Backlist cookbook classics
Out with the new – in with the old! These 10 outstanding volumes have stood the test of time.
Happy winter, faithful cook!
Last week I railed against inconsequential new cookbooks that read (and cook) as though they’ve come out of a mill.
This week let’s celebrate the books that give us something wonderful every time we pick them up, year after year. (And we’ll celebrate their authors, too.) Known in the publishing industry as “backlist” titles, they’re the books that the publishers keep in print — sometimes even for decades.
I’ve chosen 10 of my favorites that were published at least 10 years ago and are still in print. That means you can order them through Bookshop (your purchases there may earn me a small commission, which of course helps keep this newsletter afloat). You can even sashay into an actual brick-and-mortar bookstore, where you may well find many of these on the shelf.
Of course a cookbook your recipient won’t tire of next month or next year is a splendid gift, and you certainly deserve a gift as well!
After I chose the books on this list, I realized they have something in common besides their longevity: They’re all ambitious and comprehensive; each wraps its arms around an entire cooking culture. Cooking your way through any one of them will make you super comfortable and proficient in that cuisine — though the books are equally wonderful for simply jumping in and choosing a recipe that speaks to you at the moment.
Did you notice that the photo above shows nine books, not ten? Good eye! It’s because I only own the tenth in digital form.
They’re listed in order of date first published. Thank you to the publishers for keeping these important titles in print.
What are your favorite 10-year-old-plus cookbooks that are still in print? Tell us in a comment!
10 Timeless Cookbook Classics
Classic Indian Cooking, by Julie Sahni - 1980
Published more than four decades ago, this is the book I reach for when I want to remind myself of basics like the best way to make basmati rice, or how to fashion a wonderful rogani gosht (lamb braised in aromatic cream sauce). Sahni’s recipes work brilliantly, and she gives plenty of valuable context, including how to make them part of a meal. Want to give yourself a solid grounding in Indian cooking? Pick this up and start exploring.
Related: Last year Knopf published a 50th Anniversary Edition of Madhur Jaffrey’s Invitation to Indian Cooking (even older!), which I don’t have - I just ordered a copy. And in September, Knopf published a new edition of Indian Cookery, the companion book to Jaffrey’s 1982 BBC cooking show.
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, by Shizuo Tsuji - 1980 (republished 2006)
Shizuo Tsuji dives deep into every area of washoku (Japanese food), from the order in which the courses of a Japanese meal are eaten, to the months chrysanthemum leaves are in season (and of course how to choose and prepare them). He shows us how to sharpen a Japanese knife, pickle vegetables, tenderize and octopus (by kneading it in grated daikon) and make dashi (the stock that's the foundation of washoku). There are only 8 pages of photos, along with a wealth of essential illustrations. If you know someone who's serious about Japanese cooking or eating (that friend who splurges on $500 omakases!), this may be the best gift they'll ever receive.