An Oldie but a Goodie

I have a cookbook that my mother gave me when I went off to college.  I remember getting it and thinking "what am I going to do with this?"

 

I lost the title page, with all of the publication information years and years ago.  I know it was published in the early '80's, but I have no idea of when it was actually published.

 

I have other cookbooks, but this is my favorite.  I've looked at more recent versions of this cookbook, but I don't care for them as much because they call for more processed foods.  This cookbook takes you back, and helps you make things from scratch... mac and cheese not from a box?  The directions are in here!

 

Ahh- the innocence of youth!  Over the 30 years since then, this book has been my go-to cookbook whenever I need to make a meal.  I remember poring over the book when I got my first apartment, and all of the cooking mistakes that I made along the way.  I still vividly recall the time I found out the difference between "6 cups of rice" and "6 cups of rice, cooked".  My God, we ate rice every day for weeks.  Do you know that 6 cups of rice cooks up into 18 cups of cooked rice?
Look at that cover!

 

The inside of the book.  The bottom two things don't even close anymore.  Every single time I turn a page, the pages fall out across the bottom.  Look at the wear along the binding.  The book is getting ready to fall apart!  What will I do when that sad day arrives?  Multiple pages are missing in the book.  The index is gone.  The front pages are gone.  Several pages from inside no longer have holes - they are ripped.  I've used the hole reinforcements on them over and over again, and over time, they rip.  Those pages are stuffed in where they belong, but they fall out if I'm not careful when I pull it out from the cupboard.

 

Damage to the pages... it's everywhere in the book.  Oil spatters, food spills are everywhere.

 

Ahh... but then that magical day occurred.  I went to Goodwill this morning.  Look what I found sitting on the shelves in the book section!

 

It's my cookbook!  Look at that beautiful cover!  Look at how clean and new it looks!

Look!  The bindings in the center actually touch each other!  There's no wear and tear on the center binding!
It even has a cover page.  BTW, the original publication date of this book?  1981.
Makes sense.  I went off to college in 1983.

 

 

Bright, shiny pages with no spatters or stains.  All pages are intact, no pulls or tears on the holes.
Heck, even the index is intact!

Even better... look at that price!
I'm not sure what my Mom paid for my book originally, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't under $3!
I feel like I hit the jackpot!  A brand-spanking new copy of my favorite cookbook
for $2.62.  I paid cash for this puppy... exact change... and I still feel like I won the lottery!



So, do you have a favorite cookbook that you go back to again and again?  Which one is it?  What makes it your favorite?