Classic Junior League Collection

Any cookbook lover will tell you that Junior League cookbooks are the best—for over 70 years Junior League members have collected, tested, and selected only the very best recipes from their members and communities for their Junior League Cookbooks. So much more than just recipes, these cookbooks capture and preserve regional food traditions and are a testament to the Junior League volunteers who dedicate themselves to meeting the needs of their communities. Junior Leagues publish cookbooks to raise money to help fund the very programs that over the years have improved and transformed the lives of thousands. In celebration and recognition of the Junior League Cookbooks that have given so much to so many, Favorite Recipes Press is excited to announce the launch of the Classic Junior League Cookbook Collection to be introduced by QVC, the top-rated shopping channel, in June 2011.

Twenty-nine Junior League titles were eligible to be included based on criteria established by a team comprised of representatives from QVC, a QVC Marketing Consultant and FRP representatives. Included in these guidelines were the requirements that the cookbooks have been in print for 25 years or more, and have received a Tabasco's Walter S. McIlhenny Community Cookbook Hall of Fame award. Once the eligible titles were determined, to meet QVC's request that the first collection be representative of the entire United States , geography was taken into consideration. Congratulations to the following titles which are included in the Classic Junior League Collection, (listed in alphabetical order):

• Applehood and Motherpie--Junior League of Rochester, NY


• Charleston Receipts--Junior League of Charleston, SC


• Cotton Country Cooking--Junior Leageue of Morgan County, Decatur, AL


• The Gasparilla Cookbook--Junior League of Tampa, FL


• Simply Simpatico--Junior League of Albuquerque, NM


• Virginia Hospitality--Junior League of Hampton Roads, VA

Based on the success of this inaugural Classic Junior League Cookbook Collection, the plan is to offer a new collection on an annual or bi-annual basis.

Help to spread the good news! Like the Classic Junior League Cookbook Collection Facebook page to receive updates on the launch and other events, receive special cookbook offers and discounts! Be sure to share with your friends and family! This special collection will only be available through QVC. Stay tuned for more information on how and when to order.

This is surely to be a Collection that any home cook and cookbook collector would love to own. I know what I will be giving for wedding and hostess gifts this year! These titles are truly Classics and I know you will want to be a part of this piece of community cookbook history.

A SURPRISE VALUE--RETRO

Occasionally, and out of the blue, one will find a true surprise--a great value that was totally unexpected. That is what I think about the Illustrated Encyclopedia of American Cooking. This book was first published in 1986 and has sold more than 550,000 copies.

The recipes came from Home Economics Teachers across the US and the format of the book is in encyclopedia form. The 5,000 recipes are arranged from A to Z and each food entry includes detailed information such as the origin or use of the food, its nutritional and caloric value, plus its seasonal availability.

If you follow my blog, you know that most of my interest revolves around community cookbooks and this is no exception because Home Economics Teachers once formed a very tight knit and important community within our culture. Generations grew up learning how to cook, sew, and plan for running a household based on the guidance and wisdom of Home Economics Teachers. One reason that the sales of cookbooks today is so strong is that these classes are no longer taught in our schools.

What I like about this book is that if I have a particular food that I want to try out, it's "as simple as A-B-C" to find a recipe. As an example, lets say that fresh cranberries are available and I want to try a dish using them. I flip to the "C's" and there are breads, puddings, cocktails, salads and pies. In other words, lots of recipes to think about for almost any food you can come up with.

Another unique feature of this book is that it was never sold in retail stores. Up until it was featured on QVC last year, it was only available through the Southwestern Company's door-to-door selling program. This unique program has trained thousands of college students working their way through school turning them into some of the great leaders in our communities today. Many of the students learned that this book was so popular with consumers that they could sell their regular product line books at the initial sales stage and then when delivering the books offer the Encyclopedia as an additional option, and many people would buy both. No doubt, those who did buy it are still enjoying it today.

The book is filled with surprises such as menu planning, napkin folding ideas, sauces, bread making tips, table settings and many others. This is truly a book that belongs in every homemaker's kitchen.