I seem to collect a great number of cookbooks, but rarely ever cook from any of them. I like old cookbooks, new cookbooks, regional cookbooks and, especially, those old spiral bound, fundraiser church cookbooks. All sit proudly on my shelf and every once in a while I'll take one down and give it a quick read, make myself good and hungry, then go across the street for a fro-yo.
The Cookbook Game is my way of challenging myself, not only to purge my shelves of cookbooks I no longer find interesting, but to re-learn to cook AND to try new foods. I wrote a bunch of titles on little slips of paper and put them in a box. Whatever cookbook title I draw out of the box is the one I have to cook a recipe from. I can't draw another title until I've cooked from the last.
There aren't too many hard and fast rules about it. I can cook other things. I can choose whatever from the cookbook based on my schedule, finances, inventory or interests. I've been at it since the beginning of the year and am on my fourth "book." In order to change things up a bit, I've added websites, magazines and library books to the mix. there are about 28 titles to choose from, but I might add some more as I go along.
I've already discarded one book and another is on the chopping block. I've made a tuna and pasta casserole (meh), an Indian chicken dish (I overcooked the chicken) and a celery root & apple salad (interesting) from my last title choice - Tastespotting. One important thing I've learned about myself is that even though I think I've read the recipe before starting, I really haven't - I could have avoided some careless mistakes by just taking more time.
So there's the Cookbook Game - guaranteed NOT to be made into a Major Motion Picture, but hopefully will help me whittle down 3 bookshelves to two.
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