Back in the late 90’s or early 2000’s (it’s hard for me to remember) I started collecting cookbooks & recipes. At first, it started with me buying the small paperback cookbooks that you see in the grocery store at the checkout counter. I would casually look at the books as I was waiting my turn in line and literally would start drooling at the sight of all of the wonderful dishes that were depicted in the book. I had a hard time putting the book down because I felt I like I wouldn’t find those recipes again. So in my mind, I had justification for placing the book on the conveyor belt along with my other purchases. It was a necessity. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to possibly cook or bake an awesome dish.
Well, needless to say, that fateful day in the grocery store was just the beginning of many years of collecting cookbooks and recipes. I now have cookbooks coming out of my ears. I’ve purchased cookbooks at bookstores, grocery stores, online and even at my school’s book fairs. It is now to the point that my family starts rolling their eyes if they see me coming home with another cookbook. I know that I truly have a problem because I’ve gotten to the point where I even sneak cookbooks into the house and place them on the bookshelf like they were there all along. Every now & then I get caught, but for the most part, nobody knows a new cookbook is in the house.
To add salt to the wound, I scour the internet for recipes & watch cooking shows as well. Most of the time when I’m online, I’m looking for a particular recipe that I plan to cook immediately. Unfortunately, all of these printouts add up. So in addition to the cookbooks that I have, I’ve added to the shelves self-made notebooks with recipes that I have tried. Point blank…..It’s a lot of recipes in total. Not to mention all of the online sites where I have accounts with saved recipes.
I even have a method to viewing all of my cookbooks. I take my Post-It tabs of various colors (another addiction that I’ll discuss later) and sit at the table or some place comfortable with my new cookbook. I meticulously look through the book and place a sticky on each page with a recipe worthy of trying later. By the time I’m through with the book, I have a nice and even array of tabs in my book. Then I place the newly marked book back on the shelf for later viewing or use.
During my first year or two of collecting cookbooks, I mentioned my cookbook obsession to a good friend. I told her that I couldn’t figure out why I was all of a sudden collecting cookbooks. I mean, I was in my mid-twenties for crying out loud. Who collects cookbooks at that age? Her response to my cookbook woes was very simple. She cleverly said that she thought I was “nesting”. She thought that maybe this was my subconscious way of preparing for a future husband or family. I thought that this was a reasonable explanation at the time and I bought into it for many years.
Fast forward 13 years or so and I still don’t have a husband or children, but I have a wicked cookbook collection. So now, my good friend who came up with the “nesting” theory says that I like “Food Porn” instead. I had never heard that term before, but it was a perfect description of how viewing cookbooks, recipes, and cooking shows make me feel.
Now I am at the point that I am able to admit I have an issue & I’m willing to accept responsibility for my actions. I’ve gotten better at passing by cookbooks when I see them on bookstands or at checkout counters. I’ve even slowed down watching my cooking shows. Now I work very hard at being selective with my purchases. I try not to buy compulsively. However, I’m not perfect. I have my moments for sure, but I’m only human. One day I will get to the point where I won’t need any more cookbooks. Unfortunately, that day hasn’t come yet. Until then, I can just manage my issues and enjoy the food that I intend to make from my books.
Maybe your cookbook fetish is a sign that you should write your own.