Another ode to cookbook stores

Today is National Book Lovers Day, and to celebrate we are bringing you a lovely article from Thrillist that features several fabulous cookbook stores such as Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks, Bold Fork Books, Kitchen Arts & Letters, Omnivore Books, Book Larder, and others. Titled “Why Cookbook Stores are the Antidote We Need Right Now,” the piece explores the reasons why we (and of course EYB Members) love these specialty shops.

The article provides interesting snippets from bookstore owners. I found it fascinating that Bonnie Slotnick’s love for cookbooks stemmed from becoming “particularly attached to the only cookbook her mother owned, The Settlement Cook Book.” Even though it did not have any photos, Slotnick became enamored with the book and would sit and read it for hours. This led her to a stint at Kitchen Arts & Letters and eventually to opening her own bookstore specializing in vintage cookbooks and cooking-related ephemera.

Although Slotnick prefers older cookbooks, Clementine Thomas of Bold Fork Books in Washington, DC, thinks that modern tomes deserve your shelf space due to the fascinating stories they convey.  “I think narrative has become such an important part of the cookbooks that have come out in the last five or six years,” she explains. “And, during the pandemic, there was all of this renewed focus on social and racial justice, so people were paying closer attention to the kinds of voices that they were allowing into their home kitchens.”

Of course, it is easy to adore both new and old cookbooks, appreciating the historical insights of the former and the vivacious storytelling in the latter. Whether a cookbook store dedicates itself to finding out-of-print or vintage books or offers only new releases, I am delighted to browse the shelves and ask the owners for recommendations. I have never left a cookbook store empty-handed or unsatisfied, and my spirits are always brightened by the visit. I’m sure EYB Members feel much the same.