One trip to Liberty Supply downtown for the carpet tiles and glue ----and THREE trips to Lowes for different things we needed throughout the day.
I still wanted to take a quick chance to “clean something out” and while DH was hooking up the trailer to his pickup so we could go load up the carpet tiles ----I decided that 15 minutes was all I was going to need to dig myself in and out of the place where I keep my recipe books --- in an old Eastlake style icebox!
I found this piece many years ago while living in Idaho – and it has followed me place to place to place always having a place to rest in my kitchen. It is SO beat up, but I love the detail on it. Can you imagine not having a fridge, and just having an “ice box” to keep things cool and from being spoiled?
My mom remembers when the ice man would come up and down the street selling ice. Dealing with a drippy pan full of water from the ice run off on a daily basis is something I’m glad that I don’t have to do. But I still love my old ice box and think of the memories it has and who must have been so happy to have it.
I was NOT happy with this jumble of recipe books stuffed into here! The problem is ----there seems to be a growing trend of quilt guilds, schools and church groups doing their own recipe book --- and guess what I am often gifted when I speak at a guild that HAS a recipe book?! A RECIPE BOOK!! And I’ve saved them all. What’s a girl to do?
I decided to weed out what I could to make it a bit more accessible. I still don’t know what to do with the over-abundance of recipe books.
Any ideas? What are you doing in your own kitchen that helps you slim some of this stuff down?
I do love to thumb through recipe books when I don’t know what to cook, but am looking for inspiration on SOMETHING to try ----but too many cook books is not working for me!
The Joy of Cooking cook book is one that my grandmother gave to me as a wedding gift. I won’t get rid of that one, ever!
It’s a little bit better ---but I’m saying no to any more cook books!
There is a guy coming this morning to measure the openings for the front and back door installations. I’m supposed to be at Physical Therapy at 11, but if those times overlap, I’m in a bit of a bind – I tried to call the Physical Therapy place this morning to reschedule, and I get a “disconnected” message! UGH!
Have a great FRIDAY everyone!!
35 comments:
I am very proud of you for your decision to saying No to any more cookbooks.
Just because someone wants to give us something -- either as a lovely gift or to get it out of her own space -- doesn't mean we have to take on the burden.
Good going!
It looks great. I am copying my most used recipes and filing them on my laptop; I find myself there more than in my cookbook cabinet anyway! Looks good, Bonnie!
Do you have a Battered Women's Shelter in your area? With some of their programs helping women rebuild their lives they accept donations of things women had to leave behind. Might also check with thrift stores to donate them. Most resell books of any kind.
Can you say tax writeoff? I have been donating boxes and boxes to charity shops. Getting ready for a downsize soon!
I like your little icebox! And kudos to you for putting a limit on your cookbook collection.
I feel a blogpost coming on, once I can get my thoughts together about cookbooks + recipes. I keep four cookbooks in the kitchen (Joy, Moosewood, Mark Bittman "How to Cook Everything," and another from a Fargo restaurant owner (good recipes for salads and bars)) plus a basket for clipped recipes. Everything else is in a bookcase downstairs....some that I actually consult and others that I just own (books about recipes and cooking, like John Thorne and Laurie Colwin)).
Old ice boxes are so cool! My mother in law grew up in NYC where the ice man delivered by horse and wagon checking each window for how much ice the costumer wanted that day....each size of ice block had a different color card that was placed in the front window on ice day. When the depression struck she remembers they could not afford to buy ice anymore and gathered what food they could everyday to get buy.
Oh if only your icebox could tell it's story!
Happy Sewing
I have an ongoing project of taking my favorite recipe out of each cookbook and putting it into a recipe binder. It is a binder designed just for this and I got it at a local bookstore. Haven't gotten very far but it will eliminate a whole bunch of cookbooks that I only use one or two recipes out of. The pages are even designed to go through a computer printer. Much easier to type than to hand write all those yummy recipes. Love the cabinet!!!
The cookbooks that I use all the time stay in the kitchen. The cookbooks that only have a few recipes that I like are on a bookcase. But I really need to clear out some space. So I am trying to copy recipes from them and put them all into a large binder. It's finding the time to go through them and do the copying that is hard. I work on it in spare moments while waiting for water to boil or cakes to bake.
www.katydidart.net
Love the icebox.......you have been one busy girl as usual. You just amaze me, wish I could
have all that energy. Thanks for all you do for us , love the Quilt Cam.
Good job! I kept about 7 books, my favs, and the rest I use my iPad . It really is easier ! Micki
I have been staring down my piles... yes piles... of cookbooks. I had plenty but when Mom moved down here 3 years ago she downsized and gifted me with boxes and boxes of cookbooks. I have a bookshelf in the den that used to have individual shelves each with it's own category, cookbooks, handyman, sports, kids,paperbacks etc..with room for nicknaks... now it is piled with tons of books and I still have some cartons piled up. I have an old fishtank stand in the dining room with my most used cookbooks and an unorganized mess of recipies. I keep hoping to find a computer program to make my own cookbook with the goal of going through each book and pulling out the wanted recipies and donating the book elsewhere, but have had no luck so far. Any suggestions?
Our local library takes donations of cookbooks, and other books too, and sells them for a small price.
You want to copy a receipt to move a book out....That is what copy machines are for. Post a not the page and it will be at your finger tips when you do the "copy run".
This does not seem like the gracious way to handle a gift... what is hard about taking the gift and then passing it on?
Cook books - regift to your sons. Guild books tend to have easy recipes that they can and will make. Casseroles they can eat for 2 or 3 days without hating.
I love those kinds of cookbooks! My theory is nobody is going to put their name on a rcipe that is not wonderful! Plus, some are long time tested family recipes. I have a ton and could never get rid of them.
