"The Pooh Cook Book, an appealing collection of recipes to awaken nostalgia in adults and inspiration in young chefs." Elizabeth Rynasko, Women's Editor, The Kingston Whig-Standard, October 1969

{HISTORY}

It's a celebratory year for the world's most favorite honey bear. October 2026 marks the 100th anniversary of the debut of A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh.

Everyone knows that Pooh loved honey, but in 1969, American children's book author and freelance editor, Virginia Howell Ellison got serious about his passion by creating sixty recipes inspired by Pooh and Piglet and the rest of the gang from the Hundred Acre Wood.

Exploring her own love of honey and Pooh's many references to it in his books, Virginia started experimenting with honey-based recipes in 1965. Four years later, her cookbook was ready for aspiring cooks, friends,  and fans of Winnie-the-Pooh, both young and old.  As you can imagine, plenty of honey and sweet treat recipes abound in The Pooh Cook Book, but also included are recipes for sandwiches, soup, eggs, and assorted hot and cold beverages. Primarily a baking book with recipes intended to be made for kids by kids (or at least with a little help from their parents), this vintage cookbook is full of ideal picnic and tea party foods, along with fun breakfast fare and desserts that will appeal to the appetites and abilities of little ones, all the while introducing them to a range of flavors and cooking methods. 

A mom herself with two boys and a neighborhood full of willing kid cooks and Pooh fans helped Virginia to fine-tune all the recipes while living in Stamford, Connecticut. Once approved locally, her creations headed off to  professional recipe testers to ensure smooth sailing and successful adventuring for cooks of all ages and experience levels. 

A bestseller upon debut, The Pooh Cook Book sold over 120,000 copies in its first two years following publication, and was quickly followed up by Virginia's next book, The Pooh Party Book.

As it turns out, Winne-thePooh was just as much fun in the kitchen as was in the literary landscape. A previous owner had a penchant for the Poohanpiglet Pancakes as noted by the only cooking stains in the book, but other interesting recipes include Honey Milk Punch For A Friendly Day, Haycorn Squash, Radish Sandwiches with Bread and Butter Prickles, Honey Chocolate Pie, Cream Scones, Christmas Honey Wafers, Tomato Soup, Honey Eggnog, Hipy Papy Bthuthdth Thuthda Bthuthdy Cake, Jelly Omelet, Creamed Salmon on Crackers, Lemon Raspberry Iced Punch, Peanut Butter, Bacon and Honey Sandwiches, Pea-Bean Alphabet Soup, Honey Chocolate Pie, Honey Toffee Apples, Fairy Toast, Homemade Berry Lemonade, Minted Honey Banana Bread, Popovers for Piglet, Apricot Honey Bread and Muffins, Fruit or Berry Whip After A Happy Afternoon, Christmas Nut Cookies, and Honey Milk Chocolate Fudge. 

In addition to recipes, this book also includes illustrations by Ernest H. Shepard (1879-1986), the artist behind all the original Winnie-the-Pooh books, and quotes for each recipe from A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.  On a lovely side note, when the manuscript was ready, Ernest was 82 years old and still very much willing to paint a scene of Pooh flipping pancakes in the kitchen for Virginia's dust jacket. And following publication, Virginia started receiving boxes full of letters from fans thanking them for not only celebrating Pooh in such a way but also inspiring much fun in the kitchen.

Timeless and tender, that's the kind of sweet and sentimental joy that has continued to surround Winnie-the-Pooh since 1926. One of the all-time best loved characters of children's literature, Winnie-the-Pooh in words and culinary wonders still enchants kids and adults today. Virginia's cookbook was reprinted in 2010 by E.P. Dutton and introduced Pooh's favorite sweet treats to a whole new generation of aspiring cooks. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• Published in 1969 by E.P. Dutton
• 120 pages
• Includes original dust jacket
• Decorated front cover board
• 60 recipes

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this cookbook is clean and bright throughout with no spot stains or notations except for a few light cooking splatters on the Poohandpiglet Pancakes recipe (page 21). There's a small rip on the top edge of the dust jacket on the front and one on the top left corner both measuring 1/2" inch in length. The spine is tight and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 9.25" inches (length) x  6.75" inches (width) x .5" inches (thickness) and weighs 14 oz.