So many memories of the cookery books on my mum’s shelves and of buying lunch at Food for Thought! I still have a 1974 family circle magazine with the recipes for several of her weekend teatime standards. The other recipes sound absolutely hideous but it’s a historical document now. I never visited Books for Cooks - I wasn’t brave enough - but wish I had. My husband was at school in Jesmond in the early 1970s and Greggs weren’t just bakers back then- they did the school catering.
Oh my goodness! I LOVE this so much. I have no idea how many cookbooks I own, but they are all friends—especially the old ones. I still pull them out to read in bed from time to time. When I would babysit, I would sit in the kitchen for hours, copying recipes out of books that I had never made but still own. I don’t think I ever made the apricot pie I scribbled down, but I may pull it out.
My first summer home from college, I decided to teach myself to cook. I went to the library every week and checked out as many cookbooks as I was allowed and cooked my way through the summer. Some were a success, most were a failure, but I learned so much and I have been cooking ever since.
I loved reading your peice. I grew up in a time when pizza was considered to be a gourmet food (although not my Mum's scone pizza - a scone base, tinned tomateoes with no seasoning and grated cheddar!!)
Yes, I too remember the perils of cookbooks you thought you could trust - the easy puff pastry made with margarine, the cheat's hot cross buns (rock cakes!) etc.
We moved house a couple of yeaars ago and I had to have a big clear out. of my cookery books. One of the ones that I kept was a Delia Smith book - her original one. It has stood the test of time and was the first cookery book I bought myself when I thought I was a grown up!
Oh same here! When I was a kid, pizza first came on the scene at high-end restaurants, not at a pizza chain.
And we've gone through our share of cheat's bakes too, with very sad results. Some of the (unintended) rock cakes were tough enough to crack windows 🤣.
You’re so right - some recipes just don’t work. I think that is still true today of some cookbooks and recipes I see on social media. But when you find a keeper, it’s gold. What a fun story you shared!
Oh I think it's even more true since YouTube etc became the go-to for would-be cooks. So many recipes and ideas are just ripped off other sites - even ones that don't work! - and continue circulating ad infinitum 😣.
Of course there are excellent sites where you can find painstakingly researched resources and beautifully executed tutorials. I finally restarted my baking journey after stumbling on ChainBaker, where I've learnt so much about making bread and some of the science behind the mystique.
But more and more these days, it seems we need to be wary about what we can rely on. That's one reason I come to Substack so often - everyone I've been following here is so passionate about their work and so generous about sharing what they know. You really feel like you're among friends who want you to succeed and who love to see their work make a real difference.
This is a lovely story. Especially remembering Family Circle. I was the only one who cooked in college too in a makeshift kitchen right off the elevators. I’m assuming most students walking by thought I was doing a “ science “ experiment. What troubles me now though looking back 45 years later, if I was the only one cooking ( and no one ever asked what I was making or asked to join me), what were they eating?
Good question! I'm surprised so many of us survived college in one piece 😝.
My first day at college, I took one look at their college dining plan and decided I'd just cook for myself in my dorm room (umm the innocence and arrogance of babes). Bought an electric wok and started trying to replicate some comfort foods from home.
Won't bore everyone with all the gory details - suffice it to say that most of it was inedible. Thankfully (but shockingly), I didn't have any trouble getting rid of even the saddest failures. My dorm mates and any other students passing by were happy to polish off everything - even the burnt stirfries, the oversalted stews, the soggy chicken katsu...
This was such a lovely read as I get my daily steps in on the treadmill! 😄 Many of these cookbooks are from before my time—I was born in the 90s—but I’ve saved a few to revisit when I’m ready for my next addition. I own a bakery, and I couldn’t agree more: the only substitute for chocolate is more chocolate. Words to live by! 🤎
Thank you Alexandria, I really appreciate your kind comments. Many of my cookbooks were written before my time too; they're timeless, and will live on.
This is great. A valued recipe for quiche was found printed on a grocery bag. It’s still my daughter’s favorite. And I poured over the Family Circle and Women’s Day recipes.
Ahh your post brings back so many memories, Cheryl - takes me back to a time when we were all more innocent (for lack of a better word) and trusting of the printed word. If something had made it into print, then it had to be good or true, right?
I actually abandoned learning how to bake for over a decade because almost everything I tried was either a complete flop or sadly mediocre. Granted, that wasn't necessarily because of a bad or inadequate recipe 😝, but it became disappointingly clear that many of the most vaunted cookbooks were more hype than substance.
Thankfully, a good number have stood the test of time. Yes, Delia Smith is always reliable. Cranks was recommended by a friend, and their recipes are solid. One of our kitchen mainstays is the Moosewood Cookbook - it's evolved over the years, but we have the original 70s edition and it hasn't failed us yet.
Oh we had a pressure cooker explode on us too. We were having a seaside weekend at a rented cottage, and used the pot provided to prep some chuck and veg before heading out to the beach. Instead of coming back to a nice hearty stew, we walked into a kitchen from hell 😖. Took us the rest of the weekend to clean the muck off the ceiling, all the cabinets, anything on open shelves, even the sofa in the next room...
What a delightful read!
