I don't belong to any civic group for which I am the poorer. If I decided to join one, it would probably be The Junior League about which I know nothing and know no one who is a member. I do know of their fruits. It appears that many of the city leagues have produced one or more cookbooks. This is no doubt to raise funds for volunteerism. But what do I know? Maybe they are like me . . . cookbook fiends. In fact, if I collect anything at all, it is matchbooks and cookbooks. Two different book forms but I do find some parallels. Statement of location, artful packaging, and tools within. Matchbooks are a dying breed in some establishments. Cookbooks have never enjoyed a wider audience.
This summer, my mother and I enjoyed sun in the pool carping about the titles from some of these small and well-mannered collections. You see, she possesses The Junior League Centennial Cookbook: Over 750 of the Most Treasured Recipes from 200 Junior Leagues. You may draw breath in the scope and let me assure you, the tome is worthy of readership. The titles of the books that make up this composite were fodder for our afternoons. We tried to find the best title (many are named for location): Gold'n Delicious from Spokane, I'll Taste Manhattan from NYC, Simply Simpático from Albuquerque. Others are simply an evocation of style: Applehood & Motherpie from Rochester, Magic from Birmingham, Posh Pantry from Kankakee, IL. The page layout in the centennial edition is quite excellent.
I don't possess any of the geographic cookbooks but I know my mother has A Pinch of Salt Lake. I did indulge to make the Pain Perdu from Epicure in Orange County on page 292. Lemon rind and nutmeg add. My family was especially pleased with the Roast Barbeque (Applehood & Motherpie) and I happily shared a container with ma très jolie soeur. She tripled the recipe a few weeks ago to feed her gigantic horde of inlaws. I would serve this with a vinaigrette coleslaw. Next on my list to try is Aunt Kay's Sesame Chicken from page 237. It hails from Utah Dining Car of the Ogden League.
Imagine my wonder as I happened on both books from Palo Alto a few months ago at the library sale in SB. One with a dust jacket, one without. Old and slim. Oddly, I had even told myself as I read the centennial that I would never find these two books. I thought they were long gone to history (after looking them up online). Truly, a find for the ages: Private Collection and Private Collection 2.
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2 comments:
What a find! I love found treasures. Something about the inavailability of somoething that just makes you want it all the more.
I love the line in You've Got Mail when Joe Fox is being shown a lovely book at the store by the storeboy who explains the valuable illustrations, etc. Joe says "That's why the book is so expensive?" and the storeboy counters, "That's why it's worth so much."
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