Beard intended The James Beard Cookbook to have mass-market appeal to βthose who are just beginning to cook and say they donβt even know how to boil water, and second, those who have been trying to cook for a while and wonder why their meals donβt taste like motherβs cooking or the food in good restaurants.β It was the first trade paperback cookbook (meaning it began life as a paperback) ever published in the United States. Craig Claiborneβs New York Times review of the book described its author as a βkitchen wizard.β Given the good press, helpful content, and the price tagβ75 centsβitβs no surprise it became a classic. Today, youβll need to shell out a bit more, but no one seems to mind. The cookbook, according to Beardβs longtime friend and editor, John Ferrone, has been Beardβs best seller.
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