this in one of our cookbook reviews, but it didn't fare too well in our collectibility scale. We found it a shame the book wasn't more recognized, noting in our article that "with its beautiful cover art and authentic recipes, it's surprising this book doesn't have a much higher value." Our Pinterest activity on this cookbook image shows others share our love of this beautiful cookbook.
Format: Hardcover, 276 pages
Copyright: 1977
Publisher: Paprikas Weiss Importer
Author: Edward Weiss (Editor)
See Our Cookbook Collectibility Review
This popular vintage collectible cookbook has one of our favorite cover designs. We just love the illustration and layout. It's a cookbook cover that is easily spotted and remembered. The cookbook has lost some of its popularity in the past few years, but we feel it's a worthy collectible based on its artwork alone. Bracken put together humorous cookbooks. Her Saturday Chicken recipe is featured in our blog and is still very popular with our visitors 50+ years after the book was published.
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 276 pages
Copyright: 1960, First Edition
Publisher: Harcourt, Brace & World
Author: Peg Bracken
See Our Cookbook Colletibility Review
We loved this cookbook when we first offered it on Cookbook Village's store site. It was such a special collectible, not only because of its famous author, but because of its amazing cover art. We had a copy of this sweet vintage collectible not long ago, but it was heavily damaged and we opted not to put the copy in our stock of mainly gently used cookbooks. The cookbook was published in 1952 and was authored by Victor Bergeron (aka Trader Vic). The book in itself is fairly inexpensive in terms of vintage cookbooks, but there is almost no way any collector would pass up a copy of this ... and you can see why from this image of its cover.
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 223 pages
Copyright: 1952
Publisher: Doubleday & Company
Author: Trader Vic
See Our Cookbook Collectibility Review
This artwork is just plain old fashioned fun! The simple, yet colorful and delightful illustrations in Irma Walker Ross' Recipes from the East cookbook from 1952 are among our favorites.The book's format is small--like a small pocket paperback size 5-1/2" x 7-1/2". Still, what it lacks in size, it makes up for with charm. Inside the cookbook you'll find small line art color illustrations that are reminiscent of the 50s cookbooks.
Format: Softcover spiral bound, 90 pages
Copyright: 1962, Tenth Printing
Publisher: Charles E. Tuttle Company
Author: Irma Walker Ross
We were extremely excited when we found this cookbook. Others were excited too, as it sold out quickly from the Cookbook Village store. What a lucky customer as this is a special find due to its unique cover illustration. Hats of to The German Village Society for arranging such an amazing cover. Thanks to this cookbook, we also learned something about this unique community in Ohio. We wish we could pay it a visit and try some of the nearby German cuisine.
Format: Softcover spiral bound, 119 pages
Copyright: 1968, First Edition
Publisher: The German Village Society, Inc.
Author: Members of The German Village Society, Columbus Ohio
Cookbook Village receives a lot of e-mail from customers asking us how they can sell their cookbook collectibles. The following article covers some considerations for selling your cookbook collection. Though we do not buy-in from private parties, we are happy to share tips on selling so that customers can enjoy the most value from their cookbooks.
We often get e-mail request for buying-in cookbooks and there is no list attached. Be prepared. You can't spark interest with a buyer or list a vague description of what you are selling. Create a simple old-school list or use a service like eatyourbooks.com to create a library. This will help you stay organized. Later you can reuse details from your catalog in correspondence or sales listings.
Figure out what each cookbook is worth. This can be a challenge if unfamiliar with pricing. We have several articles on our store blog that will help you assign a monetary value to each cookbook. See How Much Are Your Vintage Cookbooks Worth? and our library of articles under Cookbook Collectibility Reviews, and Top 10 Most Collectible Cookbooks and lastly Cookbooks That Fetch the Highest Prices at Auction. Here below are also some general values you can use as a ballpark guideline:
This is one of the top questions we receive. We don't have the perfect answer for you, but can tell you that most used and vintage cookbooks are worth less than $60. There are of course special cookbooks that can sell for several hundred dollars--even a thousand if a rare antique. But, the truth is individual cookbooks are not what will bring you a sudden windfall.
Ever wonder what the most popular categories are for cookbook collecting? We decided to give you a snapshot of some stats we've compiled that illustrate just how each of the Cookbook Village online store's most popular categories stack up with customers. It's no surprise that some of our own favorite categories like vintage, restaurant and autographed cookbooks came out on top.
Source: Publisher's Own Data
]]>Cookbook Village shared this article in our newsletter. We often find newspaper recipe clippings and recipe cards stored inside the pages of the cookbooks we list on the site. Awhile back, we started to save them in hope of perhaps creating a special scrapbook of these treasures left behind. Back in February, we found this article tucked inside one of our vintage cookbooks. The recipe article was published in the former Los Angeles Herald-Examiner newspaper on February 1, 1967.
The recipe, a Valentine's Fudge treat was intended for Valentine's Day gifts you can package and give as a special gift to a love one. We thought it was no coincidence that we discovered this vintage clipping just a few days before Valentine's Day. Anyway, we figured even though Valentine's Day has come and gone -- why not share this special recipe with other holiday gift giving in mind. There are many more occasions where this would be the perfect substitute for cupcakes, cakes, cookies and the other usual baked goods associated with holiday gift giving.
Source: Los Angeles
Herald-Examiner Feb 1, 1967
Serving Size: Makes 2 pounds candy
2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1-1/2 cups (9 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Combine sugar, butter, salt and evaporated milk in a large saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
- Continue boiling and stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Add marshmallows, semi-sweet chocolate chips, pecans and vanilla extract.
- Stir until marshmallows are and chocolate are melted and smoothly blended.
- Pour into a buttered 8-inch square pan.
- Cool before cutting into squares.
In 1969 the first Ralph and Kacoo's seafood restaurants opened in several Louisiana locations including Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Bossier City. Since that time the restaurant has been recognized as serving "The Best Cajun Seafood in Louisiana." The Ralph and Kacoo's Cookbook features recipes from the owners, as well as from their restaurant favorites. It has one of the greatest cookbook covers we've seen around (and we've seen many). We love the book's colorful artwork and playful design, and hence have included it as one of our standouts. We cater to those who collect -- not just recipe lovers, but true cookbook fanatics. When we review, we look at the uniqueness of the cookbook as well as it's popularity, scarcity, and finally its dishes. Inside this fun cookbook is some seriously good cooking ... from the Stuffed Crabs and Marinated Crab Fingers to the Bread Pudding. This cookbook is out of stock.
Author: Ralph & Kacoo Olinde
Publisher: Wimmer Brothers Books
Format: Plastic softcover spiral bound, 348 pages
Copyright: 1984. First printing
Average Price: $10
Ralph & Kacoo Olinde
Multiple Locations
Louisiana: Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Bossier City
Texas: Lufkin
Cuisine: Seafood, Southern, Cajun
Website: http://ralphandkacoos.com
Established: 1969
Dinner at Omar Khayyam's is a cookbook with recipes from the famous San Francisco Armenian restaurant of the same namesake. This vintage cookbook from 1969 includes dishes that amateur chefs can master along with the professionals. It's a popular collectible with local San Franciscans who fondly remember Omar Khayyam's in its glory days. The restaurant's owner George Mardikian is the book's author. The cookbook was originally published in 1944 and has been printed many times over with several editions. Our photo is from the 1969 paperback printing. Some of the favorite dishes included in the book are Lavash (the popular bread served at the restaurant), Paklava, Roast Shank of Lamb, and Haigagan Kebab (Armenian Mystery Package), one of the restaurants most popular dishes. Check our inventory for Dinner at Omar Khayyam's cookbook.
