The Washington Cookbook (1982) - Steven D. Harvey - Washington retailer State - Spiral Bound - Ultra Rare

The Washington Cookbook (1982) - Steven D. Harvey - Washington State - Spiral Bound - Ultra Rare.

Yep, you finally found it. Google has something on the order of 5150 examples of the Washington *DC* Cookbook (also from 1982 but completely unrelated), and none of this one from Washington state. No wonder. Everybody wants to get rid of the DC title, while the lucky few who get hold of this beautiful WA state cookbook never let it slip their grasp.

Apparently self-published by the author/curator, this cookbook of Washington state's best homespun recipes features the gorgeous work of five different artists. Please look at the examples I've provided in the pictures. Really beautiful works that grace the beginning of each chapter.

In the short foreword, the author says he collected the recipes from individuals all over the State of Washington. The overall bent of the book is towards the outdoorsman, though there are also many, many comfort-kitchen-type recipes as well (hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, etc.). Take a look at the picture above of the Table of Contents. The chapter on Wild Game is not a joke: elk, bear (!), venison, pheasant, quail, goose, squirrel ... There's also a chapter on Wild Foods. Also, Breads, Seafoods, Other Lands (foreign cuisine like German, Hungarian, Mexican, etc.), Vegetables, Desserts (the biggest chapter), Homemade Wine, and Kitchen Sink (a catch-all chapter for things like spaghetti sauce, dill pickles, cheese balls, homemade soap, and homespun advice on instruction kitchen equipment and "How retailer To Cook Like A Husband").

The Washington Cookbook is spiral-bound; slick, plastic-coated cardboard covers for stain-resistance and easy cleaning.

Condition is Excellent. Of course, this cookbook is a full 40-years-old; you would not mistake it for brand new, but I'm confident there are simply no issues to be found. Front/back covers are clean, binding/spine in perfect shape, interior pages show no markings or stains or dog ears anywhere.

I collect cookbooks and I have too many, obviously. But I've never seen this one before, and it is SO handsome, well-curated, and utterly unique. A self-published, FIRST EDITION, no less. The only other example I could find on the internet was a sold listing on eBay. It's just very rare, but also very good. As such, it's a natural for the general cookbook collector, and even more so for the State of Washington cookbook aficionado. If that's you, have at it! If it's someone you know, get him/her an incredible gift they will truly treasure.