Time-Life Foods of the World

[bullseye]

I just purchased a (I think) complete set of the Time-Life Foods of the World cookbooks from the semi-SO's mother. I already have have yards of bookshelf devoted to cook books, but I could not pass them up. She was going to put them on ebay for $25 ... . They include a wirebound set that, I think, is the recipes sans commentary. Does anyone use these cookbooks? Any favorites? Are they awful? Should I dump then on ebay myself?

[cjs]

You have gotten yourself a treasure!!!! I love mine and have had them and used them since the 70s. How lucky you are - Here are a few of my favorites -

American Cooking - almost too many to mention
BBQ Spareribs
Braised short ribs
Smothered chix w/mushrooms
Deep-dish peach pie w/cream cheese crust

American Cooking: Creole and Acadian
Shrimp & tomato bisque
Beignets

American: New England
harlow House Baked Beans
Clam Chowder

Provincial France
Open-faced cheese tart
Cream of Asparagus Soup and the Mushroom and the French Onion!!
Split-pea soup
Fillets of Sole w/White wine sauce
Scallops w/mushrooms in White wine sauce
Crepes w/lemon souffle filling
Cherry cake
...and about 10 others.

Italy - I learned to make pizza from this book.
Tomato salad
Lasagne Pasticciate
Fettuccine al BurroSalsa Pizzaiola (Tomato & garlic sauce)

Can you tell how much I love this series???? You will never be sorry and first off, you'd better make her a dinner from one of the books as a thank you!! have fun.

[bullseye]

Thanks, cjs. I have been perusing the set and I think it is a keeper. I will definitely check out the recipes you mention. I have some short ribs in the freezer and some peaches from the farmer's market; I think I'll try a couple of the recipes you recommend!

[FryBoy]

There are actually 27 volumes in the complete set of Time-Life's Foods of the World set, issued in the 1970s, which was one of several different sets the publisher has issued over the years. Each title has an accompanying spiral-bound soft cover recipe book, and there are four supplemental volumes and a rare 3-ring recipe binder for a total of 59 books in a truly complete set.

Here are the titles and authors:

African Cooking by Laurens van der Post
American Cooking by Dale Brown
American Cooking : Creole and Acadian by Peter S. Feibleman
American Cooking : The Eastern Heartland by Jose Wilson
American Cooking : The Great West by Jonathan Leonard Norton
American Cooking : The Melting Pot by James Shenton, Angelo Pellegrini, Dale Brown, Israel Shenker, Peter Wood
American Cooking : New England by Jonathan Norton Leonard
American Cooking : The Northwest by Dale Brown
American Cooking : Southern Style by Eugene Walter
Cooking of the British Isles by Adrian Bailey
Cooking of the Caribbean Islands by Linda Wolfe
Cooking of China by Emily Hahn
Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey
Cooking of Provincial France by M.F.K. Fisher
Cooking of Germany by Nika Standen Hazelton
Cooking of India by Santha Rama Rau
Cooking of Italy by Waverly Root
Cooking of Japan by Rafael Steinberg
Latin American Cooking by Jonathan Norton Leonard
Middle Eastern Cooking by Harry G. Nickles
Pacific-Southeast Asian Cooking by Rafael Steinberg
Quintet of Cuisines by Michael and Frances Field
Russian Cooking by Helen and George Papashvly
Cooking of Scandinavia by Dale Brown
Cooking of Spain and Portugal Peter S. Feibleman
Cooking of Vienna's Empire by Joseph Wechsberg
Wines and Spirits by Alec Waugh

Supplements:
Menu Guide & Recipe Index
Supplement Number One
Supplement Number Two
Kitchen Guide
3-Ring Recipe Binder

The individual books are not particularly sought after by collectors because they're pretty common, but a complete set can fetch over $200 on eBay. The dealer of used cookbooks whom my wife and I rely on, Janet Jarvits, charges up to $395 for a complete set in very good condition.

It's hard to find a complete set because the books were usually sold by mail, one book every two months, and buyers could return the ones they didn't want. It's also hard to find the books in good condition because the bindings were not the best and often the spines are torn, or they're very faded from exposure to light.

[Ellen]

I have a few of these, and I know you will love them, oh how I wish I had the set. It is true the bindings are not the best, but you have many many hours of wonderful reading before you. Congrates. I too learned how to make pizza from the Italian cook Jean.