Author: George Mardikian
Publisher: Utah Printing Company
Format: Softcover, 150 pages (1944 First Edition is Hardcover with a Dust Jacket)
Copyright: 1969 Revised Printing
Average Price: 1969 Softcover $15 and similar printings; First Edition Hardcover $25, Signed $50
Omar Khayyam's (no longer in operation)
200 Powell St
San Francisco, California
Cuisine: Armenian, Middle Eastern, African and European
Established: 1932
This cookbook comes from the legendary Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room in Savannah, Georgia. The historic restaurant was once a famous boardinghouse and communal dining room. Today, located at 107 West Jones Street, the establishment still serves family style Southern food to hungry visitors seeking a homestyle meal. Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House cookbook shares recipes from the restaurant and dishes from its former proprietress, Selma Wilkes. Often called the "Julia Child of country cooking," Wilkes is as legendary as her recipes. She frequently autographed her cookbooks. Don't be surprised to find a copy with her "Mrs. Wilkes" signature on the opening or title page. Some of our favorite recipes inside this book are Wilkes' Boarding House Style Biscuits, Fried Chicken, Shrimp Creole, Tuna Corn Chowder, and Pecan Whiskey Cake. Check our web store for Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House cookbook.
Author: Sema Wilkes / Mrs. L.H. Wilkes
Format: Hardcover spiral comb bound
Copyright: 1976 (the 1989 edition contains 53 additional recipes)
Average Price: $15 First Edition and/or Autographed, $6-$10 Other Editions.
Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room
107 West Jones Street
Savannah, Georgia
Phone: 912-232-5997
Cuisine: American / Southern
Website: http://www.mrswilkes.com
Established: 1943
Rain or shine, there's always a line. Sound familiar? If you recognize this claim to fame, you must have dined at Little Joe's restaurant, fourth on our list of nostalgic restaurant cookbooks. This is another culinary blast from San Francisco's past. At the time of writing, Little Joes was located on Broadway. It moved around several times and appears to have landed on Market Street. Customer reviews claim the original was amazing. This cookbook should help resurrect some of those fond memories for dishes like Little Joe's Cannelloni, Meatballs, Lasagne, and Oranges in Liqueur. Check our web store for Little Joe's Italian Cookbook.
Author: Franco Montarelleo
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Format: Paperback, 123 pages
Copyright: 1985
Value: $14-$18
Closed - relocated multiple times
523 Broadway (at time of writing)
San Francisco, California
Cuisine: Italian
Established: 1971
The final cookbook that made our list of nostalgic restaurant cookbooks is The Four Seasons Cookbook. The recipes inside reflect over a decade of culinary genius from the famed New York City restaurant. Dishes served at The Four Seasons are part of seasonal menus of New American cuisine. The first menu was developed in consultation with culinary legend James Beard. It is fitting that the foreword of this cookbook is written by Beard. Recipes in The Four Seasons Cookbook are not for casual cooks. It is noted that they require both practice and patience. Scotch Crepes Four Seasons, Torte Sorrano, Loin of Young Pork with Glazed Apricots, Chartreuse of Vegetables, Soft-Shell Crabs Amandine, The Four Seasons Fancy Cake, are some of the excellent recipes you'll find in the pages of our fifth recommendation for restaurant cookbook collectors. Check our web store for The Four Seasons Cookbook.
Author: Charlotte Adams
Publisher: Crescent Books
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket, 319 pages
Copyright: 1971
Value: $12
The Four Seasons
99 East 52 Street
New York, New York
Phone: 504-899-8221
Cuisine: American
Website: http://fourseasonsrestaurant.com
Established: 1959
Laurie Constantino is a food writer and cookbook author. She also happens to have the cookbook collecting bug that we so often write about on our store blog. Recently, Cookbook Village was fortunate to add a selection of Greek cookbooks to Laurie's expansive collection. Specializing in Greek cuisine, Laurie has over 4,000 cookbooks in her collection, 550 of them are focused on Greek cuisine. She posts her catalog on her website.
After learning about our Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors interview series, Laurie kindly agreed to participate with an interview of her own. The result was a wealth of tips and online resources for collectors, chefs and home cooks. Read on to find out what Laurie shared -- from tips on a website that matches recipes in cookbooks with food on your shelves to info on her new cookbook.
At age five, I made scrambled eggs and knew I’d done magic. I was hooked on cooking. Salads and eggs were my specialties. I learned to bake at eight. On Saturdays, my mother gave me free rein of the kitchen as long as I cleaned up afterwards. I poured over Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book (1963) so often I could recite my favorite recipes by heart.
After leaving home, I cooked pretty much everywhere I lived. Sometimes because no one else knew how, or because no one could make the odd concoctions I favored, but usually because cooking was still magic. It made daily woes vanish into nothingness.
I was always broke, buying cookbooks out of the question. I clipped recipes from newspapers and sent away for free recipe pamphlets (computers and the internet were still years away). I taped the recipes into books of old class notes. I haunted libraries and bookstores, jotting down new recipes for my homemade book. The only “real” cookbooks I owned -- Betty Crocker, Joy of Cooking, Moosewood, and Vegetarian Epicure -- had all been gifts.
I started buying cookbooks after I got my first post-college job. I’d spend lunch hours in bookstores and plan purchases carefully. I cooked through every new book, and bought another only when I exhausted the possibilities in the last new book. I wasn’t yet a collector.
The collecting bug kicked in after I moved to Bethel, Alaska, a remote Eskimo village separated from the state’s Bering Sea coast by miles and miles of wind-swept tundra. In Bethel, I met and married a Greek-American man. Living in a town without bookstores (and still no internet), I sought out a distant bookstore specializing in cookbooks. I wrote to The Food and Wine Library in Ann Arbor, Michigan asking for a catalog. In reply, I had a nice note from owner Jan Longone and a typewritten list of books and cooking ephemera she had for sale. That day, pouring over Jan’s quirky descriptions and wanting way more books than I could afford, I became a collector.
Four thousand, give or take a few hundred
My collection is diverse, but I specialize in Greek cookbooks and am always looking for privately published church, community, family, and restaurant cookbooks. I have about 550 Greek cookbooks; a little over half are privately published. I maintain a bibliography of my Greek cookbooks at LaurieConstantino.Com. I collect Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, North African, Balkan, and vegetable/vegetarian cookbooks. I also buy many books outside those areas because they catch my fancy.
I cook from my books and also use them as writing resources. Since eatyourbooks.com started, I cook from my collection more frequently. For those who haven’t heard of it, Eat Your Books is a terrific subscription service that includes a database of most cookbooks with ISBN numbers (over 110,000). More importantly, the site has fully indexed 3,600 of the most popular English-language cookbooks; that number continues to grow. The index is searchable by a wide range of variables and helps match the food in my refrigerator with recipes in books I haven’t used for years.
