This Was The Most Popular Cookbook The Year You Were Born
Two TV chefs have been in a popularity contest for the past six years.
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Chances are, the cookbooks that were most popular in your grandma's heyday are tucked somewhere on your shelves. But some of the books from the '80s and '90s, well, let's just call them one-hit wonders. Have a peek at this list and you'll see what we mean.
1930s; Joy of Cooking
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Irma S. Rombauer published just 3,000 copies of her recipes privately in 1931. A commercial printing house took control of the book five years later, and it's been in print consistently since. After 87 years, more than 18 million copies have been sold.
1940s; Hors D'Oeuvre and Canapés
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According to Julia Child, who wrote the forward to this cookbook, it's what put James Beard on the map as an established chef.
1950s; Betty Crocker Cookbook
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This cookbook, originally called Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book, went through seven printings and sold two million copies within two years. Now, the cookbook's in its 12 edition, with more photos, recipes, and tips than ever.
1970s; Mastering the Art of French Cooking
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Before Julia Child had a wildly popular TV show, she published this: a two volume tome devoted to French recipes. The first volume alone sold 100,000 copies in the first five years and changed the style of American cookbooks from sketchy and shtick-y to precise and clear.
1980; The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook
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The first issue of Good Housekeeping magazine was published in 1885, and nearly a century later, editors published 1,400 recipe cookbook. It became an instant household favorite.
1981; Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book
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This was the time that cookbooks from magazine publishers reigned supreme. A 1981 reprint of this Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book was a top seller that year.
1982; Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook
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Chef Alice Waters is credited with pioneering farm-to-table California cuisine. She brought a little bit of her Berkeley, CA, spot Chez Panisse, to the rest of the world when this was published. It's 120 of Chez Panisse’s best menus from parties and special dinners.
1983; The L.L.Bean Game & Fish Cookbook
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This guide to cooking every type of game and fish was not for the faint-hearted.
1984; Chef Paul Prudhomme's Louisiana Kitchen
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If you cook Creole or Cajun food at home, it might be because of this guy. Chef Paul Prudhomme's first cookbook came out in 1984 and immediately became a bestseller.
1985; The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook
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Upon the success of The Silver Palate Cookbook in 1982, the authors launched this party recipe version.
1986; Marcella's Italian Kitchen
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You know those cookbooks whose pages are are splattered with sauce and folded at the corners. Italian chef Marcella Hazan's super-personal cookbook is one of those.
1987; Microwave Gourmet
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In the late '80s, it was practically sacrilegious to cook anything in a microwave without this guide and recipe collection.
1988; Indian Cookery
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This cult-favorite cookbook of Indian recipes from Sameen Rushdie — sister of Salman Rushdie — came out in 1988 in the U.K. It was an immediate hit, but it wasn't published in the U.S. until much later, in 2018.
1989; The Pillsbury Cookbook
The recipes in here won everyone's hearts because they were simple enough for novice bakers and classic enough for experienced ones.
1990; The Complete Bartender
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This ultimate guide to all things booze — no seriously, you'll find recipes for every classic cocktail — has held up for decades.
1991; The Harry's Bar Cookbook
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This Venice bar and restaurant had been popular among celebrities and artists like Ernest Hemingway, the Onassises, and Joan Crawford for years. When the owner finally published some recipes from it, fans the world over freaked out.
1992; Are You Hungry Tonight?
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What this cookbook lacked in groundbreaking creativity, it made up for in pure fandemonium.
1993; Bread Alone
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Nowadays, you'll find Bread Alone loaves in markets throughout the Northeast, but before it was everywhere, this book won people's hearts. It also won a James Beard award.
1994; In the Kitchen with Rosie: Oprah's Favorite Recipes
BUY NOW $13; barnesandnoble.com
Before Oprah sold her bread-loving soul to Weight Watchers, she relied on chef Rosie Daley to help her with low-cal, low-fat recipes. The two collaborated on this book, and it quickly became a New York Times bestseller.
1995; The Martha Stewart Cookbook
BUY NOW $7; amazon.com
Queen Martha covered everything in this cooking bible: recipes, tips and techniques, storage recommendations, and gift-wrapping instructions.
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