As I was scrolling through Facebook this morning, I stumbled on
this article from Inc. "Why You Should Surround Yourself With More Books
Than You'll Ever Have Time to Read" and immediately felt a
sense of relief. My excess of riches in the cookbook department is
well documented and with 2017 being an epic year for cookbooks
and 2018 releases already exciting me, I felt
somewhat vindicated when I read Inc.'s piece.
Yes, I am the same woman who wrote a piece on how to downsize your collection and I
still stand by that piece. Even I have to admit that I have
cookbooks that I will never be able to cook from and that's okay.
Books that aren't dog-earred from use or splattered with batter,
are still an inspiration to me and can spark creativity when I head
into the kitchen remembering something I read that I want to
try.
I was filling my son's weekly medication container - it is a
safeguard to insure that I am providing the right dosages on hectic
mornings or exhausted evenings - and realized the day to count out
his pills comes faster and faster every week. Years are flying by
and if we don't allow ourselves to find joy in everyday things what
a waste of the incredible gift of life.
A stack of cookbooks that aren't used doesn't mean they aren't
well-loved. As I review stacks of cookbooks, I keep the ones I
adore and pass onto other cookbook lovers the titles, that while
wonderful aren't something I truly love. Did The Joy of Cooking I donated mean anything to
me? No. But if I donated Eleven Madison Park's new set of books (which
were gifted to me), I would be longing for it as it brings me
inspiration.
This being said if your copy of The Joy of Cooking holds special
meaning for you - wonderful. My copy wasn't given to me by anyone,
it was one I picked up and thought it must be in my collection -
but after twenty years of sitting on the shelf it went. We all need
to find the things that bring us happiness in life - family,
friends, cookbooks, and Le Creuset cookware (insert smiley face).
I have been coveting the Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of
Cooking and Modernist Bread sets of books and have
decided that if I order them (which I will in March) that I will do
a series of articles for Eat Your Books entitled Jenny vs.
Modernist Cuisine tackling techniques that are new to me. That is
my goal for 2018 to try new things. Life is too short not to do the
things that bring joy.
What is something that you want to accomplish in 2018? Share
your dreams in the comments here. Let's help each other accomplish
our goals.
Note: Photo above is one bookshelf that I keep my current work
on and behind that first row my favorites. Other books are packed
away or on shelves elsewhere until we move this Spring.