I have absolutely no idea. For me, a cookbook’s primary value is in its content and not its sale price.
My favorite changes all the time. My current favorite is called On Greek Hill: A Greco-Appalachian Cookbook by 'leni Turleigh (1982). It has really wild recipes -- there’s one called "Surrealistic Me" that makes me laugh every time I read it. [To make "Surrealistic Me," fill a bowl with marshmallow creme, drizzle it with cold chocolate syrup, sprinkle with peanuts, and wait for the creme to swell up making surrealistic pattern. The decorated marshmallow creme is used as a sweet dip for Butterfingers and Peanut Bars. Best recipe ever?]
I buy cookbooks everywhere they’re found, with all kinds of different prices. I get most excited about unusual content, not price.
I don’t yet have all the Greek cookbooks that have been privately published in the United States. I’m constantly looking for new-to-me titles. I’d be happiest if I had a copy of every such book that has ever been published. I’d most like to find the first Greek community cookbook ever published in the United States (after I figure out the name of that book).
I organize my cookbooks by category. The Greek books are also organized by state/region.
Start buying cookbooks that inspire you to cook or on subjects that interest you. Little by little you will naturally discover which kinds of books you like best. Collect cookbooks for enjoyment and pleasure, not purely for monetary value. Think ahead to where you will store your books. A large collection takes up lots of space and many bookshelves. Learn to cull before your collection takes on a life of its own.
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Laurie Helen Constantino and her husband live in Anchorage, Alaska, and Atsiki, Limnos, a traditional village on a rural Greek island. Mediterranean food plays a starring role in both kitchens and both houses are well stocked with cookbooks. Laurie writes about food at www.laurieconstantino.com (previously Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska). In 2007, her first cookbook "Tastes Like Home: Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska" was published; a 2nd Revised Edition came out in 2011. Currently, Laurie is hard at work on an upcoming book about her Greek cookbook collection.
]]>Many people have sent us messages requesting the value of a found or inherited vintage cookbook. Some of our audience has assumed that if a book is old, it's valuable. This is not always the case. We have had books in stock that copyrighted in the late 1800's that we can't even sell for the price of a contemporary mass market cookbook. The true finds are generally the unassuming, Plain Jane formatted cookbooks that get thrown out in a garage sale. Take two of our top sales -- LeRuth's Restaurant Front Door Back Door Cookbook and Johnny Mathis Cooking for Your Alone. These are both simple community style spiral bound books ... no fancy artwork, no big name publishing house … yet each sold in the $100-$300 range, and were printed in the 70's and 80's. So you may wonder, why did these two books fetch such high prices? The answer takes into account several factors, none of which are their age. Size of the print run, notoriety of the author, condition, online buzz and reviews, and past sale prices all account for the value of these books.
Let us explain. You have an antique book that appears very rare. You look it up on Amazon, eBay or Abebooks. You see just one or two copies available. Wow, the prices are noted as $250. Great … you think to yourself you must have a winner. Wrong. You need to do your homework. Some book dealers list a book at an incredibly high price and others follow. A book's value is the market value -- not the listing price, but the sales price. You need to ensure you understand what your book has sold for in the past. Do eBay searches for Completed Listings. If you can't find past sales, check for the average listing prices on a book comparison site (discussed in the next section).
BookFinder.com is a great resource and not as well known as it's parent company AbeBooks. This website includes cookbook listings from a variety of online resources. You may be overwhelmed by the number of results returned from a search, but can generally view books in similar condition to your own and take notice of the average pricing. Some dealers (both brick-and-mortar and online) will "park" their books online in the off chance of a sale. Be sure to look at the average listing prices and value your own book in the same price range, factoring in condition. Look for books in a similar state as your own. Also, research your cookbook's copyright information, noting edition and printing. Make sure you match your own book's copyright to the same edition and printing. For many rare and collectible cookbooks, a first edition, first printing makes the difference. Betty Crocker vintage cookbooks are a good example of this. Early printings are far more valuable than later printings of the same edition.
If you are lucky enough to have a truly rare cookbook, you may not find it on any of the book sites noted above. We have been fortunate to carry several such cookbooks in our store over the years and believe us, these don't come along often. Many sellers list their items as rare when indeed with some searching, you'll see that the book is more readily available then what's been indicated. A scarce or rare cookbook is generally in the antique category and even then, you may run into it elsewhere. If you see nothing like your own book, you may wish to take it to a professional book appraiser. Many antiquarian booksellers offer appraisal services. We should add that Cookbook Village does not offer an appraisal service.
Though we specialize in vintage and collectible cookbooks, we are not appraisers and don't have the operational capacity to appraise books that come our way. We instead offer information on specific collectible cookbooks through our blog articles. Check the Cookbook Collectibility Reviews section of our Cookbook Collecting blog to see if we have information on your book listed.
Effective April, 2015, we are no longer able to answer questions below on the value of a cookbook or collection.
]]>The Baking and Dessert category is one of Cookbook Village's most popular categories with our customers. We are excited for you to read our interview with Pastry Chef Christine Berl, author of 'The Classic Art of Viennese Pastry.' We knew she would be the perfect subject for our interview series on chefs and cookbook collectors and were fortunate to catch Berl just prior to the release of her second cookbook, 'The Home Baker’s Classic Art of Viennese Pastry.' Berl's unique talent as a Viennese pastry chef brought her all the way from New York to Austria and Tuscany. On that journey she shared her fine strudels and other pastries with some of the world's most acclaimed culinary schools and restaurants, including the Café des Artistes in Manhattan. Berl's talent extends far beyond her cookbooks. Read on to find out why. ...
My first book, 'The Classic Art of Viennese Pastry,' provides American pastry chefs with recipes and techniques for authentic Viennese pastry. Home bakers can benefit from the training provided in the cookbook though the techniques are primarily geared toward a professional skill level. This all changes with my new cookbook, 'The Home Baker's Classic Art of Viennese Pastry.' The book takes a unique approach, emphasizing best practices in pastry baking that reflect Viennese tradition. Particular attention is given to the purity of dough production. Techniques from the past, like strudel-dough-throwing, are also revived. Recipes follow a health-conscious approach, calling for fresh fruit and nuts as a substitute for flour. Many, which are butterless and flourless, reflect the traditional way of preparing formal tortes. The nut influence comes from nearby Turkey; making Viennese pastry different from the pastry of Western Europe ... it’s that Eastern influence.
I only produce Viennese pastry professionally. It is my heritage. I started baking with my mother, a Viennese pastry chef, when I was four or five.
No, I was actually born and raised on Manhattan’s Upper West Side where my mother (who was Austrian) ran a Viennese pastry catering business. I was in Vienna many times with her, both when my grandmother was still living there and again after her death. My father refused to return there because of the Holocaust. I now live in Tuscany where I supply pastries to Italian pasticcerias of distinction in Parma and Rome. I also run the International School of Viennese Pastry.
Definitely the latter. I have provided Viennese pastry for The Austrian Embassy in Washington D.C., Café des Artistes, and have taught at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.