So many memories of the cookery books on my mum’s shelves and of buying lunch at Food for Thought! I still have a 1974 family circle magazine with the recipes for several of her weekend teatime standards. The other recipes sound absolutely hideous but it’s a historical document now. I never visited Books for Cooks - I wasn’t brave enough - but wish I had. My husband was at school in Jesmond in the early 1970s and Greggs weren’t just bakers back then- they did the school catering.
Greggs doing catering, that's some thought!
It’s still there … a great shop with lunch too, if you are lucky enough to get a table!
https://www.booksforcooks.com/
Oh my goodness! I LOVE this so much. I have no idea how many cookbooks I own, but they are all friends—especially the old ones. I still pull them out to read in bed from time to time. When I would babysit, I would sit in the kitchen for hours, copying recipes out of books that I had never made but still own. I don’t think I ever made the apricot pie I scribbled down, but I may pull it out.
My first summer home from college, I decided to teach myself to cook. I went to the library every week and checked out as many cookbooks as I was allowed and cooked my way through the summer. Some were a success, most were a failure, but I learned so much and I have been cooking ever since.
I loved reading your peice. I grew up in a time when pizza was considered to be a gourmet food (although not my Mum's scone pizza - a scone base, tinned tomateoes with no seasoning and grated cheddar!!)
Yes, I too remember the perils of cookbooks you thought you could trust - the easy puff pastry made with margarine, the cheat's hot cross buns (rock cakes!) etc.
We moved house a couple of yeaars ago and I had to have a big clear out. of my cookery books. One of the ones that I kept was a Delia Smith book - her original one. It has stood the test of time and was the first cookery book I bought myself when I thought I was a grown up!
Oh same here! When I was a kid, pizza first came on the scene at high-end restaurants, not at a pizza chain.
And we've gone through our share of cheat's bakes too, with very sad results. Some of the (unintended) rock cakes were tough enough to crack windows 🤣.
You’re so right - some recipes just don’t work. I think that is still true today of some cookbooks and recipes I see on social media. But when you find a keeper, it’s gold. What a fun story you shared!
Oh I think it's even more true since YouTube etc became the go-to for would-be cooks. So many recipes and ideas are just ripped off other sites - even ones that don't work! - and continue circulating ad infinitum 😣.
Of course there are excellent sites where you can find painstakingly researched resources and beautifully executed tutorials. I finally restarted my baking journey after stumbling on ChainBaker, where I've learnt so much about making bread and some of the science behind the mystique.
But more and more these days, it seems we need to be wary about what we can rely on. That's one reason I come to Substack so often - everyone I've been following here is so passionate about their work and so generous about sharing what they know. You really feel like you're among friends who want you to succeed and who love to see their work make a real difference.
Yes!
This is a lovely story. Especially remembering Family Circle. I was the only one who cooked in college too in a makeshift kitchen right off the elevators. I’m assuming most students walking by thought I was doing a “ science “ experiment. What troubles me now though looking back 45 years later, if I was the only one cooking ( and no one ever asked what I was making or asked to join me), what were they eating?
Good question! I'm surprised so many of us survived college in one piece 😝.
My first day at college, I took one look at their college dining plan and decided I'd just cook for myself in my dorm room (umm the innocence and arrogance of babes). Bought an electric wok and started trying to replicate some comfort foods from home.
Won't bore everyone with all the gory details - suffice it to say that most of it was inedible. Thankfully (but shockingly), I didn't have any trouble getting rid of even the saddest failures. My dorm mates and any other students passing by were happy to polish off everything - even the burnt stirfries, the oversalted stews, the soggy chicken katsu...
This was such a lovely read as I get my daily steps in on the treadmill! 😄 Many of these cookbooks are from before my time—I was born in the 90s—but I’ve saved a few to revisit when I’m ready for my next addition. I own a bakery, and I couldn’t agree more: the only substitute for chocolate is more chocolate. Words to live by! 🤎
Thank you Alexandria, I really appreciate your kind comments. Many of my cookbooks were written before my time too; they're timeless, and will live on.
This is great. A valued recipe for quiche was found printed on a grocery bag. It’s still my daughter’s favorite. And I poured over the Family Circle and Women’s Day recipes.
Loved this trip down memory lane.. pop round to me some time and we can play cookbook snap!
You're on
Ahh your post brings back so many memories, Cheryl - takes me back to a time when we were all more innocent (for lack of a better word) and trusting of the printed word. If something had made it into print, then it had to be good or true, right?
I actually abandoned learning how to bake for over a decade because almost everything I tried was either a complete flop or sadly mediocre. Granted, that wasn't necessarily because of a bad or inadequate recipe 😝, but it became disappointingly clear that many of the most vaunted cookbooks were more hype than substance.
Thankfully, a good number have stood the test of time. Yes, Delia Smith is always reliable. Cranks was recommended by a friend, and their recipes are solid. One of our kitchen mainstays is the Moosewood Cookbook - it's evolved over the years, but we have the original 70s edition and it hasn't failed us yet.
Oh we had a pressure cooker explode on us too. We were having a seaside weekend at a rented cottage, and used the pot provided to prep some chuck and veg before heading out to the beach. Instead of coming back to a nice hearty stew, we walked into a kitchen from hell 😖. Took us the rest of the weekend to clean the muck off the ceiling, all the cabinets, anything on open shelves, even the sofa in the next room...
Such a fun read!!