Reflections on Old Cookbooks

[Daniel Rogov]

A fun read in Slate by Paul Collins who reflects on the charms (positive and negative) of cookbooks such as those of Vincent Price. See the article at http://www.slate.com/id/2197533/pagenum/all/

[Shel T]

I should preface this by saying that we've had had a copy of the Price cookbook for years, love the prose and have done several of the recs, all savored with enjoyment.
So you probably won't be surprised that I kinda resent Collins "damned with faint praise" reportage, and what appeared to me, his smug and superior attitude to those 'ancient' and obviously 'unhealthy' dishes he sampled, that evidently no 'correct-thinking' 21st century individual in his/her PC mind would dream of consuming.
All the above a wee over-reaction...LOL, maybe but believe it to be accurate nevertheless.
I am aware that Slate and its contributors are meant to be in the vanguard of 'hipness' and Gawd bless all that sail in her/them, but stay away from my treasured Vincent Price cookbook!

[Daniel Rogov]

Shel, Hi.....

Disagree on only one thing. Slate tries to hard to be "in" and "hip" that without realizing it they have become a form of what I consider "retro-kitsch". The living proof that the re-incarnation of Timothy Leary *& Co. really does not work!

Best
Rogov

[Shel T]

Shel, Hi.....

Disagree on only one thing. Slate tries to hard to be "in" and "hip" that without realizing it they have become a form of what I consider "retro-kitsch". The living proof that the re-incarnation of Timothy Leary *& Co. really does not work!

Best
Rogov

Geez Daniel, re-incarnation of Leary & Co...SHUDDER!
So if your premise of Slate is correct, then they are the living embodiment of reverse psychology and the arrogance that accompanies it..."we're so hip, that we're really 'unhip', and that's cool, 'cuz that means we're really really hip but you're too dumb to see it!