I like 'Notebook of Michel Bras: Desserts' a lot. He lives in a rather wild part of France, as I do in Italy, and collects unusual natural ingredients, which grow wild in the Massif-Central. I try to do the same here in Tuscany because I love natural ingredients and encourage students taking my classes to use the fruits, nuts, and chestnuts that grow here.
I admire Giuliano Bugialli because he brought back purity to Florentine cuisine. That’s what I try to do for Viennese pastry.
I met legendary chef George Lang at the Upper West Side Café des Artistes, which he owned. I was very nervous because I had brought him a rather esoteric Sour Cream Strudel (Milchrahm Strudel) to taste, that was a revival from an earlier time. Being so scared about this meeting that I didn’t even taste the strudel beforehand to make sure it was acceptable, I left the outcome up to fate. Although Chef Lang was in a different room when sampling my recipe, to keep me from interfering with his judgment, when he came out, he just said, without smiling: 'It is excellent. I am putting it on the menu.'
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Christine Berl is a professional pastry chef, cookbook author, and American composer. Her roots in the arts were passed down from her parents. Berl's father, a conductor, pianist, and composer, was the longtime accompanist of legendary Spanish soprano Victoria de los Angeles. Her mother was a pastry chef and Viennese couturiere. Berl received intensive training as a pastry chef and composer, studying with both of her parents, until she attended the Mannes College of Music at age eighteen.
In 1995, Berl's career as a professional pastry chef was put into motion when she began discussing her mother's recipes with publishing house, Van Nostrand Rheinhold. She knew most of the recipes by heart from assisting her mother in her catering business.
Throughout the 1990s, Berl followed in her her mother's footsteps running a catering business from her Upper West Side childhood home on Broadway and 85th Street. She also catered for several Barnes & Noble bookstores, the Café Mozart near West 72nd Street, and the famed Café des Artistes. After the release of her cookbook, 'The Classic Art of Viennese Pastry,' Berl was invited to make her chocolate torte for a large reception at the Austrian Embassy in Washington DC. In that same period she also demonstrated the technique of stretching strudel dough at the Pittsburgh Culinary Institute, where she was photographed and reviewed by the Pittsburgh Star Gazette. Berl also taught classes at Peter Kump’s, New York Institute of Culinary Education, Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, and the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in Massachusetts. She was also a guest chef on FoodNetwork TV. In the late 1990s in New York, Berl prepared her Vanillekipferln for the wife of a cousin of the great Austrian philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein; and in addition, a granddaughter of the Viennese philosopher, Edmund Husserl.
By the year 2000, Berl had purchased a house in Tuscany where she runs the International School of Viennese Pastry. In the years following (until very recently) Berl provided Viennese pastry for Pasticceria Torino, Pasticceria Biaggi in Parma (high end pastry shops in Northern Italy) and Dolce Roma in Rome. This spring, Berl will be teaching at the Culinary Institute of Switzerland near Montreux and Culinaria, a cooking school in Vienna. Her second book on classic Viennese pastry for the home baker will be released in early 2013.
]]>Cookbook Village had the unique opportunity to interview cookbook author Kitty Morse for its Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors interview series. Born in Casablanca, Morse is recognized for her expertise in Moroccan cuisine. She is the author of ten cookbooks, including award winner Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from my Moroccan Kitchen. What fans may not know about Morse is that she not only authors cookbooks, she is also an enthusiastic cookbook collector! Read on to hear first hand some the interesting details Morse shared with us about her collection. Plus, get the scoop on her new book debuting this Fall.
I became interested in cooking when I immigrated to the US, and needed to “feed” my college roommates. I started with the basics: Good Housekeeping, Better Homes and Garden Cookbook, so I could learn American dishes. One of my favorites was The New York Times Cookbook by Craig Claiborne.
Close to 400 (I have donated a partial collection to a university).
My main thrust is on the cuisines of Morocco and North Africa, in English and in French. My tenth book, Mint Tea and Minarets, a Banquet of Moroccan Memories was just published.
Mainly as reference.
A first edition of Fez, Vu par sa Cuisine by Zette Guinaudeau. She wrote the first book on Moroccan cuisine in French. To me, that book is priceless.
It involves Julia Child, as well. I met Julia several times (once cooking alongside her), and when she came to San Diego for a book signing of The Way to Cook, we became involved in such a long conversation that she forgot she had already signed my book. I am perhaps the only one around who has a book signed as Julia Julia Child Child!
I have been looking for the perfect way to organize my books for 30 years! I am stuck in the “by country” mode.
Buy what you love to read and cook!
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Kitty Morse was born in Casablanca, Morocco, of a French mother and British father. She arrived in the United States in 1964 to attend college, and obtained her Master's Degree in French at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. From 1983 to 2007, she organized an annual gastronomic tour to Morocco that included cooking demonstrations in her family home, an Moorish riad in Azemmour, Morocco.
Kitty is the author of ten cookbooks, including the award winning Cooking at the Kasbah: Recipes from my Moroccan Kitchen, now in its ninth printing from Chronicle Books. She turned author/publisher for the second edition of A Biblical Feast. The Vista Farmer’s Market, the oldest in SD County, inspired The California Farm Cookbook, a collection of recipes from California farmers. Kitty still visits the market most Saturday mornings. Her articles on food and travel have appeared in the Eating Well, Cooking Light, Bon Appetit, Sunset, and Fine Cooking. Her latest book, a memoir of Morocco with recipes is titled Mint Tea and Minarets: A Banquet of Moroccan Memories (photo left) and is slated for publication in Fall 2012
]]>Consistently receiving 5 star reviews online, Mrs. Wilke's cookbook, "Famous Recipes from Mrs. Wilkes' Boarding House in Historic Savannah," has remained one of the to selling collectibles at Cookbook Village. We have a hard time keeping it in stock … and it's no wonder. The historic dining room is a top attraction for Savannah's visitors from around the world. Mrs. Sema Wilkes started out served lodgers home-cooked meals at the boarding house and later purchased it with her husband in 1965. Mrs. Wilkes passed away in 2002, but her business lives on through her great-grandson, Ryon Thompson who now runs the timelessly popular establishment. Even President Obama has patronized the restaurant, known for its down-home Southern cooking and family-style meals including Mrs. Wilkes' famous fried chicken, biscuits, mashed potatoes and collard greens. The cookbook is very inexpensive, less than the price of many community cookbooks, but is still considered one of the most collectible by our customers.