[bullseye]

Originally Posted by FryBoy

There are actually 27 volumes in the complete set of Time-Life's Foods of the World set, issued in the 1970s, which was one of several different sets the publisher has issued over the years. Each title has an accompanying spiral-bound soft cover recipe book, and there are four supplemental volumes and a rare 3-ring recipe binder for a total of 59 books in a truly complete set.

Here are the titles and authors:

African Cooking by Laurens van der Post
American Cooking by Dale Brown
American Cooking : Creole and Acadian by Peter S. Feibleman
American Cooking : The Eastern Heartland by Jose Wilson
American Cooking : The Great West by Jonathan Leonard Norton
American Cooking : The Melting Pot by James Shenton, Angelo Pellegrini, Dale Brown, Israel Shenker, Peter Wood
American Cooking : New England by Jonathan Norton Leonard
American Cooking : The Northwest by Dale Brown
American Cooking : Southern Style by Eugene Walter
Cooking of the British Isles by Adrian Bailey
Cooking of the Caribbean Islands by Linda Wolfe
Cooking of China by Emily Hahn
Classic French Cooking by Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey
Cooking of Provincial France by M.F.K. Fisher
Cooking of Germany by Nika Standen Hazelton
Cooking of India by Santha Rama Rau
Cooking of Italy by Waverly Root
Cooking of Japan by Rafael Steinberg
Latin American Cooking by Jonathan Norton Leonard
Middle Eastern Cooking by Harry G. Nickles
Pacific-Southeast Asian Cooking by Rafael Steinberg
Quintet of Cuisines by Michael and Frances Field
Russian Cooking by Helen and George Papashvly
Cooking of Scandinavia by Dale Brown
Cooking of Spain and Portugal Peter S. Feibleman
Cooking of Vienna's Empire by Joseph Wechsberg
Wines and Spirits by Alec Waugh

Supplements:
Menu Guide & Recipe Index
Supplement Number One
Supplement Number Two
Kitchen Guide
3-Ring Recipe Binder

The individual books are not particularly sought after by collectors because they're pretty common, but a complete set can fetch over $200 on eBay. The dealer of used cookbooks whom my wife and I rely on, Janet Jarvits, charges up to $395 for a complete set in very good condition.

It's hard to find a complete set because the books were usually sold by mail, one book every two months, and buyers could return the ones they didn't want. It's also hard to find the books in good condition because the bindings were not the best and often the spines are torn, or they're very faded from exposure to light.

Apparently, I do not own a complete set. I have 19 hard-bound books and 20 spiral-bound ones. I do have Supplement Number One, the index, and the Kitchen Guide. I will go over your graciously supplied list to see what I'm missing later today. Thank you, Fryboy!

[FryBoy]

Originally Posted by bullseye

Apparently, I do not own a complete set. I have 19 hard-bound books and 20 spiral-bound ones. I do have Supplement Number One, the index, and the Kitchen Guide. I will go over your graciously supplied list to see what I'm missing later today. Thank you, Fryboy!

Check on eBay -- you can probably fill in the set for not too much money.

[cjs]

Well Fryboy, I guess I'd better print out your list and check against what I have...I would hate the thot that I didn't own every single one of those treasures!!! ;)

I was so poor in the 70s that I had to discontinue receiving them at some point, but over the years I've picked up almost all of them at flea markets and garage sales - the spiral versions anyway.

"I too learned how to make pizza from the Italian cook Jean."

Our families were lucky, eh Ellen?? Did you start out putting stupid things on pizza, like Vienna Sausages, and using Chef BoyRD boxed mess?? I was so glad when the Italian book showed me how to make it right.

[Reanie525i]

Originally Posted by bullseye

I just purchased a (I think) complete set of the Time-Life Foods of the World cookbooks from the semi-SO's mother. I already have have yards of bookshelf devoted to cook books, but I could not pass them up. She was going to put them on ebay for $25 ... . They include a wirebound set that, I think, is the recipes sans commentary. Does anyone use these cookbooks? Any favorites? Are they awful? Should I dump then on ebay myself?

WHAT is a semi - SO"S mother???? IF you did not like them I am sure she would give you your money back!!!!! Sounds like deal to me

[ChefJune]

Oh, you have a real keepeer! How I wish I had the whole set! The spiral books have recipes that are NOT in the hard bound edition, but there are great recipes in both...

Jean, didn't all of us in the 60's-70's try that awful boxed mess from Boy $D at least once???? Can you say GROSS???