On our recent trip to San Francisco one of the places I just had to visit was Omnivore Books on Food. I've been wanting to visit ever since Lisa gave me a head's up about this dreamy cookbook shop last year. Omnivore not only carries an amazing assortment of new cookbook titles, but also a fabulous array of vintage cookbooks not only from the US but the UK as well. Unfortunately I happened to visit on a day when they were randomly closed. Wah, wah. Lucky for me, my lovely husband Aaron made an extra trip to scout it out for me. He came through in a major way when he surprised me with a lovely assortment of vintage cookbooks from the shop.
I'm such a sucker for vintage cookbooks. I love everything about them from the recipes to the language to the typography and the musty smell. I also just love the history that they provide through the types of ingredients that are being used. The books I received were all pre-WWII, making them the oldest cookbooks in my collection.
I love this one called "Plate Dinners for the Busy Woman" dated 1927. The author Mabel Claire (also the author of "The Busy Woman's Cook Book") provides advice on how to create meals that are easy to assemble and can be served on one plate rather than using serving dishes for everything.
On time saving she says:
"Whether a woman uses the times saved for business or for the betterment and advancement of the community— a task for which her sex is so well fitted— or employs it for the cultivation of her charm and intelligence, surely the world will reap the benefit. It will be a pleasanter place to live in because she saved time from routine labor"
I also received a set of books on gardening from the UK that have these awesome 2-color dust jackets that make me really happy. The last book is "A Handbook of Cookery" which is actually a book from a cooking class from 1916. I love how these books are full of both recipes that sound familiar and recipes I've never heard of. I can't wait to dig in!
I have to note that Aaron originally chose different books for me and had them sent out to Brooklyn. Unfortunately they got lost in the mail, so someone out there has a sweet set of vintage cookbooks. Celia Sack, the owner of Omnivore Books went above and beyond the call of duty and actually hand chose the selection of books above and brought them to New York on a visit to see her sister. Now that's some amazing service!
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June 24th, 2009 at 7:00 am
I visited that store while I was in SF last week – it’s so cool! Tiny too, but what a wonderful selection. We ran out of time to browse all the vintage books, but it was still absolutely wonderful.
June 24th, 2009 at 10:15 am
What wonderful finds! I don’t have any vintage cookbooks, but now I’ve got a hankering
June 24th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
So awesome. I really want a fun vintage cookbook now.
June 24th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Way to go Aaron! There was a store in London called Books for Cooks which housed an incredible array of cookbooks old and vintage. I used to browse for hours. My dream is to open something like that in Seattle.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
i loved reading the mabel claire time saving quote. thank you. now i must scoot…time to cultivate my charm and intelligence : )
June 25th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
dana-
you should totally open one in seattle! that would be brilliant!
June 26th, 2009 at 1:30 am
you should move to the west coast they have better produce and better sunshine
…
July 7th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I am just relieved as hell you liked the books I chose! Aaron picked such great ones (incl. The Busy Woman’s Cook Book, companion to your other Mabel Claire), it was hard to come up with anything close. I read a bit of your blog & figured out what you might like, so I’m really glad you did. I hope the real ones will arrive someday! Also hope to see you in S.F., Celia Sack, owner, Omnivore Books on Food
December 19th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
I am so exited to find this store. I have cook book and kitchen guide for the busy woman by mable claie , and i have made many things from it. I have a very big colection of cook books and none more my favorit than this . I have a thing for kitchen things from the 30s an 40s and i love that now i know where to find more of these books. thank you . the very next time im in san fran i will be going there strait of the plane.
December 27th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
I have a Mabel Claire Cookbook titled Nash’s Salad – Dessert Book. do you know anything about this cookbook. I have seen the same cover for other cook books, ie Macy’s Salad – Dessert Book.
I stumbled onto your site and thought you might know a little of the history of Mabel Claire or where I could go to get additonal information.
Kindest Regards and Happy New Year.
Cathi Nelson
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:01 pm
Cathi, i think Mabel Claire published a couple of small cookbooks under the famous Little Blue Books by Haldeman-Julius of Kansas. They published these little books on various subjects, famous litiature,and there is information on them. I once had her book,The Busy Woman’s Cookbook, but later sold it.
Wish I had kept it. Some of her other books turn up on ebay, but I know nothing on her. I think there is a book on some of the various ladies like Ida Bailey Allen who had a show on radio as did Ellen Rose Dickey,but do not know if she had a radio show. I believe Sarah Field Splint did.