Sunset Cookbook of Favorite Recipes

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In the early 1970’s, I lived a couple years in California, right across the Golden Gate Bridge in beautiful Marin County.  My mom wanted to do everything “California” including subscribing to the popular West coast magazine, Sunset, and all the Sunset cookbooks we could find.  We both became huge fans of Sunset recipes with its trendy, sometimes exotic, California fresh cooking style. I am still a subscriber.

It doesn’t matter if a Sunset cookbook is vintage or brand new, I’m a fan.  This one is from 1949 and the recipes can all be used today.  Sunset recipes are classic and timeless.

I lived right down the road from Sausalito, which back in the early ’70’s was quaint and adorable with boutiques, an amazing bakery, and a small square with a fountain right in the middle of town frequented by hippies with flowers in their hair.  (not kidding, just like the song). It was the era of Haight-Ashbury, Vietnam protests, and lots of boutiques with handmade leather and suede clothing, purses, and macrame belts.  I still have an aqua suede cape, a belt, and also dozens of items I bought at the best kitchen store in the “Village Fair,” that had an indoor “Little Lombard Street,” a tiny version of the famous street in San Francisco.  But one of my favorite things to do in town was to walk up a little less frequented side street to a used book store.  I would search for old Sunset magazines and cookbooks.  I had files and files of Sunset recipes in my Culinary Cellar.  They were all destroyed in the flood, and I miss them as much as I miss the old Sausalito.  I was so excited to see this great old cookbook from my reader Elaine in Kansas.

The recipes in the book are the finest that appeared in monthly issues of the magazine over a period of twenty years.  The introduction states that “the recipes are truly Western and come only from Western homes,” and “being a blend of foreign and native dishes prepared with and modified by the many Western foods.”

Look at all the chapters included in the book: Appetizers, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches, Breads, Egg and Cheese, Rice, Pasta, Cornmeal, Vegetables, Meats, Poultry, Game, Fish and Shellfish, Sauces, Stuffings and Relishes, Cakes and Cookies, Pastry and Pie, Desserts, Jellies, Jams, Preserves, and Pickles, and Candies and Nuts.

Since peach season is almost here, I wanted to check out a pie or cobbler.  I found peach sour cream pie, and a “Modernized Peach Cobbler” that included crushed up graham crackers in the topping mixture.  Further searching found a “Queen of Jams” with peaches and figs, and a Peach and Orange Marmalade. I love homemade mayonnaise and there is a basic recipe to follow, but six ways to make each batch different, like avocado, caper, cottage, mustard, watercress, and a Trader Vic version.

This is one of those cookbooks that is easy to look through for an hour or so and find dozens of recipes that sound tempting.  Thank you, Elaine, for this classic book, and to Sunset that never disappoints.

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8 Responses to Sunset Cookbook of Favorite Recipes

  1. June 26, 2019 at 10:59 am #

    What a treasure! I have always loved the Sunset magazines and cookbooks, too. Progress has many advantages but like you, I do miss the quaint simplicity of those times gone by in the 70’s. Enjoy some relaxing memories going through your new-old Sunset cookbook.

    • June 30, 2019 at 10:23 pm #

      It truly is a treasure!

  2. June 26, 2019 at 11:42 am #

    You are so welcome. I am very happy to see you sharing our cookbook heritage with all of your readers. I remember how delighted I was when I found this cookbook with Sunset favorite recipes. I had heard of Sunset Magazine and it’s photographs with recipes, but only found a magazine or two thru the years.
    Enjoyed the memory Thank you.

    • June 30, 2019 at 10:26 pm #

      Elaine, my readers will be enjoying your cookbooks for a long time. I can go to the shelves where your books are and anything I pull out will be amazing.

  3. June 26, 2019 at 11:58 am #

    Marin County is beautiful ! We have gone to a huge farmers market in San Rafael when we visit our son and family out in SF. And starting this fall our little grandson will be starting kindergarten at the Marin County Day School. I can see why your mom liked living there. Great you were able to get a cookbook that reminded you of the time you lived there.

    • June 30, 2019 at 10:29 pm #

      Barb, we have been enjoying the Farmer’s Market in San Rafael for a long time, and the Frank Lloyd Wright designed Civic Center right next to it was where my mom worked as a court clerk for years. It’s truly one of the best Farmer’s Markets in the country.

      • July 1, 2019 at 11:52 am #

        It sure is–and the food trucks are great also. I was amazed at the size of the pomegranates in the fall–truly bigger than a large grapefruit, But one thing we have on them–corn ! The corn from around here is better.

        • July 1, 2019 at 6:40 pm #

          Agree, Barb. Our corn is definitely better!

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