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Kate Clinch's avatar

My mother loved cookbooks. I still have quite a few of hers, sometimes with notes such as "Try this" scrawled in the margins. As she grew into middle age, she went for the huge, coffee-table photographic odysseys, all visual appeal and little incentive to actually cook anything. It's the older books that I find more fascinating, a late 1950's ring binder edition of Betty Crocker bought by a new wife before I came along, or the branded pamphlets showcasing the potential of Bero flour or Stork margarine: lenses into another time.

Profanum with Greg Casale's avatar

Oh, these are treasures! One of my prized possessions is my grandmother’s copy of Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Not photographic food pornography; instead there’s substance and skill - go figure!

Kate Clinch's avatar

I have also picked up a few old books at op shops. If you ever need a recipe for mock brains made from cold left over porridge, I'm your girl.

Rene R. Rinaldi's avatar

Great slice-of-life piece (with great allusions).

I don’t expect that Ask E. Jean will get picked up by Amazon Prime anytime soon. 😂

Profanum with Greg Casale's avatar

Gotta leave room for the execrable Melania doc on the platform, I guess.