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Anyone else collect regional cookbooks?

18 years ago

I have always been interested in regional recipes. One of the first cookbooks I got is "The Dinner Bell Rings Again" from Lancaster Co., Penn. The collection grew from there, including a Cane River Cookbook from Louisiana (yum!) and one from the gardening club of Crawford, Texas (I may not agree with their politics, but they sure can cook!). Anyone else addicted?

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Comments (11)

lindac
18 years ago
I can't say that it's a "collection" but I often bring home a cookbook as a souvinere.
We have Pa Dutch country...2 or 3, several south west cookbooks, wine country, Spain, Cooking in Colonial Williamsburg... hmmm? maybe I do collect regional cookbooks! LOL!
Linda C
grainlady_ks
18 years ago
I collected city/county cookbooks from my home area for years and donated them to the historical museum. They were by a single author, or by a church group or other organization. They are a piece of our history and are a wonderful view into life as it was back when...

I also like to find a local/regional cookbook when we travel to bring home with me.

-Grainlady
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ETA—I'm not going to rewrite this because it's been up all day, so I'll just apologise for the wording. I‘ve been really out of it and now it sounds like I was being pointed or something, when it was just supposed to show my journey through the website, and that I wasn't 100% sure that I'd gotten it right. I'm sorry if it comes off some other way. Okay, @Nekotish, I looked at the website. Createmycookbook.com seems very thorough and well designed, including the support. They're product is to make it so you don't have to be a graphic designer to make a nice cookbook. I didn't open an account or anything like that, so this isn't guaranteed, and maybe you already know this stuff, but here goes: They recommend that your photos be 300dpi JPEGs (.jpg). There is a button for fitting your picture into the space provided without distortion. There's a photo editor on there site which will crop, mirror, rotate, etc., and do basic effects. Unlike in your phone, the original cannot be saved with the changes—there's no “revert”, so if you want more than one version (e.g., full size and closeup, you need to upload it twice, and if you change your mind, you have to delete the bad version and upload the original again. ANSWER (I think): It's as I thought. I'm pretty sure you can't resize the photo on the page. That would defeat the whole purpose of them giving you plug and play graphic design. You need to start with a layout page that has the picture size you want, and add your recipe and picture to that layout. It sounds like they have a whole bunch of layouts to choose from. I don't know if there's a change layout button which will just slot what you already have onscreen into another page, but if not you can use the layout importer, or use “batch actions” if you want a bunch in the same layout, and then plug in your photos.
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claire_de_luna
18 years ago
I have a few as well. When I'd taste something delicious in the ''area'' I started to make second hand bookstores part of my entertainment. I remember searching a long time for a good Nanaimo bar recipe after visiting Canada. Now all we have to do is ask Ann...if I'd only known!
canarybird01
18 years ago
I like to buy Canary Island cookbooks although there are not that many differences in the way the same traditional dishes are prepared. If I find good ones translated to English I often buy them as gifts for English speaking friends and family. I also like cookbooks about Spanish and Mediterranean cooking, preferably those written by known Spanish cooks and published in the original Spanish.

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sands99
18 years ago
I have a gorgeous cookbook that I love love love called "American Food: A Celebration" published by Collins. It's divided into geo regions and goes into the how and why of the ingredients that grace the wonderful recipes. Not overdone just simple and well seasoned. I couldn't even tell you if it's still in print [although it should be even if just as a coffee table book] but I have visited all the regions and had a ball!
teresa_nc7
18 years ago
Yes! I love them! I've collected books from Wales, England, Scotland, Lancaster, PA, and Williamsburg to name a few, on my travels.

Friends, including Forum Friends, have given me books from Florida, Ireland, Vancouver BC, France, West Virginia, Nebraska and the Canary Islands. Many community cookbooks are also much used and loved.
Lars
18 years ago
I have a Rhode Island cookbook, which I like because it is filled with seafood recipes, and it was sent to me by Lori in a swap. It made me want to visit RI. My favorite U.S. regions for food are Louisiana and New England, and NE only for the seafood. I like regional Texan food but don't feel the need for a cookbook, since I grew up there. Most American food is not that interesting to me - it's generally not spicy enough for me and uses way too much dairy. I prefer recipes that do not rely on salt and black pepper for flavor. There are so many other more interesting ways to season food, and therefore I generally collect cookbooks from other cuisines, particularly ones that don't use dairy products and emphasize seafood instead. I grew up about 180 miles from the coast, but after the age of 18, I've almost always lived within 30 miles of the coast, and since 23 I've mostly lived within 4 miles of the coast, except for the 3-1/2 years I lived in Austin, when I went back to university for my second degree. I like coastal food.

Lars
lindac
18 years ago
OMG! Sands...I have that "American Food" cook book too...
I don't think I have ever cooked a "recipe" I have found there....but what eye candy!!
And then there's all the small Grange and country church cookbooks I bought over the years to "further the cause"...not many recipes I might want to make...but forsure a taste of Iowana..
donnar57
18 years ago
I'm not sure that my collection can be termed "Regional", or even be large enough to call a "collection", but I do have a few - a cookbook called simply "The Arizona Cookbook", a few of those church and organization cookbooks, Kitchen Klatter (out of Iowa years ago), and one from Sonoma, CA.

DonnaR/CA
wizardnm
18 years ago
I have quite a few of the Junior Leaguw Cookbooks from around the country (20-30 probably). A number of church cookbooks from Michigan and Ohio and some NW Michigan area cookbooks. Then as I traveled, I picked up more that looked interesting. The newest was one I bought while in Gatlinburg last November with forum friends. Love 'em!!!

Nancy
sands99
18 years ago
Linda, it *is* eye candy!! One of the first dinner party recipes I ever made was from that book - pork chops with a lil cheese souffle on top. And the corn fritters are great too. I classify everything in that book as upscale home.

Make sumpin' girl! ;-)

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