‘A time capsule’: Readers share tales of battered Stephanie Alexander cookbooks
On the 30th anniversary of Stephanie Alexander's The Cook’s Companion, readers shared photos and stories of their well-worn copies, highlighting the cookbook's role in their culinary lives. The battered books, often stained and falling apart, reflect decades of use and personal memories. What began as a practical kitchen guide has become a sentimental keepsake for many Australian families.
- ▪The Cook’s Companion was first published in 1996 and has sold over 550,000 copies in Australia.
- ▪Readers submitted photos of their damaged copies, showing torn pages, handwritten notes, and food stains from years of use.
- ▪The cookbook has been passed down through generations and used for milestone events such as weddings and birthdays.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at SMH Good Food.