Too many cook books?

Thousands of cookbooks are published in Italy each year. The numbers are staggering and one can’t help but wonder, “Too many?”
This question may seem odd coming from a publisher, particularly one that has made its name as a specialist in gastronomical books. The truth is that a supply exceeding demand is not good news for our sector. The situation wasn’t exactly rosy twenty-four years ago when Bibliotheca Culinaria was launched, a time when cookbooks were considered little more than instruction manuals. Confined to the “various and sundry” shelf, mixed with books on tourism, local history and folklore, they were the “homeless” denizens of the bookstore with no dedicated section, no fixed address. It took time to change this situation and a great deal of effort to gain respect for the cookbook as edifying reading or useful professional tool, but the inverted trend is now out of control.

Today, many young people aspire to the status of celebrity chef much as they might once have hoped to become a rock star or a fashion designer. It’s the “emerging creative profession”, surrounded by the usual aura of fame and quick money. In the era of the gastrosphere, food has become theater. Chefs, food bloggers, foodies and the many other sub-genres of enthusiasts rallying around the topic have transformed sustenance-eating-dining out into the hot topic and there is not a single media outlet that has failed to flog it beyond recognition. Only our disastrous political situation has gained more air time.

A very short ten years ago, many publishers who would never deigned to publish a recipe collection have now thrown themselves into the fray in the hope of capitalizing on this trend. This has had some positive fallout: a general raising of the bar both in terms of content and presentation.
For a specialized publisher like Bibliotheca Culinaria, that also sustains a list of books destined for professionals, the effects of the overproduction were initially marginal but as the imitations of our formats, topics and series have multiplied, we can’t help but note that the public is increasingly disoriented. Not always prepared to distinguish between a quality editorial product and its apparent twin, the consumer does a quick confrontation regarding the number of pages, recipes and photographs and frequently opts for the more economical product.
When we developed the Cartolina dalla cucina series six years ago, readers of our professional books were initially perplexed as this series was clearly not intended for them. The idea was to bring professional experience and know-how to a broader audience, to assist the enthusiast in making the leap to discerning cook, to help him to look at ingredients, techniques and equipment with a more critical eye. Twenty-eight to thirty-two recipes, an easy-to-use format, captivating photography and a truly wide range of topics has characterized the series from the start. Some of its authors like Bruno Barbieri (Fuori dal guscio, Ripieni di bontà, Cipolle: buone da far piangere, Polpette che passione, Tajine senza frontiere) and Ernst Knam (Soufflé mignon, Viva le torte, Dolcemente senza glutine, Tatin dolci e salate) have since gained mass market recognition through television appearances. Others, like pastry chef Denis Buosi (Cioccolato facile e veloce con il microonde, Gelati, sorbetti e dolci ghiacciati) have demostrated how to make better use of appliances like the microwave oven or the ice cream machine. Still others, like Franco Luise (Risotti per quattro stagioni) or Leandro Luppi (L’altro pesce) have analyzed a type of preparation or a particular ingredient in detail.

The series is based on the direct professional experience of its authors. Their recipes have been tested and re-tested, their presentations effectively rendered through thoughtful styling and photography. Many titles were also developed in collaboration with leading producers of kitchen equipment in order to demonstrate the most efficient use of the technology at our disposal from state of the art juicers to microwave ovens. Priced to be well within reach of the home cook and based on the work of seasoned professionals the Cartolina dalla cucina series now counts 44 titles and continues to grow.