Do You Still Use Cookbooks? : Daily Art Practice
Couch Talk
It has been a few weeks since I posted due to the end of the school year, sickness and vacation. Now that things are starting to return to normal, I am trying to get back to my regular posting schedule. Our family caught a virus that caused ear and sinus infections for 2 months. A few of us are still dealing with ear fluid and pain but for the most part, we are better. I didn’t do a whole lot of anything while I was sick so I don’t have a lot of art or books to share from that time.
Last summer, we started a Tea and Poetry time, once a week. I made a pot of tea, baked a treat and made sandwiches while we took turns reading a book at the table. We spent last week in Virginia on our family vacation, and we visited a few historical sites, including Mount Vernon (photo above), the home of George Washington. Our theme for this weeks Tea and Poetry Time is George Washington.
I did load up with books at our local library this morning so I thought I would share. I browsed all of them and I can’t wait to read more of what I got. I know cookbooks are becoming outdated with the amount of recipes online but I still love a printed cookbook. It gets me excited about cooking.
Book Corner
I thought the The Colonial Cookbook would provide some insight into cooking during George Washington’s time. This books has great illustrations and a little history on each recipe.
I am going to pick various topics for Tea and Poetry time that will include cuisine from around the world. American Girl Around The World Cookbook looks like it has a great variety of foods, countries and colorful pictures for each dish.
American Girl Around The World Cookbook
Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors and while searching online for cookbooks, I found this one at the library, Cooking With Jane Austen. This book is most interesting because the author gives the original regency recipe with a lot of illustrations. She then translates the original recipe into a modern recipe format, making the recipe less complicated. This book could take a very long time to get through (all 408 pages), but it looks fascinating with much information to learn.
Usborne Round The World Cookbook has recipes from 22 different countries. The recipes are simple and relatively well-known to us so I wouldn’t recommend this book if you are looking for a new way to experience a country but it does have pretty illustrations.
Usborne Round The World Cookbook
The Kids Around The World Cookbook is my favorite so far! Fun illustrations, many countries to choose from and simple recipes that are not well known in the American diet. I would love to try many of these recipes.
The Kids Around The World Cookbook
Watercolor Shop Fronts
My first shop from is a Japanese restaurant, Ramen Yoshibe in Tokyo. Their website is in Japanese but they have pictures of their dishes and they look yummy. It looks like they sell mainly Ramen. My favorite part of the shops exterior is that bright red fixture and the dark wood paneling. They make a beautiful contrast against the flags and white notices. Reference photo HERE.
I mentioned before that my husband’s parent traveled to Germany and Italy earlier this year. My FIL knows how much I love painting buildings so he made sure to take pictures. Babingtons Tea Rooms are throughout Italy and this particular building is in Rome. If you go to the About Us on their website you can read about their interesting history. Babingtons was started by two English ladies in 1893 before tea was widely drunk in Italy. So far, this is one of my favorite buildings with the ornate carvings over the door and on the stonework.
Tea Day
I am joining the tea day ladies, hosted by Elizabeth and Bleubeard. My tea today is Twinings Earl Grey Tea. While visiting family, I tasted this tea for the first time and was surprised at the delicious flavor and fragrance. I rarely drink black tea but this one makes me want to drink it all the time.
Do you have any favorite cookbooks to recommend with your native cuisine?
Happy Tea Day,
Kate
Hi Kate, good to read your family is getting over the illness-no fun at all.
I have always loved to read cookbooks-I used to have 100’s of them, so I had to really really downsize when we moved to the smaller lake house. I don’t always follow a recipe but get ideas from them and I have just always enjoyed reading them. James Townsend and Sons sells allot of cookbooks written in the 1700 and 1880’s
I love the idea of your tea and poetry family time.
enjoyed your paintings too-happy T Kathy
Hi Kate. Sorry the has been sickness in the family. I am hoping all of you will be better very soon. Cookbooks. I love them! I would much rather have a cookbook in hand than go on line. These examples are fabulous! Again a beautiful piece of art with details that make the real thing look drab. LOL Have a great day.
I love cookbooks to read and sometimes to cook from. However, I like to get a book from a single location, often from a smaller location than from a whole country. Cuisine is really regional even now in the days of global everything. My most recent experiments have been with a book of Ethiopian recipes. And I just ordered a bread book from France, which arrived today — it’s for Father’s Day for my husband who bakes bread. I have a number of French cookbooks in both English and French. Other favorites from long-ago trips include books on the cuisine of individual islands in the Caribbean.
