Oh, the Joy!

(This 1946 Joy of Cooking is a reprint of the 1943 edition and was printed through 1950.)

Recently, I bought a few more cook books for my cooking library. As much as I love the modern recipes and glossy photos (food porn), I always seem to refer to the greatest reference book of all, The Joy of Cooking, by Irma Rombauer and her daughter, Marion, who was first to illustrate and test her mother's work . (Great title, by the way). True, I don't really need to revisit chicken a la king (pg. 502), or marshmallow pudding (pg. 746), I do use it for basic things like mayonnaise, meringues, cakes, and basic cooking methods. Some recipes are grossly out dated, but don't be fooled, this book is a treasure for all food lovers. It's my most adored book, and I would bet that if you have one, it was bought by your mother, or even better, her mother. If you don't have a copy, look for one in a second hand store, it would be a sweet find, especially if you come across an original vintage edition.

(The highest known sum ever paid for the paperback rights to a single book, $1.5million, is for a cookbook that first came out in 1931: "Joy of Cooking.") NY Times.