Alton Brown Recommends This 1979 Cookbook For Every Kitchen

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Few "foodies" are unfamiliar with Alton Brown, a steady presence in food media since his TV show "Good Eats" debuted in the late '90s. He is known for his curious mind in the kitchen, looking at recipes and techniques through scientific and historical lenses. He's also the author of many books on food and cooking, which cements his status as an authority on the subject. But what cookbook does this affably opinionated author and "cookbook connoisseur" return to time and time again for his own day-to-day cooking? 

The "Joy of Cooking" is possibly the best-known and most iconic American cookbook of all time. Originally self-published by Irma Rombauer in 1931, it has remained in print in one way or another since its first commercial printing in 1936. With thousands of recipes spanning courses and cuisines, and lovingly illustrated by Rombauer's daughter Marion Rombauer Becker, it includes instructions and tips for cooking almost anything you can think of, no matter the appetite or altitude. No, really, it even gives suggestions on how to calculate cooking and baking times based on how high above sea level your location is. The specific edition that Brown holds up in the above video is the 1979 printing of this famous cookbook, probably found in many homes, not only in the U.S., but worldwide.

While Alton Brown mentions the year 1979 in the video, what he is actually referring to is the 1975 edition of the cookbook that was printed in 1979. Ever since that first self-published edition, the "Joy of Cooking" has undergone several revisions and updates over the decades. After almost ten revisions, the 1975 edition was the one that remained in print for the longest time until the release of the 1997 edition. In a poetic move, the 2006 edition was based on the 1975 version, in honor of the 75^th year in publication. In the off-chance your grandmother does not already have a copy, you can very likely find many of these editions online, in public libraries, or at yard sales around the country.

As the topics the "Joy of Cooking" covers are so varied, it makes sense that different people have different favorite recipes from the book. Just in case, remember to refer to the latest version of the cookbook, or to Brown himself, for advice on details like temperature and duration of cooking, lest you make like a boomer and consider 165 degrees Fahrenheit for a leg of lamb "slightly rare". We do wonder, though, if Brown found inspiration in "Joy of Cooking" for his best food hacks!