13 Cookbooks That Boomers Might Still Have In Their Kitchens

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Before the age of clever TikTok hacks and readily available foreign ingredients, Boomers (those born from 1946 to 1964) relied on cookbooks if they wanted to learn how to cook something new. Still, although many of the recipes can be easily found online today, some books are too valuable to throw away.

The most influential books for Boomers often centered around how to execute basic recipes so well that they tasted gourmet. While there was still no shortage of swapping recipe cards, tips, and tricks, such volumes were often the only way for a person to directly access expert knowledge, and many were formatted like textbooks, explaining a theory and then using a recipe to show the theory at work. While some books were just simple collections of recipes, the oldest, most valuable, most influential ones you'll still find in kitchens today could take someone who managed to burn boiled eggs and turn them into a competent, at-home cook.

Plus, Boomers were the first generation to have a real celebrity chef culture, so owning one of their books was much like buying any other kind of merch. And while younger generations may have folders on their phones full of recipe links, there's something reliably solid about being able to just crack open a book and find your favorite recipe, unchanged, from several decades ago. Many such books are now full of notes scribbled in the margins and slips of paper to mark favorite foods, making them as precious as any cast-iron or passed-down porcelain. Please note that prices and availability of any cookbooks listed may vary.

Cookbooks have existed for as long as books and cooking, but this volume from 1909 set the stage for modern versions and is a likely find in any Boomer's kitchen. It focused on many of the traditions that defined Boomer cooking, such as centering meals around meat, and presented simple, efficient recipes in a way that someone who'd never touched a frying pan could understand.

"The Good Housekeeping Woman's Home Cook Book" can be found on Amazon for $20.24.

Since 1931, The Joy of Cooking has taught generations of cooks to approach the kitchen with a sense of humor and fun. With over 20 million copies sold, it's a must-have retro cookbook for bakers and anyone else looking to own their recipes and make food that works for them, rather than recreating what's been printed on a page.

"Joy of Cooking" can be found on Amazon for $27.11.

Before James Beard was the name on one of the most coveted culinary awards a chef could strive for, he was the "Dean of American Cookery" and one of the most famous celebrity chefs of the mid-20th century. This cookbook of his defined Boomer parties for a generation, covering everything from cocktails to appetizers and transforming the idea of finger food.

"Hors D'oeuvre and Canapés" can be found on Amazon for $8.29.

Before Julia Child's seminal work, haute cuisine was seen as snooty, unapproachable, and an indulgence for those who had the cash to spend on white tablecloth dining. However, this book dismantled that notion and showed the world that all it was was the proper execution of technique and practice, making it a favorite of the entire Boomer generation.

"Mastering the Art of French Cooking" can be found on Amazon for $15.78.

Published in 1950, Crocker's volume focused on practical, cost-efficient recipes that didn't require a lot of skill, ingredients, or time. This book made simple food taste great, whether a family was trying to stretch out their meat supply or wanted to learn how to make birthday cakes at home.

"Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book" can be found on Amazon for $16.12.

Well before vegetarianism became so commonplace, Mollie Katzen published "The Moosewood Cookbook," a collection of recipes and musings about how to engage with seasonal produce and approach plant-based meals. One of the best-selling cookbooks of all time, it's shocking how many Boomer households you can find it in, even ones that aren't particularly vegetarian.

"The Moosewood Cookbook" can be found on Amazon for $11.53.

From browning his deviled eggs to eating gin-soaked raisins every day, Jacques Pépin never fails to innovate in the kitchen. However, his book, "La Technique," stepped away from traditional lists of recipes and instead included fully illustrated diagrams and step-by-step explanations of techniques that Boomers could apply to any recipe.

"La Technique" can be found on Amazon for $75.00.

Published in 1982, "Entertaining" was the first major publication from Martha Stewart and showcased her signature style of adding little flair, prepping ingredients ahead of time, and hosting parties that you can enjoy without overworking yourself. For Boomers, it was one of the best-selling cookbooks of its decade, with advice that remains just as applicable even four decades later.

"Entertaining" can be found on Amazon for $23.53.

From its inspirational quotes to classically prepared recipes, "The Silver Palate Cookbook," published in 1982, remains one of the most celebrated volumes ever. In a time when everyone was focused on demystifying French food, authors Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso explored everything from Asian to Mediterranean cuisine, oftentimes being the way that Boomers first prepared these dishes.

"The Silver Palate Cookbook" can be found on Amazon for $14.83.

More than just a collection of tomato sauce and veal recipes, Marcella Hazan brought real Italian ingredients and techniques into many American homes. While Boomers certainly had no shortage of exposure to pizza and spaghetti before Hazan, this book taught them how to approach recipes the Italian way, whether that was using the right type of olive oil or when to start a dish with a cold pan.

"The Classic Italian Cookbook" can be found on Amazon for $8.91.

In a time when every supermarket had fresh bread available, "Baking With Julia" brought the idea of "fresh-baked" back into the Boomer household. Written by Dorie Greenspan but contributed to by some of the best bakers of the time, it sought to revive the tradition of making your own bread at home with the same simplistic approach that Julia Child popularized.

"Baking with Julia" can be found on Amazon for $29.89.

"The Cook's Companion" was once considered the foremost book on everyday information every cook should know, from where an ingredient comes from to how ripe a banana should be before baking with it. It was especially valuable for Boomers, filling in the pre-YouTube gap with hundreds of facts and techniques that have fed millions over the years.

"The Cook's Companion" can be found on Amazon for $25.00.

"The French Laundry Cookbook" was essentially the repository of just about every fine dining hack, tip, and trick of 1999. If a Boomer wanted to know how to get the clearest stock, the perfect braise, or the cleanest meat pull from a lobster shell, this was the book to have, written by the founder of one of the most famous restaurants in the world, Thomas Keller.

"The French Laundry Cookbook" can be found on Amazon for $31.49.