#How about a cookbook giveaway?!
# If we order one of your books or a couple, youd include a cookbook?!? You know, whatever makes the postage work out for you. Just an idea.
#Sell them on ebay as a lot, there are people like me who collect them...
#Trade for fabric?
Love your little icebox! And no, I can't imagine having that in place of my refrigerator! I used to have tons of cookbooks, but ran out of space and decided that I really never use them, so I sold most of them at a yards sale! I rarely, if ever, use the ones that I still have. Maybe I should pull out a few and see if I can find something to make for supper!
Copying recipes in your own hand has merit, too. I have recipes written by my mother and by a dear friend who are no longer with us. When I pull out one of their recipes to use, seeing their handwriting touches my heart. But if the recipe is from a book or magazine, a copier or clipping from the magazine makes sense. I have a large notebook of clipped and photocopied recipes. That needs to be gone through, too, as well as my cookbooks. Cooking is very different now then when I married 37 years ago!
I love your icebox! Finds like those are precious.
I have moved 3x, so I've thinned my collection a lot. Then my sister moved in with me, so I got another box. I have a lot of space in my kitchen that I have never filled up -- so I use one double cupboard for all the books.
Another move is coming, so is another thinning !
PS I found my cellphone last night before I went to bed -- did you find your square ?
I love the icebox Bonnie, I too Love cookbooks and read them at night like a novel. But I too get way to many of them. I buy them at rummage sales....But when they outgrow the space I have for them I recycle them. I take them to family gatherings and let the kids pick through them, My boys love to cook as well as my girls so usually there is someone that wants them.. a few times there has been a fire in the area and I take a few to those people, as you can bet the cookbooks aren't getting saved. I have even taken new ones and open to a page with a recipe and put the ingredients in a basket with the book, for a shower gift, or for a basket raffle. And if all else fails, I take a reciept at the thrift store!! Jan in ND
I love the little icebox too! My grandmother used a block of ice to keep food cold. She had a metal icebox, and we have an old metal ice box we use for storage out on our covered deck. I remember how cold they kept things ---except you only made Jello on the first day of ice delivery! Cookbooks: I have been donating mine to the local thrift shop as I rarely use them anymore. I have kept the ones that have meaning to me---Like your Joy of Cooking your Grandmother gave you. If I want a recipe nowadays, I find it on the internet.
I wish there was a like button, or a DITTO button I agree w so many of these suggestions. I enjoy yourposts, but I'm beginning to like the the comments as much.
It is always difficult with cookbooks. I have my own collection, plus I have inherited my mother's collection. I am slowly giving them away to anyone that wants them. But I do like the idea of donating them to a shelter or other organization.
Cracks me up, I see we have some of the same cookbooks! It sure doesn't take long for them to overgrow their cupboard. Mine are over the stove and if I get one more the cupboard will explode! Love Joy of Cooking and Fix and Forget it!
Memories...We had one of those when we were transferred to Newport R.I. back in the late 40's. Basement apt and ice box. Wow how did I remember that..do remember ice man coming. Had the same problem with cookbooks when my Mom passed. Finally ended up giving them to Dr's wives book sale - three cases. They were excited.
You are def. on a roll. I did all mine about a year ago. Read a book about organizing. I was possessed. I need to redo some things but on a whole it has stayed organized.. feels good huh. Love your ice box. I have a little blue one. It is so small I can't imagine what it would have held. cook books is one place I need to attach.
I use http://allrecipes.com/ for looking up many recipes. They have a section that you can put your own recipes. I have never used it because I never cooked that much before retiring. You might want to take a look at that. Good luck HelenMarie!
My great-grandfather was the iceman for ice company in our town. When my father was a little boy, he used to go along with his Granddad to "help" deliver ice. He said his grandfather knew from memory exactly what size block of ice to cut and carry in to each house on his route. I have a picture of his ice truck and I still have the ice tongs he used on his route on display in my dining room. Makes you appreciate all the modern conveniences!
Your icebox is darling. I have just finished dealing with a collection of over 30 boxes of cookbooks! A favorite aunt died and we were left the cookbooks. We got it down to three boxes of cookbooks and donated all the rest. I tried a used bookstore and only got pennies. Not even worth the gas to drive them to the store. It was painful donating a lifetime collection, but it filled 1/4th of my family room! I did share good ones with all the daughter in laws, sisters and cousins, but it was just too much. It was a lesson for me that I need to simplify!
If you ever want to get rid of the Joy of Cooking there are MANY that would buy that one! The original is the best! Luckily there was one in my aunts collection! Priceless!
That's such a sweet icebox! I'm a cookbook hoarder and haven't been able to cull too many. I have copied recipes and given away the book on a few. If you need inspiration, go to your public library and see how many cookbooks are available to borrow without having to store them. My library has a few hundred, I think, and if I even need a cookbook that should be sufficient...you would think!
Bonnie I have a cook book from my Grandmother's house. It talks about now with most modern kitchens beginning to get electrical refrigerators ... I crackles up the first time I read through that one! But it has some of the best cold sides recipes in it!
Beautiful ice chest, Bonnie. I remember when my great-grandmother had a very small electric refrigerator but she still kept ice in the ice box on the back porch. Yes, a man would come down the street with a horse pulling a wagon with ice, big black tongs for picking up the ice. I don't remember actually seeing the ice in the ice box, but it must have taken up most of the space.
what was the name of the book on organizing? I need all the help I can get.
I take the favorite recipes from each book and put it in a cookbook of my own. It can be as simple as a three ring binder or I bought a small photo album, where adding more pages is an option, and typed out the recipes on each page with pictures of my family on their favorite recipe. (I was inspired by my first daughters wedding. I wanted her to have the families recipes to treasure(I even included favorites from grandparents and her new in-laws)
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