I'd like to share some info about a type or category of cookbook that sometimes get overlooked but is an absolute favorite of mine. Sometimes refered to as books for the young housekeeper, cookery, or domestic receipt books, they are a true goldmine of information. They are for the most part classified as usually being published before 1901 (tail-end of the Victorian age) and almost always having 1 or more sections included other than recipes. The sections can include home remedies, housekeeping tips and schedules, home laundering instructions, marketing and menu planning, childbirth and nursing information, and the very common etiquette or social rules chapter. There's a reason I refer to these babies as the "one stop shops" or "all in one" antique cookbooks.
There's definitely cookbooks with subjects like these being published after 1901 and they are fabulous in their own right, there's also with later printings of the old hard to find originals that do have a place in a collectors world, but for now lets focus on the . Word of caution though, everybody has their own definition of the word "antique" and "vintage" and even though "generally" vintage is known for being 20 years or older. "Antique" is a little harder to nail down, being divided into 50% of collectors thinking 50 years or older and 50% thinking it's 100 years and older, but to the general public, the ones that have the bulk of the market, it seems to be anything older than yesterday. Please be forewarned that there are some (non-collector) sellers throwing the word "antique" on their 70's BH&G's and Taste of Home cookbooks, and really it IS inevitable that you will have to just hunker down and weed out all the Atkins and Jenny Craig's if your looking to purchase old cookbooks online to save money.
Speaking of weeding out, also be on guard for all the *expletive* Pdf files of download able cookbooks some nasty and unethical sellers are trying to get you to buy, trying to make it seem like your buying an actual printed book but after purchasing finding out it's only a cesspool of typos and bad grammar that would make Mrs. Beeton herself want to strangle someone. A general rule of mine though is "if it doesn't have a picture of the actual book itself, I'm not buying". That weeds out generally about 75% of them as the majority usually have (the same) stock cover photo attached to the listings along with INSANE prices leading you to think it's the real deal. This goes for current reprints as well, available at big box book stores. So let's say you found one, YAY! and it's one that you've been looking for or maybe it just looks cool, the next step is to determine the condition, and yes it matters, as finding it is just half the battle. Condition is what really puts a value to the cookbook and tells you what you should spend. The rarer the cookbook, the more forgiveness is allotted to the condition. Same generally goes for age, the older it is, obviously the more wear it will have. BUT and this is a big but, and I understand it will be different for every collector but I will almost never buy a cookbook with loose pages or detached covers. Unless we're talking a 1700's Hannah Glasse or another one of a kind equivalent, where I shall not even think twice, generally these specific issues are too big to forgive. Remember these are investments! I recommend having an idea in your head and also price limits beforehand, as it's EXTREMELY easy to get excited and get caught up in that "omg, I have to buy it now before someone else does" feeling. Next thing you know you have it in your hands and are trying to hold back tears because it smells like mold, missing 12 pages and the cover came off while trying to open it. In my opinion, if I'm going to spend the kind of money that comes with some of these precious books, I'm going to get exactly what I want and then some, and if that means I might have to wait another 6 months until all the stars align and the right copy is available to me at the right time then so be it, it's what makes it exciting and I love that "treasure -hunting" feeling! I'll be going into the 2nd half of this post and what's exactly found in these historic cookbooks, along with recipes, some household tips and remedies and more pics later tonight:)
I just posted 2 recipes I found written in the back of a copy of The Rumford Cookbook in the "Just Recipes" page. One is for Wockey Cake with a recipe for the frosting, and one for Cranberry Pie just in time for the holidays! Let me know what you think!
New delicious treats posted in the "Just Recipes" page! Check them out and let me know what you think! Somebody really needs to try out that Peanut Butter Soup recipe and let me know how it turns out, I saw it and thought it sounded very interesting. If I am able to make it I'll let you know what the family thought:)
Ok, I was flipping through one of my favorites and saw a recipe for Springerlie. I've seen this recipe before and know it's a cookie that comes from Germany and is usually made around Christmas time but I
was wondering about the lady that wrote this recipe book and when I was reading this paticular recipe all of a sudden at the bottom read; "This recipe has been in our family for 50 years and came from Germany." Now mind you this was written in the early 40's. I'm not even joking when I say I got the chills. I feel like a great part of
collecting these treasures is to save these family heirlooms for future generations. It's kinda our responsibility, anybody else feel the same?
This week I'm going to do a series showing examples of kitchens of the pasts. This idea came from encountering some people who *gasp* were wondering why some of us have such a love affair with vintage cookbooks. Yes they're out there!
For me one of the reasons is getting that knock down reality check that we all sometimes need when we think we have it hard. I think about the amount of love that the mothers and wives of the past would've had to have had to keep cooking day after day with none of the time saving equipment we take for granted today. It's one thing to say it must of been hard work but it's another to actually see what little they were working with and to imagine ourselves attempting to do it.
