What's The Point of Cookbooks?

 

Episode name: What’s the Point of Cookbooks?

Podcast: The Food Chain, BBC

Host: Ruth Alexander

Today, I listened to an episode of The Food Chain that explored the question: why do people still use cookbooks in an age where recipes are just as easily found on the Internet? The podcast caught my attention because it reminded me of one of my professor's extensive cookbook collection. The host, Ruth Alexander, interviewed and had discussions with guests from around the world, who shared their personal and cultural connections to cookbooks.

Eric is the owner of a bookstore that not only sells cookbooks but also brings them to life by serving recipes from those books. He curates his collection personally, avoiding cookbooks with celebrity faces and focusing instead on those that inspire his customers, who aren’t looking for trends but rather for fresh perspectives and inspiration. 

A South African woman talked about her experience of publishing a cookbook on traditional Black South African cuisine, a market untouched by mainstream publishers. Initially met with rejection, she eventually found a publisher who, after having a taste of one of the recipes, understood the importance of preserving the cuisine. Her story was an example of how cookbooks can serve as cultural artifacts, preserving traditions that might otherwise be lost.

Christina, an Italian woman, described cookbooks as timeless objects. In her part of Italy, they are often considered wedding gifts, meant to last in the family kitchen for generations. To her, framed cookbooks as more than functional items, they’re symbols of heritage and family.

Rebecca, from Canada, shared a personal story about receiving a cookbook from her European boyfriend’s grandmother. It became a link to her 21-year-old self and the people she cherished at that time. For Rebecca, the cookbook isn’t just a collection of recipes; it holds important memories.

Bierget, from Germany, talked about her family’s connection to a regional cookbook originally from the Black Forest. Her family has used it for generations, and it was a way for her to delve into her family’s history. She emphasized the value of recipes over the backstories of authors, showing another angle on how people connect with these books.

The episode also touched on the darker side of cookbook publishing. A Korean woman recounted how, in 2017, she was approached by a publisher interested in Korean vegan recipes. She later found out that her recipes had been imitated and worst of all, the imitations weren’t Korean nor vegan. She found out that recipes are not protected by copyright, which further fueled her anger. 

I currently do not own any cookbooks, but after listening to this podcast, I thought that it may be a good idea to find a good cookbook to pass down in the family, just like Rebecca's experience.