Cookbook Information
Author: Sema Wilkes / Mrs. L.H. Wilkes
Format: Hardcover spiral comb bound
Copyright: 1976
Value: $8-$12 Signed; $5-$8 Unsigned
Restaurant Information
Mrs. Wilkes' Dining Room
107 West Jones Street
Savannah, GA 31401
Phone: 912-232-5997
Cuisine: American / Southern
Website: http://www.mrswilkes.com
Years in Operation: 1943 - Present
Grotta Azzurra Inn published a cookbook that soared in final price at our Cookbook Village eBay auction store where we carry some additional cookbooks next to our main online storefront. Established in 1908, the Little Italy-based restaurant was known for attracting famous diners like Rat Pack actor Frank Sinatra and tenor Enrico Caruso. Its cookbook is one of the hard-to-find restaurant cookbooks that strikes up threads online about where to find it. Many swear by the recipes of the original restaurant owners, giving the cookbook almost a cult following among the restaurant's former customers. All of the recipes printed in the cookbook were handed down from father to son since the 1800's, and each stays true to the original recipe. The Grotta Azzurra is world famous for its Italian meals and Italian-style preparation of seafood. Striped Bass Grotta Azzurra, Lobster Fra Diavolo, and Zuppa Di Pence, Spedini A La Romano, Steak, Chicken, and Sausage Contadino, and recipes for many other delicious dishes are featured inside the restaurant's cookbook. In 1977 the restaurant was closed for six years and reopened in 2003, and evidently had new owners.
Cookbook Information
Author: John Davinok
Publisher: Davino Enterprises
Format: Softcover spiral bound
Copyright: 1977
Value: $45-$55
Restaurant Information
Grotta Azzurra Inn
177 Mulberry Street
New York, New York 10013
Phone: 212-925-8775
Cuisine: Italian-American
Website: http://www.bluegrotta.com
Years in Operation: 1908-Present
Established in 1882, New York City German restaurant Luchow's German Cookbook tops in at number three in our list of the top historic restaurant cookbooks. Some of the recipes from the restaurant's menu found inside Mitchell's cookbook are Barbecued Spareribs, Kassler Rippchen Glacé, Hazelnut Torte and Apple Strudel. We love strudel and are dying to try this recipe out. According to Wikipedia, the restaurant's founder August Lüchow was interestingly able to purchase his restaurant with the help of a loan from William Steinway, son of the the piano giant's founder Henry Steinway. After his death in 1923, Luchow's nephew-in-law Victor Eckstein succeeded him. The cookbook's author Jan Mitchell purchased the restaurant from Eckstein in 1950 and later sold it in 1970. In 1986 after new owners moved the business following a 1982 fire, the restaurant could not regain its popularity and was closed.
Cookbook Information
Author: Jan Mitchell (owner 1950-1970)
Publisher: Doubleday & Company, Inc
Format: Hardcover with brown and yellow dust jacket
Copyright: 1952
Value: $20-$25 Signed; $8-$12 Unsigned
Restaurant Information
Luchow's (no longer in operation)
110 East 14th Street
New York, New York
Phone: N/A
Cuisine: German
Website: N/A
Years in Operation: 1882 - 1986
Next on our list of collectible historic restaurant cookbooks is The Russian Tea Room cookbook. A New York institution, the famous establishment was opened in 1927 by members of the Russian Imperial Ballet and has been celebrated on film and TV, along with its famous guests from Dustin Hoffman to Madonna (once a coat check clerk). Originally a tea and pastry shop located on 57th Street in New York City in the 1920's, today the restaurant is known for its continental fine dining, high tea, vodka selection. The cookbook shares all of these elements including recipes for the tea room's Pelmeny Siberian, Bitochki, Blinchiki, Chicken Kiev and even its famous vodka drinks. The cookbook's value like several others in this article, is not particularly high. Collectibility is not jut driven by value, it is driven by demand, availability and several other factors which we outline in our Cookbook Collectibility Ratings http://www.cookbookvillage.com/blogs/cookbook-collecting/5247632-cookbook-collectibility-ratings article on our blog.
Cookbook Information
Authors: Faith Stewart-Gordon and Nika Hazelton
Publisher: Richard Marek Publishers
Format: Softcover
Copyright: 1981
Value: $10-$15 unsigned
Restaurant Information
150 West 57th Street
New York, New York 10019
Phone: 212-581-7100
Cuisine: Tea Room / Russian
Website: http://www.russiantearoomnyc.com
Years in Operation: 1927-Present
The South seems to be at the top of the list in terms of the number of collectible restaurant cookbooks that collectors love to own. What top list of historic restaurant cookbooks would be complete without the Commander's Palace Cookbook? The New Orleans Garden District landmark restaurant serves "Haute Creole" dishes shared in its cookbook--from shrimp remoulade and seafood gumbo to oysters Rockefeller. Collectors and patrons of Commander's Palace especially enjoy this recipe book as it full of some of the finest dishes the South has to offer. Established in 1880 by Emile Commander, this restaurant is the oldest dining establishment to make our list. In 1994, Frank and Elinor Moran purchased the restaurant, expanding its menu and carrying on its fine reputation for excellence Ella, Dottie, Dick and John Brennan ("The Brennans") took over management of the restaurant in 1974 and revamped its decor and design. This cookbook was published by the Brennans. As far as collecting goes, this book is easy to obtain online and readily available, not making it especially collectible in terms of availability or price. Still, per our own ratings system, a final collectibility factor is not only based on availability, but also on investment value and popularity. Surely this recipe book is one of the most popular even in the restaurant category.
Cookbook Information
Author: Ella & Dick Brennan
Publisher: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc.
Format: Hardcover with dust jacket
Copyright: 1984
Value: $20-$25 Signed; $8-$9 Unsigned
Restaurant Information
1403 Washington Avenue
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
Phone: 504-899-8221
Cuisine: American / Southern
Website: http://www.commanderspalace.com
Years in Operation: 1880-Present
Cookbook Village is excited to post this interview with MasterChef contestant Jessica Glenn for our latest "Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors" article. Our series has seen the likes of all types of collectors: a chef and historical cooking instructor, a comedienne, an antique glass dealer and our original collector, Don Rahm, who has over 4,000 cookbooks. Huge fans of the MasterChef reality cooking show on FOX, we couldn't wait to talk with Jessica, a contestant of the show who likens using a cookbook to "reading a novel." Read on to hear Jessica's story. We were fascinated by her lifestyle.
I applied for MasterChef at the urging of my kids at the end of the last series. I am a passionate loca-vore - we have chickens, greenhouse/cold frames for year-round gardening and a beehive in our urban lot sized yard! At various times I have also raised meat rabbits and goats for milk in a larger urban sized yard (less than 1/2 acre). I've heard a lot of chefs talking about eating local, but I wanted to represent practical ways to eat local out of your own yard. Even with a family and a job. I have no interest in being a professional chef; I love working with books! But, I would like to write a cookbook with local recipes all year long from the various regions of the US from Dandelion salad greens in the spring in Vermont to Venison jerky in the fall in Alaska.
I have always cooked because I spent a lot of time with my mother (who is a cook) in the kitchen. She and I are what I would describe as intuition-based cooks, that is to say, we don't tend to follow recipes exactly. For me, cookbooks are more about ideas of new foods and recipes that I will recreate in my own way. Cookbooks are incredibly helpful to me for making a weekly menu: something I consider extremely important if you want to have a well organized family dinner each night.
