Comments for The Dinner Files http://www.thedinnerfiles.com recipe-driven observations from the sublime to the ridiculous Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:54:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Comment on Cookbook overload by Monica http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8572 Monica Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:54:28 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8572 Time consuming, but will make you feel better about getting rid of some: flip through and set a minimum number of attractive recipes required to keep. If there are less, you can choose to copy them down before you get rid of it. I have done this with library cookbooks to decide if I would buy them. Time consuming, but will make you feel better about getting rid of some: flip through and set a minimum number of attractive recipes required to keep. If there are less, you can choose to copy them down before you get rid of it. I have done this with library cookbooks to decide if I would buy them.

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Judi http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8570 Judi Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:37:47 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8570 My mentality is: if I used it (even once) or occasionally flip through it for inspiration, it stays. If not, it goes. I would donate them or give them as spur-of-the-moment gifts to your foodie friends. My mentality is: if I used it (even once) or occasionally flip through it for inspiration, it stays. If not, it goes.

I would donate them or give them as spur-of-the-moment gifts to your foodie friends.

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Cynthia Wig http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8569 Cynthia Wig Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:58:49 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8569 Hi Molly! Thanks so much for all of your lovely work. We've employed and enjoyed your ricotta chard gnocchi recipe on a number of occasions! What a great system that your friend follows! I very rarely re-read fiction, so my cookbooks are inheriting more real estate where the novels used to be. That is the extent of my own system to date. Maybe it would be easier to part with some cookbooks if you know that they will be in a good collection and also possibly in a place where you can revisit them again? Local Mission Eatery in San Francisco has a cookbook library. Although I am not a card-carrying member, I do love the idea: http://www.localmissioneatery.com/library Good luck with the cull! Hi Molly! Thanks so much for all of your lovely work. We’ve employed and enjoyed your ricotta chard gnocchi recipe on a number of occasions!

What a great system that your friend follows! I very rarely re-read fiction, so my cookbooks are inheriting more real estate where the novels used to be. That is the extent of my own system to date.

Maybe it would be easier to part with some cookbooks if you know that they will be in a good collection and also possibly in a place where you can revisit them again? Local Mission Eatery in San Francisco has a cookbook library. Although I am not a card-carrying member, I do love the idea:
http://www.localmissioneatery.com/library

Good luck with the cull!

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Molly Watson http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8568 Molly Watson Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:21:01 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8568 Such good suggestions! A friend sent the following system to me over email that almost makes a game out of the whole thing, so I thought I'd pass it along: Step one: Take three random cookbooks off the shelf. Step two: Choose your least favorite of the three and set it aside. Step three: Repeat until done. Step four: Take the stack of rejects and go through steps 1-3 again. This will ensure that you can rescue some books and math-wise it means that in the end you're only getting rid of 1 in 9 books instead of 1 in 3. She also suggested that I box up anything I'm on the fence about, stick it in the garage, and see if I ever go down to fish anything out. Based on the other things that are boxed up in the garage, my guess is I never will. Such good suggestions! A friend sent the following system to me over email that almost makes a game out of the whole thing, so I thought I’d pass it along:

Step one: Take three random cookbooks off the shelf.
Step two: Choose your least favorite of the three and set it aside.
Step three: Repeat until done.
Step four: Take the stack of rejects and go through steps 1-3 again. This will ensure that you can rescue some books and math-wise it means that in the end you’re only getting rid of 1 in 9 books instead of 1 in 3.

She also suggested that I box up anything I’m on the fence about, stick it in the garage, and see if I ever go down to fish anything out. Based on the other things that are boxed up in the garage, my guess is I never will.