We see recipes today that have changed little over the years except in the way they are prepared and that is the part that we forget, the absolutely amazing unsaid preperations behind what are more than a just list of ingredients. To bake a cake in the 17th century meant to do it over an open flame and gauging temperaturing by sticking a piece of paper in and seeing how long it took to brown or sometimes ev
en your hand went in, if you were a good cook. Can you imagine the watching and the waiting, even simple things like the adjusting of temperature took time and work, you didn't turn a knob like today, but had to add more wood or open your flue and you used ingredients that were precious and expensive and couldn't be purchased again if mistakes were made. Such pressure!
So when I come across an early cookbook and see notes about what worked and what didn't, I think that this recipe or this cookbook that I hold in my hands must be good if she went through all that she did and made it. Enjoy and let me know what you think:)
Here it is, one of the jewels! The White House Cook Book written by Hugo Ziemann who was once upon a time the steward of the White House, and Mrs. F.L. Gillette. It is a cookbook treasure that has a special place in cookbook collectors hearts. It's a hefty one with 609 pages and packed with cooking, toilet and household recipes, menus, dinner-giving tips, table etiqutte, care of the sick, health suggestions, facts worth knowing and etc. Also has pic of Helen Axson Wilson, this classic cokbook would put the current First Lady at the time of publishing on the title page. This copy also has pics of Helen Herron Taft and Frances Folsom Cleveland.
This recipe is from one of the best cookbooks I have, it's from my personal collection and the lady that lovingly wrote down every single recipe is from my neck of the woods to make this cookbook extra special to me. I have no idea how old it is but from the pics it's resonable to say it's VERY OLD:)
Ps I wrote the recipe EXACTLY as written in the book
Crushed Banana Cake
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1 C banana pulp (lol)
1 3/4 C sifted flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 Tbsp sour milk
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
Cream the butter, add sugar , then cream again, add the well beaten eggs and the cup of ripe banana pulp that had been ruffed through a sieve. Disslove the soda in the sour milk and beat into the mixture, and lastily add the flour sifted with the salt, add the baking powder. Beat well then add the chopped walnuts and bake in a pan in a moderate oven 15-20 min.
Bananas
Sometimes I'm amazed at how some people still think they have to buy bisquick or pancake mix in order to make pancakes or waffles. When all the mixes are, is simple ingrediants we already have thrown together in a box along with a whole bunch stuff I cant pronounce. This recipe is from The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer and her daughter Marion Rombauer Becker.
Pancakes
Makes about 14 4in. cakes(or 8 of "my family size")
Ingredients
1 1/2 Cups Flour
1 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar
1 3/4 baking powder
-Sift together and in a seperate bowl beat 2 eggs lightly, to this add
3 Tbsp melted butter
1-1 1/4 cups milk
-Combine wet ingrediants to dry ingrediants and brown batter on hot griddle.
This Recipe is from The king of cookbooks, James Beard himself and one of my absolutely favorite cookbooks with which I actually cook from! The title is American Cookery and is a collection of the best recipes from the past all in one book with Beards opinions and tips for making the food in current times. This specific recipe is from The Neighborhood Cookbook from 1914 and sounds exotic but is simple enough for me to make it for my family pretty regularly with minimal preplanning. I hope you enjoy:)
Hungarian ChickenIngredients6 Chicken legs and Thighs
1 cup of flour or more
1 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
4 Tbsp butter
4 Tbsp oil
1 1/2 cups onions
Additional butter and oil
1 cup broth, more if needed
1 Tbsp additional paprika
1 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp finely cut lemon rind
DirectionsPut the chicken pieces in a bag with the flour and seasonings and shake well. Heat the butter and oil in a heavy skillet till quite hot, and brown the chicken pieces well on both sides. Transfer to a piece of foil or asorbent paper. Add the onions to the skillet and brown very well, using additional butter and oil if needed. Return the chicken pieces to the pan with the broth and the additional paprika and simmer, covered , till the chicken is just tender- about 20 minutes. If the broth is asorbed add more. Transfer the chicken to a hot serving dish. Add the sour cream to the pan off the heat,stir into the pan juices. Heat for 1 minute. Pour over the chicken pieces. Serve over noodles.
Super Yummy!
TIPS
* Just because a price guide said it was worth a certain price doesn't mean that's what it's going for. A book is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it, just remember that if you're thinking of selling later. Just because it's old doesn't mean it's valuable or rare. Usually authors that are setting prices are selling at the same time and in my opinion not a fair assesment of the market.
* The same word of caution goes for looking up a books worth online. There are scams going on a certain search shopping site where the seller lists the book WAY overpriced and then lists it again at a more normal price to make the lesser look like a steal. I feel terrible for the people that think their cookbook "was going for $80 on the internet!" when in actuality it's realistically worth $15. Find someone knowledgeable and transparent in prices and ask them questions. We all know if they are selling books as a profession they're expecting to walk away with some kind of profit for knowing their field and uncovering these hidden treasure and that’s acceptable but they shouldn't be trying to scam anyone. Check feedback scores!
