Ode to “Joy”
Cindy on February 7th, 2009
“The shifts of fortune will test the reliability of friends.” — Marcus Tullius Cicerco
By the time we reach midlife, most of us have splattered several dozen pages of recipes during our attempts to find the One True Cookbook. Mine is the Joy of Cooking, a household staple as dependable as milk and bread. In an era of celebrity chefs and flash-in-the-pan domestic divas, Joy proves over and over again that basic is best.
I’m also awed by the history of this old standby, now in its 75th anniversary edition. It’s a testimony to the pluck and perseverance of its original author. Irma Rombauer was exactly my age (54) when her husband died, leaving her a modest legacy of $3,000. The year was 1931, and despite the Great Depression, Rombauer decided to use the money to self-publish her first edition of Joy of Cooking.
Later, her attempts to sell the cookbook to a traditional publisher were rejected, but Rombauer refused to give up. She reworked the manuscript and re-submitted the book, and in 1936, Bobbs-Merrill released the first commercial edition of Joy with a print run of 10,000 copies. It has earned stellar reviews and a devoted following ever since.
My own copy of Joy has a history, too. It was a wedding present from Roe, an old family friend who was often described in reverential tones as “a gourmet cook.” At the time, I’d just begun my career with a publisher in Detroit, and my own culinary skills were limited to scrambling eggs and scorching chicken tenders. Opening Roe’s gift at my bridal shower, I never imagined that Joy would play such a fundamental role in future family celebrations. I tossed it carelessly under my new stash of kitchen towels and cooking gadgets — and probably didn’t express near enough appreciation to its giver.
Splashed with 28 years’ worth of stains, its yellowed pages redolent of savory spices, my 1980 edition now occupies a shelf crammed with more than 20 cookbooks. But like an old best friend, Joy of Cooking is the one I turn to first. It has followed me to four different kitchens, seeing me through countless dinner parties, family feasts, and just-plain-ordinary meals.
The chapter titled “Entertaining,” for instance, is hopelessly wrinkled from overuse. Though my mother had tried, years ago, to instruct me on the art of setting a proper table, I hadn’t paid much attention. (Do we really need bread plates?) And so, when my husband Doug and I started entertaining in the dining nook of our first apartment, I often turned to pages 18 and 19, which illustrate several variations of socially acceptable table settings.
The “Shellfish” section always stirs memories of New Year’s Eve — especially the first one Doug and I celebrated as newlyweds. Inspired by a scene in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, I decided to cook live lobsters, using the directions on page 386. Later on, we established a new tradition of spending New Year’s Eve with our longtime friends Laurie and Dan, both of whom share the belief that every year should be begin with fabulous food. Over time, Joy has provided unforgettable recipes for many of those feasts — including the most impressive Beef Wellington we’ve ever sampled.
There were a few lean years when Joy collected dust on the kitchen shelf. The arrival of our infant son left little time or energy for anything but warming baby formula. Meanwhile, Doug and I survived on pizza and carry-out cuisine. But I didn’t completely neglect my old pal, my favorite cookbook. Even in the late 1980s, Joy outlasted our family foray into vegetarianism. (I still turned to it then for terrific dessert recipes, including the one for Brandied Peaches on page 846.)
Eventually tiring of fried tofu and wild rice, Doug and I brought a little meat and poultry back to our dinner table. Last month, for instance, we bought several pounds of spareribs, which neither of us had ever attempted to prepare.
“Should you boil spareribs before grilling them, or what?” Doug asked. Before I could take a guess, he was on his way over to the bookshelf. I was impressed, but not at all surprised, that he knew exactly which cookbook to consult. Turning to page 481 in Joy of Cooking, he rolled up his sleeves, filled the kettle, fired up the grill, and got to work. And the spareribs, by the way, tasted just right. — Cindy La Ferle
February 7th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Yummy! Sounds so cozy and nice! There are always my fav cookbooks around to read when I’m feeling creative.
February 7th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
I received a Betty Crocker cookbook from a friend when I got married. On that day, our Newspaper chuckle read “Modern girls may not know how to cook, but they sure know what’s cooking.” That little yellowed quote is taped inside the cover of my cookbook more than 20 years later!
February 7th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
After my extensive cookbook collection was destroyed in a flood, “Joy of Cooking” was the very first one I replaced, and for quite a while it was the only cookbook I had. Even now, with shelves full of cookbooks, 9 times out of 10 it’s the first one I head to.
And as you said, the history of “Joy”, involving Irma’s daughter Marion and grandson Ethan, is fascinating.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
My mom has a copy, but I have never done more than clip recipes from magazines and newspapers.
February 8th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I learned to cook with my mother’s well-loved copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. The checkered cover had a perfectly shaped burn on the back where it was left on the burner of the gas stove. In turn, a new copy was my first cookbook, and years later it had a burn on the binding where it was pushed up against a hot pot. I now own the 75th anniversary version, and it’s still my first choice.
February 8th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
I loved reading about everyone’s favorite cookbooks! In fact, one of my favorite guilty/useless pleasures is spending time just READING cookbooks, and not actually making anything from them … just dreaming about what I COULD make.
While I am thinking about it, if any of you love to read food writing, I highly recommend Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking and More Home Cooking — essays that were published in Gourmet magazine when the author was alive. They are delicious.
February 8th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
My aunt gave me Betty Crocker’s Cookbook more than 20 year ago. I’ve thought a few times of getting an updated version, but I just haven’t had the heart. Instead, I just picked up a 1950 edition at a farm auction.
February 8th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Laurie Colwin was gone too soon. I collect menus as well as cookbooks, and I’ve repaired many bookshelves that have collapsed under the weight of these wonderful books. Loved this blog, Cindy.
February 8th, 2009 at 8:50 pm
Joy is one of my favorites, and a longtime standard. I’ve had my copy since the 1970s, and it’s survived more than 10 moves and lots of spills, too.
More recent favorites are from America’s Test Kitchen. I like their explanations.
Love your blog!
February 8th, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Yes, Cindy, what is it about simply READING cookbooks?? It’s almost as good as eating. My Joy has crunchy pages from all the times I’ve used it. It’s a great standby along with the checked Better Homes and Gardens. They form the basic foundation of my collection.
I didn’t know the back story on Joy so thanks so much for sharing that. Cool story!
February 9th, 2009 at 12:11 am
I got a new copy of this (the New version) several years ago. That said, I also nabbed my mom’s original copy. Partly out of nostalgia, I’ll know I’ll always keep my mom’s copy. But I also feel like I’m keeping a bit of Americana/history! Funny thing is, I don’t think I’ve ever made anything out of either. But you’ve motivated me to take a fresh look. Thanks!
February 10th, 2009 at 12:53 am
I love to collect old cookbooks from the sixties and seventies. The color photos of deviled eggs and jello molds, meatloaf and cheese fondue are hilarious. And the hostess hints leave me in stitches. But for real cooking I stick with the classics like Joy of Cooking or Silver Palette. Thanks for all the inside scoop on one of America’s fave cookbooks.
February 10th, 2009 at 8:12 am
This was such a fun, nostalgic read, Cindy. Betty Crocker was our family standard. Though I’ve moved on to more veggie oriented books, my 80-year-old mother still uses hers, and when my oldest daughter set up her first apartment, you can guess what I bought her. BC, in a brand new version. Have you noticed that woman never ages?!
Hugs!