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by scarlett http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8565 scarlett Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:21:50 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8565 i'd use the three questions: 1 have i ever actually or has it ever inspired me to cook something from the cook book in question? 2 is it a standard, traditional book? 3 are this the sort of meal ideas i'd like to serve to guests? xo scarlett i’d use the three questions:

1 have i ever actually or has it ever inspired me to cook something from the cook book in question?
2 is it a standard, traditional book?
3 are this the sort of meal ideas i’d like to serve to guests?

xo
scarlett

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Shannnon http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8564 Shannnon Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:17:05 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8564 Just returned from the thrift store with 3 more vintage cookbooks so I can be of little help. What I do know is that soon if not already there will be a need and desire by young cooks and foodies to acquire some of the traditional standards and a need to feel connected to the history of the wonderful world of food and the art of preparation and execution to making memorable meals! I also can never neglect a vintage piece of quality cookware. I'm in so much trouble! Just returned from the thrift store with 3 more vintage cookbooks so I can be of little help. What I do know is that soon if not already there will be a need and desire by young cooks and foodies to acquire some of the traditional standards and a need to feel connected to the history of the wonderful world of food and the art of preparation and execution to making memorable meals! I also can never neglect a vintage piece of quality cookware. I’m in so much trouble!

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by na http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8563 na Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:15:06 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8563 1. Is it a book I use often? 2. Does the book agree with my cooking/eating philosophy? 3. Does the book teach me more than just recipes? If the answer is yes to all three, keep it. I would personally also keep a book if the answer was yes to the first two :-) All the best in getting rid of cookbooks! 1. Is it a book I use often?
2. Does the book agree with my cooking/eating philosophy?
3. Does the book teach me more than just recipes?

If the answer is yes to all three, keep it. I would personally also keep a book if the answer was yes to the first two :-)
All the best in getting rid of cookbooks!

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Kate http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8562 Kate Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:33:44 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8562 Some starter questions: Have you cooked or been interested in cooking any recipe from it in the past year? Have any recipes from it made it into your semi-regular rotation? Is it something you grab when you're looking for inspiration or a basic formula? I also need to cull the six heavy boxes I just moved to the new house. I'll help you if you help me. Some starter questions: Have you cooked or been interested in cooking any recipe from it in the past year? Have any recipes from it made it into your semi-regular rotation? Is it something you grab when you’re looking for inspiration or a basic formula?

I also need to cull the six heavy boxes I just moved to the new house. I’ll help you if you help me.

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Megan http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8561 Megan Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:53:33 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8561 Well, I'm totally the wrong person to give advice on getting rid of cookbooks because just glancing at your Time Life collection made me feel a little covetous, and the cookbooks I already own are have outgrown their ample quarters in the kitchen and have begun occupying valuable closet space in other parts of the house. Actually, the closet thing helps a little, over time. The books I don't use that often end up in the closet by default. Eventually I realize that there are some I really haven't missed, and those are free to go. I try to be diligent about getting rid of aspirational books, too. Yes, I should read Ulysses, but I'm never going to. I'd like to be the kind of person who enjoys spending summer afternoons turning fruit into jam, but I'm not. With books in general, if I'll read it/use it again or it has sentimental value, or I just love having it, it's a keeper. See? This is why I have too many cookbooks. Well, I’m totally the wrong person to give advice on getting rid of cookbooks because just glancing at your Time Life collection made me feel a little covetous, and the cookbooks I already own are have outgrown their ample quarters in the kitchen and have begun occupying valuable closet space in other parts of the house.

Actually, the closet thing helps a little, over time. The books I don’t use that often end up in the closet by default. Eventually I realize that there are some I really haven’t missed, and those are free to go. I try to be diligent about getting rid of aspirational books, too. Yes, I should read Ulysses, but I’m never going to. I’d like to be the kind of person who enjoys spending summer afternoons turning fruit into jam, but I’m not.

With books in general, if I’ll read it/use it again or it has sentimental value, or I just love having it, it’s a keeper. See? This is why I have too many cookbooks.

]]> Comment on Cookbook overload by Balsamic Reductions http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2012/02/07/cookbook-overload/comment-page-1/#comment-8560 Balsamic Reductions Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:53:38 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=3063#comment-8560 I actually found great relief from this problem when I realized how awesome the space I had in my dining room was. I moved a large collection of my cookbooks to shelves there and they look great and have a lot more space. I actually found great relief from this problem when I realized how awesome the space I had in my dining room was. I moved a large collection of my cookbooks to shelves there and they look great and have a lot more space.

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