In the early 1970s, my mom published a cookbook. She compiled her favorite original recipes and gathered some from loved ones and other sources. She included photos of friends and family and quirky, humorous, food-related illustrations and images. She handed the books out to a lucky few.
I ate many meals and treats made from that book, including beef stew, cheese enchiladas, spinach crepes, chicken pot pie, tamales, and lemon meringue pie. Notable people ate meals from her book, too, especially those prominent in rock music since my dad was in the business. Joni Mitchell was a frequent guest and included mom in her song “Ladies of the Canyon.” She sings about her, “Annie sits you down to eat. She always makes you welcome in. Cats and babies ’round her feet. And all are fat and none are thin. None are thin and all are fat. She may bake some brownies today. Saying, you are welcome back …”
There’s nothing like a vintage cookbook. Besides having mom’s, I still have my ragged 1953 edition of Joy of Cooking. The cover is barely attached, and its yellowed, dog-eared, tattered, splattered pages are falling out. I relish flipping through older cookbooks and checking out the sometimes-strange dishes of the day. So, when our edible traditions column writer, Sharon Honig-Bear, pitched me a story on a collection of local vintage cookbooks she was given, I jumped at the chance to present the stories (and recipes) behind them and make the feature our cover story.
Before the Internet, if home cooks weren’t given recipes, cookbooks were a lifeline. I’m a fan of printed pages (obviously!), so I have quite the collection of cookbooks (and cocktail books).
If you haven’t figured it out yet, this is our annual special Cooks! edition. With cooking as our focus, we are presenting great stories to give you inspiration in the kitchen. Learn to make delicious snacks for your summer road trips. Discover how to create beef jerky, salsa, and perfectly crisp onion rings. And read about five local personalities and their kitchen adventures.
There’s all this and much more, including our What’s in Season list and Farm Guide, so you can eat the freshest, most delicious ingredients of the season.
Enjoy!
