The number one thing I use my cookbooks for is pressing my tofu.
Years ago, I learned that if you really want to have a nice, dry, springy cube of tofu (which I do), you should let it rest for a few hours, topped with some heavy books.
The heaviest books I have just happen to be various cookbooks I’ve acquired over the years. I’ve moved them from apartment to apartment to house, each one holding a special place in my heart. I accumulate cookbooks, and they accumulate dust.
It’s not that I don’t like cookbooks – I’ve had a brief love affair with every one I own. But usually after looking through them, trying a recipe or two, I find some favorites and then move on with my life, never bothering to open the book again.
There’s nothing quite like the initial joy of perusing a cookbook, imagining the possibilities, and picturing myself cooking, and then eating the dishes prepared.
That initial joy is possible next Saturday, January 25th at our Winter Market Cookbook Swap. Clean your shelf of tired old forgotten cookbooks, and bring them to market to swap for new adventures in the kitchen.
Until then, happy cookbook hunting!