* Be careful of some online auction sites. Some people unload their crappiest and damaged stuff online making the description of the condition sound acceptable, hiding damage with “creative” camara angles and then ending up having a no return policy when you find out that the description was "sugar-coated". On the flip side you can get amazing steals this way also, it’s a gamble but sometimes it's the only way to get your hands on some of the bigger names. Sometimes you have to start at the bottom of the condition ladder and work your way up, if that's the only thing you can afford. Ask for pics though, the seller should be happy to oblige even if you ask for 20 more pics!
*Usually in the book collecting world writing and personalizing in the copy would decrease the value but that's not the case with cookbooks. The average cookbook collector values the personal touches and the little notes next to the recipes.
*Buy what you like and think "what if I never sell this book" will you be happy to keep it forever. If you are then in my opinion it's a win-win.
*Have fun but set a price limit!
*Research the authors and who they are. There are so many informative articles that go into the history of what makes a book so valuable. Maybe it's the illustrations and cover art or it's the 1st printing of a recipe classic.
*Condition is a huge deal and ALWAYS buy the best you can afford.
Mistake printings can also contribute to a book's value just like baseball cards.
*You can get a feel for whether or not you're going to find anything in vendors stall just by reading a couple titles. Do not spend 2 hours in every stall or store reading every title! Although this is coming from somebody that has spent 6 hours doing the exact thing I suggested not to do:) Odds are that a guy selling antique car books and mags won't have a 1st edition Joy of Cooking but again these are ODDS, So sometimes you gotta play them:)
1950
-The Cookbooks of the 50's are great for the retro lovers in all of us. With the 50’s comes images of kids with slingshots in their back pockets and happy families around the breakfast table, they make you happy and smile just thinking about them. At least to younger generations, talk to someone straight out of the 50’s and they’ll probably paint you a different picture but great covers of dancing hotdogs and women in pearls standing over stoves came out the era. I'm personally not a big fan of the recipes, Jello salads and americanized chop suey all over the place, they’re usually very creative, shall we say with ingredient pairings but great nontheless. At this time there was a huge explosion of pan-am and latin culture love, think Ricki Ricardo ( I Love Lucy). From that comes Chiquita Ba
nnana and Brazil Nuts and etc. in a lot of the advertising and re
cipes.
1930
- The cookbooks of the 30’s are gems for the obvious reasons. These women had to do it all, maintaining life as normally as possible, but with the drastic decrease to incomes that literally happened overnight due to the Great Depression. Another reason that these cooksbooks are a rare treat is due to the fact that there weren't alot of companies and publishing houses printing any new books for obvious reasons. The cookbooks that were published are usually budget-minded and very practical. Money saving tips and st
retching your dollar themes are common.
This is where the glamorous and excessive recipes of the roaring 20's came to dead stop and the start of practical and miserly recipes of the 1930s started. Hostessing large, grand parties stopped. There was still entertaining but in more of a small and intimate setting with close friends, think bridge clubs and church luncheons These are where some amazing stories and recipes can be found. Makes you humble and grateful!
Part 2
The best place to start is to research cookbooks of value and find out why it is they're so high priced. There are so many informative articles that go into the history of what makes a book so valuable. Maybe it's the illustrations and cover art or it's the 1st printing of a recipe classic.
Research the authors and who they are. It makes it easier looking for them than memorizing titles and covers that’s for sure. Did they write a lot or for a certain company? Which are valuable? Is it because of writing styles or was it because of the recipes themselves?
Most of the time vendors don't do the research on all the books they have for sale, but you can walk in and know exactly what you're looking for and know that your paying for something valuable and rare that’s WAY underpriced! It's a good feeling and oh so addicting!
You should narrow your collection to a smaller catagory like certain decades, specific authors or your personal nationality’s cookbooks but whatever your niche is, FIND IT. It makes finding what you're looking for so much easier because "you can't collect EVERY cookbook in the world" -my sometimes very nervous husband. I l
augh every time he says that by the way!
Appreciate what cookbooks from different eras have to offer and what makes each decade special. A great deal of history can be learned from each decade's cookbooks so let's break it down:
Vintage Cookbooks are for everyone who has ever wanted to bake something special and turned to a modern cookbook and realized they never seem to have all the ingredients at the same time, there're for history lovers that want to feel connected to the past in a way that's missing in history books, there're for the people that love that musty old book smell and laugh at kindle's, they're for people that feel like we as a society have gone a little too far, a tad off course with life and want to get back to the simple and the real, and they're for the people that want to pay homage to all the grandma's and great aunts that did it best!
I'd like to share some info about a type or category of cookbook that sometimes get overlooked but is an absolute favorite of mine. Sometimes refered to as books for the young housekeeper, cookery, or domestic receipt books, they are a true goldmine of information. They are for the most part classified as usually being published before 1901 (tail-end of the Victorian age) and almost always having 1 or more sections included other than recipes. The sections can include home remedies, housekeeping tips and schedules, home laundering instructions, marketing and menu planning, childbirth and nursing information, and the very common etiquette or social rules chapter. There's a reason I refer to these babies as the "one stop shops" or "all in one" antique cookbooks.