I have probably 50 cookbooks
I don't have a specialization for cookbooks but they fall into a number of categories. First, if I am in a bookstore I always find myself drifting to the cookbook section. Trying to be practical (rather than grabbing the first 20 books I see), I usually buy a book from an ethnic cuisine I don't know very well. Some hits some misses with this technique! Then, I have the Alice Waters cookbooks and the Madhur Jaffrey books. These are books that I really cook out of. I learned a lot of technique from Jaffrey's books and a lot about produce recipes from Alice Waters that are easily amended to the season (plus I love her philosophy). Lastly, I have a great number of cookbooks that were my grandmother's from the 40's through the 60's. She was not much of a cook and the recipes, in general, are awful! But I love the notes she makes in the margins and the randomness of her cookbooks always makes me laugh. How many people have a copy of '1000 snacks?'
Mostly to read and for weekly home menu help. I honestly read them like novels.
Hmm... I would have to say my grandmother's well worn copy of 'The Settlement Cookbook (The Way to a Man's Heart)' And it's value...? Priceless ;)
I admit I'm biased but my favorite cookbook is the one my mother wrote, 'Throw A Great Party: Inspired by Evenings in Paris with Jim Haynes' by Mary Bartlett. The cool thing about this cookbook is that the recipes are for a crowd - for either 25 or 100 servings. I have a fair number of foodie parties and I use this book all the time. My mom (Mary Bartlett) still cooks for the very popular Parisian Salon where these recipes are regularly used. The book has a good amount of culinary diversity, quite a lot of finesse and plenty of good ole' crowd pleasing recipes. You can't go wrong. And if you happen to be in Paris, go to dinner at Jim's. You won't regret it!
I'd like to see the cookbook I want to write! We'll see how long it takes me to 'find' it.
I have a bookcase in my kitchen, which may seem funny to people but I love having books in every room. They are definitely not organized alphabetically!
I don't think I have advice for the serious collector but for the sentimental collector, such as myself, remind yourself to take care of old books. They may not seem worth it in your 20's but then in your 30's or 40's you may fall in love!
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Jessica Glenn (http://www.mindbuckmedia.com) is originally from DC but moved to Portland to attend Reed College in '91. As book publicist, cook, squirrel whisperer, musician, and inventor, she's happy to wear a lot of hats at the same time. Jessica's book publicity company of six years, MindBuck Media, produced two bestsellers in 2011. Between chasing around her three teens (13, 13 and 15) and serving on the board of directors to the OHSU's Family Healthcare at Richmond for low income patients, Jessica Glenn uses her wide network of media contacts to ensure the highest level of success possible for authors and their publishing companies using print, television, web 2.0, radio and guerrilla strategies.
See Jessica Glenn's interview about MasterChef on FOX.
Photo: Cheyenne Montgomery
]]>Our Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors interview series features a special collector this week, stand-up comedienne and cookbook author, Cheril Vendetti. She has appeared at the World Famous Comedy Store in Hollywood and on stage at a variety of Vegas hotels and comedy venues. Vendetti is a Clio award-winner with several film and television credits under her belt. Next to her busy touring schedule, she recently published a combination novella-and-cookbook called "Mistress of the Mob Cuisine." The cookbook spotlights twelve members of the Vendetti crime family and two wanna-bes -- all fictional characters based on her real life family members. We are excited to share Vendetti's interview on cookbook collecting with you. Read on to hear all about it.
My brother David and I were very close growing up. When we were small children, he would always tell me that I had a gift for making people laugh. My first cookbook was from David. It was a black and white cookbook by Kate Smith he found at a garage sale. He told me "Sha, you gotta write your own line of comedy cookbooks about the Italian culture." Anyway, soon after receiving the gift from my brother, I started collecting cookbooks. That was over 20 years ago!
So many I rent out my neighbors kitchen. I have about two thousand. It drives my partner nuts!
I collect any book that has a recipe in it.
Both. Some I cook and some I look at some of the recipes. You need to own stock in Williams-Sonoma to buy what you need in a recipe.
I'm not sure. I never had them appraised, but would have to say the Kate Smith black and white my brother David gave me. It has sentimental value which is priceless.
I would have to say The Soprano's cookbooks as I'm Italian and I owe my people. I love The Mafia Cookbook and The WASP cookbook which my sister Kathy gave me for Christmas one year. I love cookbooks that are different and unique.
Well, I was at a garage sale in the deep south and there was a big box of old Barry Manilow records (poor Barry) and underneath all the albums was "Eat This" by Dom DeLuise for 10 cents. It was unreal as my brother's friend gave him a copy. However, I wanted my own and there it was and no, I did not buy the Barry just the Dom.
It is a cookbook that was written in the 50's and had great illustrations in it. I saw it once on Amazon, but did not write down the name. When I went back to find it, it was gone! I still have the image in my head. So if I saw it, I would know it. I was in bed for three days depressed over that. I know ... I have to get a life!
I do it by grease stains. The ones that have been used the most to the ones I do not touch as I don't want to ruin the gorgeous photos.
Yes, you need to buy my book" Mistress of the Mob Cuisine," as it is a unique twist on a cookbook. Funny titles such as "I Saw The Blessed Mother In My Lasagna" to "Rosary Beans," are used to describe some of the 75 authentic "family" recipes in my book. All dishes are to die for (as many people did when helping me with this book 'cuz I drove them crazy). It has wonderful illustrations that are based on the family I wish I had, The Vendetti Culinary Crime Family, and beautiful colored food photos. It smells like garlic. It is the first of a trilogy of this family and a great collectors item. I think collecting cookbooks keeps you out of trouble and keeps you grounded to a tradition that is lost in modern technology and a wonderful gift to give to our children.
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Cheril is currently on Kickstarter promoting her cookbook novella "Mistress of the Mob Cuisine." She participates in talk show segments on "Chaos in the Kitchen" as The Comic that Cooks. Cheril has been a guest on the CW'S Daily Buzz, Sac & Co., Good Day Texas, OKC Live, Good Morning Arkansas, and many radio shows. Her cookbook can be purchased for $30 from her Kickstarter page.
Purchase "Mistress of the Mob Cuisine"
www.CherilVendetti.com
www.Facebook.com/CherilVendetti
www.Twitter.com/CherilVendetti
This review discusses The American Woman's Cook Book, a vintage cookbook published originally in 1939. The cookbook has been printed in several editions and bindings, including most notably the wartime Victory binding and the National binding. The Victory binding includes a dedication to General Douglas McArthur. The wartime Victory binding editions tend to have the highest value, though there is a boxed edition that We've seen sell for over $100. We've also seen a Domestic Arts editon with a wonderful art deco style cover.
Some of our details below reference the edition shown which is the 1948 National Binding. Our copy has dark blue cover boards. The first edition has a medium forest green cover with a series of vertical stripes on on the left side and a single stripe on the right side through the title and editor's name. Some early editions note the copyright as 1938, but the first edition was published in 1939.
Cookbook Title: The American Woman's Cook Book
Author: Edited by Ruth Berolzheimer
Publisher: Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. (some editions were published by Consolidated)
Copyright: 1948 (edition shown in photo is the 1948 National Binding)
Format: Hardcover, 823 pages
Specialization Categories: Vintage Cookbooks
Average Price: $20 (the Domestic Arts edition and 1942 boxed wartime Victory Binding are valued average $25-$40)
COOKBOOK COLLECTIBILITY RATINGS RATINGS EXPLAINED
Availability: 6.0
Popularity: 6.0
Investment Outlook: 7.0
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Final Collectibility Factor: 6.33
This cookbook is widely available on the Internet as there are numerous editions and bindings available. Because it's not mass market and still a vintage book, we give it an availability rating of 6.0. The more sought after boxed Victory binding form 1942 is much more difficult to find and has a higher score than the availability rating we use here as our average covering all editions. Most used cookbook stores (Cookbook Village included) have copies of this book available.
