Tagged!

Ages and ages ago (in blog years ... in actual time it was only a month), I was tagged for a cookbook meme not by one, but two people. I dawdled. I posted about other things. I pushed it from my mind.

Why? Because our cookbook collection is pathetic. My mom has well over 200, an entire bookshelf stuffed to the gills, and what do I have?

For a foodblogger and someone who waits all year in excited anticipation for the used book sale, you'd think I'd have quite the collection, but not even close. I think we have more versions of the Silmarillion than we do cookbooks. And when Canada attacks Cleveland I will barricade myself with Agatha Christie paperbacks.

If I include the cooking magazines, it looks a little better:

Eh. Still embarrassing. Oh well, here goes.

1. Total number of (cook) books I own:
Eight. Sad, isn't it?

I do have a year's worth of Cook's Illustrated, several old Food & Wines and Gourmets and current subscriptions to Saveur and Eating Well. Oh, and a binder of recipes I've copied off other cookbooks and websites.

2. Last (cook) book I bought:
Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony by by Madeleine Pelner Cosman.

3. Last (food) book I read:
Thomas Keller's Bouchon.

4. Five (cook) books that mean a lot to me: Considering that I have so few, you'd think those would be meaningful and well-used. Not so. I hardly look at them.

I might go with the Philippine Cookbook by Reynaldo Alejandro, but in actuality I just end up asking my mom how to make things. I think Foodgoat has only cracked open the Hungarian Cookbook by Susan Derecskey once, to check the authenticity of the chicken paprikash recipe. The fact that we still have the book must mean it's okay.

I love Fruits of the Philippines by Doreen Fernandez, because the photos are gorgeous and I bought it while I was there, but it's not of much practical utility in Cleveland.

I get a lot more mileage out of the magazines. Saveur is lovely and fun to read, though I have yet to try one of their recipes, which tend towards obscure ingredients. But the stories are charming, the photos delicious, and the food inspiring.

Eating Well recipes, on the other hand, get quite the workout. I've tried many of them, almost all of which have turned out well (notable exception:the grilled strawberry chicken ... bleah). I'm not that interested in technique, so the easy, healthy perspective are much more practical.

5. Which 5 people would you most like to see fill this out in their blog?
This meme has been going around for so long I think anyone I name may have already done it. But if I think of anyone, I'll amend it.