IN OREGON, AS IN WASHINGTON AND CALIFORNIA, THE EPICURE FARES PARTICULARLY WELL BECAUSE THE LUXURIES OF LIFE ARE AS CHEAP AS THE STAPLES AND QUITE AS ABUNDANT. HENRY FINK

{HISTORY}

In the early 1950s, Helen Brown set out to write a cookbook that focused solely on the food culture of three dynamic states in the U.S.  California, Oregon and Washington  were the subjects - prized west coast states known for their variety of topography from mountains to oceans, prairies to woodlands, hills to valleys, big cities to wide open country landscapes that encouraged a diverse variety of local flora and fauna.

Helen tackled this cookbook from three different angles - the history of the states and their occupants (how they got there, what recipes they brought with them, and the creative ways they adapted them into the local landscape); the abundant availability of fresh ingredients including seafood, produce and meat; and the ingenuity of each state's residents in the way in which they prepared the common foods of their local land. 

These three factors pull together a fascinating look at regional cooking from a historical perspective, a culinary perspective and a sociological perspective. Fun details include a comprehensive wine chart in the back, stories about most recipes and a chapter on foreign cookery which highlights the influence of Chinese, Mexican and Scandinavian immigrants and the impact they had particularly on the local food scene. 

Now considered a classic regional American cookbook, Helen Evans Brown (1904-1964) and her West Coast Cook Book were praised for the scholarly attention to detail, the precise recipes and the historical content that this bestselling cookbook offered. A well-known and beloved chef and food writer, Helen was friends with all the midcentury greats - Julia Child, James Beard, Craig Claiborne, M.F.K. Fisher and spent her life working in and around the food industry as a caterer, columnist, editor, writer and chef. 

This particular hard-to-find first edition comes with a special memo to literary editors. Please see photo.

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

- Stated first edition published in 1952 by Little, Brown and Company

- 441 pages 

- Contains original dust jacket and decorated coverboards

Interesting recipes include Oregon Cherry Soup, Turkey Mole, Seattle Swedish Meat Balls, Estofada, Barbecued Antelope Steaks, Rogue River Grilled Salmon Steaks, Gobey's Crab Stew, Stuffed Mushrooms Tarragon, Blue Fox Restaurant Gnocchi, Alvarado Bacon and Cheese Pie, Cassoulet Carpinteria, Huevos Con Queso, Baked Orange Custard, Washington State Blackberry Roll, Burnt Alonf Cream, Fly Away Rolls, Lumber Camp Doughnuts, Sunday Coffeecake, Novato Cocktail Pizzas, Langlois Cheese Loafand Oregon Cheddar Pennies.

{CONDITION}

In beautiful vintage condition. All the pages are clean and bright. One recipe has notations written in pencil next to it. The dust jacket is completely intact but contains some chippy areas along the top and bottom edge. Tears along the bottom edge were repaired with tape at some point by a previous owner. Two pages contain tanning (most likely where a newspaper article was tucked. This discoloration occurs as a natural reaction the acidity in newsprint over time. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. Please see photos.

{SIZE} 

Measures 5.5" inches (width) x 8.25" inches (length) x 1.25" inches (thick) and weighs 1.8 lbs

{WHY IT'S ESPECIALLY MARVELOUS}

Helen was best friends with James Beard and the two often exchanged recipes and cooking ideas. We love both of them in the shop so much, we are always on the lookout for their cookbooks and their recipes. Find a grilled potato recipe from Helen and James over on our Vintage Kitchen blog here.