Among collectors of vintage cookbooks, this is one of the staples in every collector's collection. It is on par with a Betty Crocker's Cook Book or Joy of Cooking in the sense that it is a classic cookbook, loaded from beginning to end with recipes for all sorts of American dishes. We give it a 6.0 rating for popularity as it is not a household name among those that enjoy mainly contemporary cookery books.
This book has generally held on to its value. We've seen several collectibles decline in value over the past several years. A few have managed to bounce back in this past year. The American Woman's Cook Book remains somewhat steady around $20 on up dependent upon the edition (as noted above). We believe that it will continue to hold its value and increase down the road when the economy hopefully makes a comeback. If anything, we do believe wartime editions of this book will definitely go up in value over time.
As noted, this book is a vintage classic and should be part of a collector's collection. If you are truly looking to collect for investment purposes, seek out the boxed Victory binding WWII edition from 1942. Some collectors strive to obtain all editions. (If you are one of them, we'd love to interview you as part of our "Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors" interview series. Please contact us via comment below or through our Contact page form.)
1962 National Binding, 1951 New and Revised Edition, 1943 Wartime Edition Victory Binding (as shown left to right below)
]]>Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors is a Cookbook Village interview series with passionate collectors. This week, we were fortunate to interview Daniel Hooberry, chef/owner of Bistro 1876 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Daniel is a culinary historian and offers historical cooking instruction and catering. His specialty is the Victorian era. Here in our interview, Daniel shares some of his insights with our readers and customers.
I didn't originally start out collecting cookbooks. I had changed professions to do something that I enjoyed doing, and attended culinary school. After attending school, I grew more interested in the knowledge provided in books, and picked up more and more of them along with receiving them as gifts.
I have approximately 1,100 books in my collection, and it's still growing.
I collect all sorts of books according to how they appeal to me. The books that I collect the most now are from the 1300's to the 1910, most are from the Victorian era. The earlier cookbooks are e-books, as to there are only a few of the printed books in existence. Some of the digital books were translated to English. Others I have to translate myself in order to use them.
I collect to use them and to learn and conduct research.
The ones that are the most valuable to me are Mrs. Beeton's Household Management printed 1893 and a first printing of The Epicurean. I have several others, but I do not keep up with the individual value as I do not plan to sell them.
My favorite is Mrs. Beeton's Household Management that shows how a house should be run in the late 1800's. From cooking and ingredients all the way down to how to take care of the sick and watch over the house.
My best bargain was for an early printing of Larousse Gastronomique that I bought on eBay in a collection of roughly 20 cookbooks for $12.
There are quite a few. The one that I would like to find at a good price is a cookbook called The Grocer's Encyclopedia. It was compiled by Artemas Ward, the former editor of The National Grocer, printed in 1911.
I keep my books in my office. I am in the process of getting new shelves to be able to organize them better by age and content.
Figure out the cookbook niche that you are the most interested in. There are so many books to distract you from the focus of your collection. Be careful or your funds for collecting will be eaten up by books that are not of the type you have defined in your niche.
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Daniel Hooberry is the Chef/Owner of Bistro 1876 in Shelbyville, Tennessee. Bistro 1876 offers culinary lessons, historical cooking instruction, and catering for events, romantic dinners, and food enthusiasts desiring Victorian style cooking today. You can reach Bistro 1876 at (615) 569-3651 or by e-mail: bistro1876@gmail.com. Visit the Bistro 1876 Facebook page for more information.
]]>Cookbook Village, as part of its Spotlight on Cookbook Collectors interview series had the opportunity to hear from cookbook collector Sandy Bridwell-Walker. Sandy is an antique glass dealer/researcher located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in Texas. We feel fortunate to share her story and insights with our store customers and blog readers.
I’m not really sure. As most people do, I had accumulated a few cookbooks to use, but then one day realized it had grown beyond that and was now a collection ... and continues to this day. The cooking section is always the first one I hit in any bookstore or used bookstore.
I’m not totally sure. I stopped counting a few years ago at almost 600.
I lean toward the vintage cookbooks, but also buy current books. I particularly like the books put out by local groups, churches, associations, etc.
Both – even my vintage cookbooks turn up recipes I try – although many are a little esoteric to actually use. And, while I do enjoy nice pictures in a cookbook, the words are more important. I can easily envision a picture of something in my mind – but filling in the missing blanks in text presentation is a tad bit difficult. I have been known to sit and read a cookbook front to back as if it were a novel.
That’s actually a tough question to answer. I’ve never really researched the value dollar wise of my books, but if I had to guess it would probably be one of my Vincent Price cookbooks. To me, the value of a book is in the inspiration and guidance it provides. And the memories it evokes. So, money aside, I’d have to say my most valuable is the notebook of my grandmother’s and mother’s recipes … to me, priceless.
Probably 'Eat, Drink And Be Merry In Maryland' by Frederick Philip Stieff – 1932. One of the things I like most about the vast majority of my cookbooks, is the insight it gives to society of that time. This book, in particular, is a wonderful commentary on not only the cuisine but the way of life in the culinary history of the area. Some of the recipes are a bit 'intriguing,' and the illustrations throughout the book wonderful.
From my oldest cookbook, 'Mrs. Owens’ Cookbook and Useful Hints for the Household' 1883, to my newest, each in it’s own way opens the doors to life of that era and not only what they ate, but how they lived.
While not nearly as exciting as your example, probably the time I visited a used book store and walked out with 13 cookbooks, early 1950’s and older for the princely sum of $20 made for many enjoyable hours of reading.
Not really – until it leaps off the shelf and says 'take me home,' I don’t know that I 'need' it.
Actually a combination of both. The really old one’s are grouped, then the rest are first broken down into general categories (technique, ingredient, country, etc.), then by somewhat narrower category – i.e. Baking, then muffins, cakes, cookies, bread, etc.).
The same advice I give people who ask what to collect in antique glass – collect what speaks to you.
]]>My grandmother left me her favorite cookbook and a 50+ year old Lodge cast iron skillet as my special bequest. I still have both and use the pan frequently.
A little over 4,000. I am in the process of cataloging them due to a computer crash.
When I started it was the Mediterranean cuisines and autographed ones. Now I just look for something that interests me.
Most are to just have. I have two bookshelves for using books and probably use 10% of those. I do use a copy of the book my grandmother left me. I just update the recipes to fit my current diet. Her copy is kept with the special books.
I have a copy of 'Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home' that is signed by both of Julia Child and Jacques Pepin. I bought it from a man closing his mother's estate in New Jersey. She owned a bookstore. I paid $300 and turned down $500 a couple of weeks later. I also have a copy of Sophia Loren's 'Recipes and Memories' that is signed. I received it early in my collecting days, when I would buy boxes of unknown cookbooks at a very low price. The seller did not know the titles in the boxes.
