It is a well known fact that I am slightly odd. It has been explained to me many, many times over the years. And I think I have convinced some of you of that as well. Mind you I don't go out of my way to be odd, well we can blame it on my mother.
One of my oddities (or so people say it is odd) is the shear amount of books I own. I have been lucky to find an online community that actually consists of people with more books then me, but then they send me even more books to the distress of my husband. I love it, and adore the friends I have made there.
One of my obsessions is cookbooks. I have all the "pop" books as well as church cook books from the 1940's to the 1990's (I need to hit up more estate sales for more recent ones), I have very old hand written recipes, family recipes and from friends. Some date back to the early 1600's. My dinning room looks like a library exploded in it. Not only do I have books up on shelves, but strung out everywhere. I have 10 recipes for each single dish, and every single one of them have hand written variations in them. Same dish, different ingredients, different "fixes" written in them. This little quirk I blame on my father. There is a story my mother tells, even though she doesn't tell it in fondness, I think it is hilarious.
My father threw a pan of lasagna across the room, hitting a wall because there was something off about it.
I can so relate to it. If I mess up, I want to feed it to the dogs, but I try to save it, and grudgingly serve it to my family. Waste not want not.
I can only follow someone else's recipe once, before changing it. Now some would say this isn't a problem, but I have been asked to review cookbooks. ~insert evil laugh here~ Are you serious? You want me to tell other people how messed up someone else's recipes are? Oh I don't like to be cruel. Chefs and cooks have spent precious time working on their babies, and the recipes are probably great for most people. I on the other hand demand perfection when it comes to cooking anything. It is one of two things in my life that I strive and obsess about perfection.
I am going to end up with a lot of people ticked off at me, that is unless I can find a way to not tear apart, nit pick, a recipe to death. I have to get over this particular obsession. ~sigh~
6 comments:
My cookbook collection is probably an unhealthy one as well. But they are so much fun, especially the older ones. I have to call up my Omi (grandmother) and ask her what certain things are because there is terminology we don't use today. It's a challenge. LOL
As for books, I also have to many. Bear says it's a virtual library. My girlfriend in California (a self proclaimed bibliophile) has over 7,000 books in her house. I have spent DAYS, literally, trying to read the spines of each and every one. I don't think I accomplished the task.
Books are a human necessity. Even Thomas Jefferson said he couldn't live without them. I must agree...:)
My cookbook collection is average. I have what most might have in their home if they love to cook. I would love to have even more, but space is always an issue. Josh would probably kick my butt if he knew how many I would like to have. There is just something about recipes that are fun. I never follow them. I always add or omit stuff. I figure, if they don't like it, they can throw it against the wall. ;)
Now, I have had just about enough your lady of your insinuations that I'm off the beaten path. Everyone else is weird, I'm fine. And as for your father- He not only threw the pan across the room, he was also, known for throwing the whole pan, food and all, into the trash can. Never to be seen again. I like your post "You weirdo"
LOL!!! I can't follow a recipe to save my life. One botched recipe can throw me off entire regional cuisines for months, years, ha! I'm researching foods that can have multiple uses, unusual foods that can be eaten (ones you'd not really think of as being food per se)...and then I think WHAT am I THINKING? I can't even follow a recipe and am I really going to EAT all those plant leaves the natives used "cooked like spinach"?? (But yes, oh yes, I'm going to plant them and try) haha :)
You have quite a faithful following here...indicating either that you're not being weird alone, or that it's contagious ;-)
Mysti, ha I was forced to learn old school terms as well. I love the ones that don't use measuring cups...a handful of this, a palm size of that. At last count I had 3,000 but that was two years ago.
abba, space is an issue. I rotate my books out, but have eccsess to all my cook books.
given, sure sure, your NORMAL!
Robbyn, ohoh the cook like spinach ones. I am ordering a bunch of those...what pretty yet deadly flowers they have.
Hhhmmm. I didn't know you liked cookbooks....
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