In the original dust jacket (worn). Yellow cloth binding with gilt title on the spine.

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Please view our First Edition photographs and read the rubric on the inside of the dust jacket. James Baird’s American Cookery. By James Baird ISBN: 9780316069816 Printed: 1972 Publisher: Little Brown & Co. London Language: English Size (inches): 7.2 x 10.4 x 2.4 Condition: Very good

This book is actually James Beard’s American Cookery, written by the seminal chef and culinary icon James Beard (often misspelled as Baird). First printed in 1972 by Little, Brown and Company, this monumental 877-page text features 1,500 recipes and remains an encyclopedic cornerstone of United States gastronomy.

Chapter Contents

James Beard’s American Cookery features 27 comprehensive chapters that cover the entire landscape of classic American food. The text progresses through the following sections:

• Appetisers & Starters: Cocktail food

• Soups & Light Meals: Salads, Soups, Eggs, and Cheese

• Seafood & Meats: Fish and shellfish, Poultry, Game, Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork, Ham and bacon

• Accompaniments: Sauces for meats, fish, vegetables, Vegetables, Potatoes, Grains and pastes, and Dried beans, peas, and lentils

• Baking & Pastry: Pies and pastry, Cakes, Cookies, and Bread

• Desserts: Puddings, Ice creams, and dessert sauces, and Fruit

• Pantry & Extras: Sandwiches, Pickles and preserves, and Candy

Market Valuation & Pricing

The exact price of a 1972 copy depends directly on its printing details and whether it has a signature:

• Standard Vintage Copies: For an un-signed 1972 hardcover printing in “Very Good” condition, the market rate typically ranges between £20.00 and £35.00. Copies showing a bit more shelfwear can occasionally be found from individual vintage sellers for as low as £4.00 to £6.00.

• Collectible First Printings (Signed): If the 1972 copy is a confirmed First Printing hand-signed by James Beard himself, the value increases drastically. A signed 1st edition in very good condition with its original dust jacket commands between £250.00 and £270.00 on rare book platforms like AbeBooks UK. Truly pristine, fine-grade signed first editions have historically sold for over £1,000 through specialized antiquarian dealers.

James Beard (1903–1985) was a foundational American chef, author, and teacher widely celebrated as the “Dean of American Cookery” and the father of American gastronomy. At a time when the culinary world looked almost exclusively to France for fine dining, Beard championed the value of fresh, wholesome, and local American ingredients, helping a young nation discover its own rich culinary heritage.

Early Life & Career Detours

Born on May 5, 1903, in Portland, Oregon, Beard’s deep connection to food was nurtured by his mother, Mary, an independent hotelier and exceptional cook, and their family cook, Jue-Let. However, food was not his first choice of career:

• Theatrical Ambitions: Standing at a towering 6’3″, Beard spent his young adulthood trying to break into opera, voice, and theatre. He spent time studying performing arts in London and Paris before trying his luck in Hollywood.

• Expulsion and Redemption: He attended Reed College in Portland briefly but was expelled in 1923 due to his gay identity. Decades later, in 1976, the college vindicated Beard by awarding him an honorary doctorate.

Turning to Food

By 1935, facing financial struggles in theatre, Beard began a catering business in New York City to support himself.

Hors d’Oeuvre, Inc.: In 1937, he co-founded a small catering shop that quickly gained high-profile traction.

• First Books: This venture led to his first milestone book, Hors d’Oeuvre & Canapés (1940), followed immediately by Cook It Outdoors (1942)—the first serious, mainstream text dedicated to outdoor grilling.

• A Television Pioneer: In 1946, Beard hosted the very first televised cooking show in history, NBC’s I Love to Eat, establishing himself as America’s first prominent food media personality.

The Master Teacher & Author

In 1955, he established the James Beard Cooking School. For the next 30 years, he taught generations of home cooks and professional chefs out of his brownstone apartment in Greenwich Village, New York, and during summers in Seaside, Oregon. Throughout his life, he authored more than 20 landmark cookbooks—including Beard on Bread (1973) and James Beard’s American Cookery (1972)—and regularly wrote for top publications like Gourmet and House & Garden.

Personal Life and Legacy

Beard privately lived as a gay man during an era of intense social prejudice, officially coming out to the public in his updated 1981 memoir Delights and Prejudices. He spent his later years sharing a home and hosting legendary dinner gatherings with his partner, pastry chef Gino Cofacci.

Beard passed away from heart failure at age 81 on January 21, 1985. Following his death, his close friend Julia Child and other culinary figures stepped in to buy his Greenwich Village brownstone. They converted it into the headquarters for the James Beard Foundation, which established the annual James Beard Foundation Awards (fondly referred to as the “Oscars of the food world”) to honor excellence in cuisine and food journalism.