So many cuisines… so little time. Enjoy your experiments. I hope you try some noodles from the beautiful shop front you painted.
best… mae at maefood.blogspot.com
Cookbooks- I LOVE them too!! And as many as I own I still love getting cookbooks at the library. I have not heard of the ones you mentioned. Most of the cookbooks I own are French cooking, along with a handful of Italian cooking, and vegetarian/Mediterranean cooking. Will look if our library has the Jane Austen book- sounds very interesting and I love her too.
Your shop fronts- again- are just gorgeous!! So finely detailed.
Happy T day!
I like your tea and poetry idea. It sounds like a fun tradition.. I do still use cookbooks,; in fact I love reading them even if I don’t ever make anything from them. You have an interesting selection. Did you like Mount Vernon? I remember we visited there when my daughter was a kid. It was a fun place to visit. I hope you and your family had a nice trip, and I hope everyone is healthy now so the kids and you can enjoy the summer. . Have a great T day Kate. and a nice week ahead too. Hugs-Erika
I love the cookbook “Culinaria Germany: A Celebration of Food and Tradition” by Christine Metzger. It has lots of recipes, but it has even more information on the regional cuisines of Germany (there is no “German cuisine” really). The author goes into detail about each state’s specialty and offers the recipes about that food. I also use it for my German classes since I am not familiar with all the regional cookings, especially in the Eastern states like Thüringen or Sachsen-Anhalt. It’s a “fat” book with almost 400 pages.
Hi kate! I can’t say i LOVE cookbooks but i do own a few.. Not that i use them often.. We have had to curtail our fondness of certain foods… due to health reasons .. and i must say it surely takes out the fun… But we do occasionally splurge and i will pull out a recipe or two.. What great books you found at the library! Happy happy Tday! Looking forward to your T visit! Hugs! deb
Your painted shop fronts are beautiful. I don’t cook a lot theses days, only when visitors come. In summer I enjoy salads and cold meats or cheese or eggs. Happy T Day, Valerie
Frankly I don´t use cookbooks much these days no more! But there are enough bloggers who give inspiration!
Love your watercolor drawing – have a happy T-Day!
I’m sorry y’all have been sick -and for sooo long- and hope your recovery continues. Your trip sounds interesting. Those cookbooks are intriguing, and I’d’ve loved some of those ideas when my kids were little and interested in cooking independently. Fun!
I’ve missed T Stands for Tuesday during my staycation. It’s good to be back.
I’m glad you are all in the process of recovering. A virus (any virus) is no fun at all. And they take so long to get rid of.
Your ‘tea and poetry’ sessions sound fun.
Yes, I love cookbooks too. I have all Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks as they are such fun to read. I love reading about a recipe and I also love clear pictures. Cookbooks without pictures are no fun at all, but most older cookbooks don’t have pictures.
Your shopfront paintings are beautiful. I will have some fun now going to all your link and reading about Babbington’s ( among other things).
PS I love Earl Grey too. The fragrance is bergmot.
Happy T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
I hope you and your family are feeling better. The cookbooks look fun. I got rid of most of mine. I have the Betty Crocker cookbook my mother gave me when I got married. Tried and true and my Go To for How To. I also have a cookbook from a fundraiser: Minnesota Hot Dishes. Quick and easy cooking. I have an on line cookbook using Evernote. If I find a recipe that looks interesting, I save it to Evernote. Early Grey is my favorite blend of tea. I like it with milk and sweetener. If you add a splash of vanilla and foamed milk or Half n Half, you have a London Fog. Delish! You would probably like Lady Grey tea. Besides the bergamot, it also contains lemon and orange peel. Happy T Day
Yes, I have lots of cookbooks and use them often 😀. Your art is beautiful, I’m always mesmerised by the detail that you create. Wishing you a very Happy T Day! Hugs Jo x
Been without electricity since about 6:30 pm yesterday. Never so glad to get my AC and internet back.
I have a cookbook collection, but they now sit collecting dust. Too many good recipes on the internet to bother searching through various cookbooks to find something I want to prepare. Your shop fronts are great. I really like the tea room. It’s been awhile since I had Earl Grey tea. I like the tin it’s in, too. Thanks for sharing that vast amount of cookbooks, your lovely shop fronts, and your tea with us for T this Tuesday, dear Kate.
Your watercolors are lovely.
It’s funny you ask about cookbooks, I dug two out just yesterday trying to find the no bake bar recipe my mom would make for a treat during hot summer days.
Hope you and the family are fully on the mend.
Happy T day!
I love to read cookbooks-love your choices! Your shopfront sketches are wonderful! I hope you are all much better now. Belated Happy T Day, Chrisx