Sometimes people who visit my home notice that I have a lot of cookbooks in my main bookcase. They are always surprised to find out how carefully I curate this collection.
One reason I am careful about curating this collection is that some cookbooks simply have recipes in them that like more than in other cookbooks. In the end, any recipe that I make part of repertoire is still tweaked in significant ways by me most of the time. I will often look at multiple recipes for the same food, try them all out, and begin tweaking and adjusting until I get the desired result. I'm very particular about balance of flavors, the textures, etc.
Another reason I'm careful about curating this collection is that some recipes have obvious mistakes in them. And if mistakes are found in one recipe, they are likely to be found in other recipes in that same book. Some mistakes are obvious misses when it comes to proofreading. I looked at a recipe collection that had a chocolate pie crust recipe in it and it obviously confused tablespoons and teaspoons for one of the ingredients. And when it was made, it just didn't work. Somehow this wasn't caught in the proofreading.
Some books are notorious for multiple significant errors, and yet the publishers haven't pulled copies to correct them. You can find examples of these discussed in reviews of these collections on internet sites where they can be purchased. Users are happy to express their displeasure. However, most people would not know there were issues if it weren't for experienced cooks and bakers who have written these reviews. Some of the people might just assume the recipe didn't work because of their lack of experience or skill. It's a shame, because then these people are less likely to try to cook something again on their own. For some of these books, publishers (instead of recalling the books) will simply continue printing the same volumes but adding pages of errata. For those who are unfamiliar with the term "errata", it simply means "errors". So the publisher will add a loose page that is slipped just inside the cover alerting the reader to the errors and giving corrections. Of course, now the reader has to go through and make the corrections by hand on each page.
Some books simply have recipes that haven't been tested enough, in my opinion. It's as if the writer of the recipe made it once, said "Hey, this is great!", and never did made it again to make sure that the recipe as they recorded it is correct and that it can duplicated again and again without issue.
Sometimes you have recipes made by a famous culinary figure and they simply don't test it out well enough on typical home kitchen equipment and in small batches. They've simply taken something they make in larger batches, reduced the ratio of all the ingredients and then slapped into a book. That doesn't always work. Some recipes can be doubled or halved, but others can't. The recipe and the mixing and cooking processes don't work the same. In my opinion, this is simply a matter of not caring by that well-known culinary figure. They are interested in getting the book published and gaining all the monies they know will come from everyone who wants to buy it. But they haven't vetted the recipes well enough.
Sometimes you have the opposite and a book by a well-known culinary figure is magnificent with recipe after recipe that works again and again.
The point is this: I do a thorough review of any book that goes into my collection. I get a copy and review multiple recipes. I browse through it looking for things that simply don't look right. I check reviews. I make multiple foods from those recipes. And in the end, if I'm happy, I add it to my collection. And then I proceed to work through many of the recipes and often add my own tweaks or even significant changes if I like the concept but not the end result of a recipe.
Sometimes someone who is well-meaning will buy me a recipe book as a gift to add to my collection. They have no idea how much effort and time I put into vetting every volume on my bookshelf. But I thank them politely and with genuine gratitude for their thoughtfulness. And then I set out to review the book myself before it takes a permanent spot in my bookcase.
Having volumes of recipes around to explore and to inspire me with new ideas is great. I keep a master list of my own recipes, as well. I'm in the process of rewriting many of those, complete with all my detailed notes that I have made as a result of repeated use and experimentation. It's a time-consuming and painstaking process, but it's necessary so that I preserve what I have I learned from experience making each recipe in my repertoire.
OK, enough writing for today. Time to start making cookie dip for this weekend's orders.
Happy spring, everyone!