I have a first edition of 'Joy of Cooking' and a first edition of Julia Child's 'Mastering the Art of French Cooking.' I don't use either book, as I have several subsequent editions of both. At the time I purchased both, true first editions were hard to find. I also have two sets of a two pamphlet cookbook by Julia Child and used as a promotion by Dove soap.
Besides the Sophia Loren book, I have a copy of Mary & Vincent Price's 'A Treasury of Great Recipes' that is signed. I bought it on eBay and the seller did not mention it was signed. I paid $25 for it. At the time that was about the going price for unsigned copies.
If so, what is the title and author and what makes it special? Right now my collecting is in a bit of a hiatus. I recently retired and am learning how to do that. I also am doing a considerable amount of home repair and remodel. I would like to improve my signed collection, which is about 320 books right now.
I have a group of shelves dedicated to the signed and valuable, another group to healthy lifestyle and eating, another group to pamphlets and serial books, (Good Housekeeping, Bon Appetit etc.) and the two bookshelves of using books. The rest of the books are not as organized as I would like, but that is next winter's project to alphabetize the balance.
Using my history as a guide, I would recommend three things:
Signature and bio of chef Hubert Keller, author of The Cuisine of Hubert Keller. Keller is a French-born chef, well known for his restaurants Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, California and Burger Bar in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is often a guest judge on the hit culinary reality series Top Chef.
Wow, what a different a hit TV series and restaurant make. Cookbook Viilage sold this signed copy of Keller's The Cuisine of Hubert Keller cookbook back in 2008 to one of our favorite customers (and huge cookbook collector). Little did we know how media fame would boost the value of Keller's signed cookbook. We sold it for just around $10 at auction on eBay. Now a signed Keller goes closer to the $80-$100 mark. We've always said that cookbook collecting is an investment like any other. Here's the proof...the cookbook went up 8-10 times in value. Anyway, we are glad it went to a good home.
Chef Hubert Keller was born in Alsace France. After graduating from École Hoteliere in Strasbourg, he was employed as a pastry chef in several international restaurants from France to Brazil. Keller trained under some legendary chefs including Paul Bocuse and Paul Haeberlin. He later made his way to the United States to manage the kitchens at Roger Verge's Sutter 500 restaurant in San Francisco (now closed). Just a few years later, he opened Fleur de Lys in San Francsico, a top-ranked restaurant by many culinary authorities and media. Burger Bar was his next achievement, opening in Las Vegas. Additionally, he opened Fleur in Las Vegas and several more Burger Bar locations including St. Louis, San Francisco and Beijing China (opening in 2012). Keller has numerous awards including the James Bear Foundation/Perrier-Jouet award for America's Best Chef in California and the James Beard Foundations, Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America lifetime achievement. TV show appearances on Secrets of a Chef, Top Chef Masters and Top Chef (guest judge) have made Keller a popular celebrity chef.
Website Hubert Keller
Join Hubert Keller on Facebook
Average Price Used = $50
Average Price Used and Signed =$80
Signature chef Hubert Keller
]]>Cookbook Village had to share this fantastic find. Besides cookbooks, occasionally a vintage kitchen appliance catches our eye. We spotted this Art Deco 1930's Everhot Roaster on a vintage store display and had to have it. The photo doesn't do the design justice. We collect more than cook but we took this home anyway.
This beauty came with its original recipe booklet that seems to go for $20 plus on its own. Who knew there are so many vintage roaster collectors but we came across several helpful sites which put our roaster into the mid to late 1930's. Roaster fans...if you are reading this and know something about our roaster (date and value) we'd love to hear from you. We are stumped other than Everhot, 1930's, and model 680 Series A.
For those of you with any roaster, here's an interesting recipe from inside the booklet. We assume it can be replicated in other roasters. Hopefully when we plug our roaster in, it will work well enough to try this.
Cookbook Village store sold this scarce collectible cookbook from Chef Warren Leruth. Leruth was the owner of LeRuth's restaurant in Gretna, Louisiana. Both Leruth and his restaurant remain legendary in the culinary world. The cookbook, LeRuth's Front Door Back Door Cook Book is nearly non-existent on the web. Cookbook Village was fortunate to find a copy of this rare 40-page cookbook. We thought we'd cover it here on our blog before posting it to our store.
Collectors and culinary enthusiasts should enjoy it. If your collecting specialization is regional (New Orleans, Southern, etc.) or based on cuisine style (Cajun, French, etc.) this is the book most certainly for you. We expect once posted it won't be available for long. The cookbook is only 40 pages in length but each and every one of Warren Leruth's recipes is precious. Those who followed his cooking style know the book's true value.
Notice anything unusual about the image? The title appears as LeRuth's Back Door Front Door Cook Book yet our title is the other way around. The cookbook is designed with one side of the book beginning with Front Door, while the other side starts with Back Door. The pages may appear to be upside down if you don't notice it's format is meant to be read part way from front to back and the rest from back to front. At first we didn't get it and thought we had a misprint on our hands.
Format: Paperback spiral bound, 40 pages.
Copyright: 1976 Fifth Printing
Publisher: Warren LeRuth
Author: Warren LeRuth
Description: In the menus in LeRuth's Front Door Back Door Cookbook, the restaurant's proprietaire Warren LeRuth, gives you the makings of several fine dinners just as they are cooked at the Gretna, Louisiana restaurant. Crepes ala Ritz, Beignets with New Crop Syrup, Estelle's Pecan Pie and several more recipes are included in this 40 page cookbook.
A chef, restaurateur and food scientist, Leruth re-inspired French-Creole cooking. He was born in New Orleans and opened LeRuth's restaurant in his hometown in 1965. The restaurant combined traditional New Orleans cuisine with French technique (Leruth was of Belgian ancestry). Considered by many to be the greatest chef of the region, Leruth was also developed recipes for many commercial products and food companies, including Green Goddess dressing for Seven Seas and red rice and dirty beans for Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. He passed away in 2001 at the age of 72, but lives on through his legendary cuisine. His restaurant which opened on June 10, 1966 and was closed down years before his death.
]]>This Shrimp Cashew Salad Recipe is a Cookbook Village favorite and has been developed using fat-free ingredients, where possible. The best part about it is it can be made in under 10 minutes and tastes like a restaurant quality meal. Two of us devour the entire dish by ourselves so make sure to make extra if you are eating this as a main course. It is so good you won't be able to stop eating it so when in doubt, make more.
For those of you who don't like peas (we use the Petit Peas), you may want to pass. The recipe though not focused specifically on peas, just wouldn't taste the same without them. The one ingredient that I think could be skipped to really create a low-cal meal would be the cashews. One of us (ahem...Ruben) thinks those are the best part of the dish so he would be pretty crushed if they were suddenly no longer in the recipe. Please enjoy this recipe favorite. As always, we ask for your feedback if get a chance to try this Shrimp Cashew Salad recipe out. There is an ability to add comments on any of our articles.
Serves up to 2-6 (if eaten as complete meal, serves 2. If side dish serves 4-6)
Photo shown is stock photography and not the actual end result.
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