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Saturday, January 28, 2012

My Mom's Old Time Life Cookbooks

When I was a kid, my mom belonged to the Time-Life Foods of the World Cookbook Club. It was so cool...

To set the stage a bit, this was pre-internet and there was no cable TV or VCRs, and as far as video games go, well 'Pong' had not yet been invented. I know, I know, it sounds like a long time ago. But, it really was just like it is now - imagine that your cell phone has been stolen and your cable and WiFi are turned off. It was just like that!

So, imagine how excited I was every month when these great books showed up! Every month there was a book about a different country or region with lots of pictures and information and recipes!

This post was written as part of Weekend Cooking, a weekly meme hosted by Beth at Beth Fish Reads. Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to head over to Beth Fish Reads, grab the button, and link up anytime over the weekend.  (The button is on your right...)

When the "Russia" book showed up I remember I spent a long time drooling over the cover picture of Pysanky eggs. Here is how Wiki describes them, including a pic from the article: "Pysanky –from pysaty (писати), "to write"– are raw eggs created with the wax-resist method (batik). The designs are "written" in hot wax with a stylus or a pin-head. Wooden eggs and beaded eggs are often referred to as "pysanky" because they mimic the decorative style of pysanky in a different medium." I was DYING to make them.

When the Provincial France book showed up, I actually DID make a souffle!

When the Vienna issue came, I studied all the different types of cakes and pastries, right out of Alice's tea party. I was particularly interested - and still am to this day, as a matter of fact - in old wooden molds that they showed that are/were used to make cakes and cookies with raised pictures on them. I have since found out that these are called 'springerle' molds. I found a fellow blogger that did a posting on them, along with lots of VERY COOL pictures...pls check it out! http://bakeryboyblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/springerle-cookie-molds/

Below are some pics of some random used books from the collection that are for sale on Amazon. I believe those are Japan, France, and the Middle East. Next to it is a button to buy one of the three entire sets that they have. To be honest with you, I am enjoying trying to put a set together little by little by finding the books here and there at thrift stores, etc.  

Does anyone else remember these from 'back in the day?'


15 comments:

  1. Did the waxing process preserve the raw eggs? I think it must have, otherwise all that design work would be spoiled, right?

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  2. I make Pysanky!! Have made them since I was in high school..
    (actually, the raw egg just dries up in the shell. Fine unless you break the shell someday.

    And I remember that cover..I recently found a used copy at a booksale and was so excited to buy it. for the cover not the recipes.

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  3. I have many of these books -- they were written by all the famous chefs of the day. I have found both the hardbound books and the sprial-bound recipe books at yard sales and flea markets. I don't think I have the Russian one.

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  4. ok...excuse the double posting...and the link, but I just wanted to show you a post I wrote about my eggs..
    http://caitesdayatthebeach.blogspot.com/2010/04/pysanky-ukrainian-easter-eggs.html

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  5. Beth F. - that is great that you are looking for them too! They really do bring back great memories for me, and they are well-written.

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  6. Caite - Hey, I just followed your link and went to your posting about Pysanky eggs! That is great that you make them. I hope I don't sound wimpy, but it looks hard(!) I guess it is just a matter of focusing on one layer at a time. I am definitely going to HAVE to try this...

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  7. Dave-I think Beth F. answered your question (which is great because I did not have a clue...)

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  8. How interesting! I love old cookbooks too! So much to say about the culture at the time really.

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  9. Peggy-Definitely. I actually took a class in college called 'ethnogastronomy.' We studied what people's food choices and traditions said about their cultures. It was the most fun class ever. Plus, we ate a lot!

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  10. Sounds like a fun series, and one that give you warm memories which is just as good!

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  11. Marg - yea, they are a blast. I am also enjoying trying to find them. There are several out-of-print books I prowl around for...I should write a post just on that at some point.

    Thx for commenting!!

    Libby

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  12. This reminds me of Shakespeare and Company in Paris which has a massive collection of books, many of which are in English, as the owner is an American. You might find any book there if you had days to sort through the piles of books on the shelves, tables or on the floor. What a wonderful place.

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  13. Thanks for joining the WWI reading challenge...if you want to see some of our other buttons, please go here: http://warthroughthegenerations.wordpress.com/buttons-courtesy-of-monniblog/

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  14. Thanks Serena! I am SO excited about this challenge (it needs its own post obviously, and one is forthcoming.

    Libby

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