VISITING
AUTHOR-ARTICLE
APRIL
2010
Irma
Starkloff Rombauer- The
Joy of Cooking
Forwarded by United
Donauschwaben Milwaukee
Today we fondly remember Irma Starkloff Rombauer
(Oct. 30, 1877 to Oct. 14, 1962). She was the author
of "The Joy of Cooking". It is one of the
world’s most published cookbooks, having been in print
continuously since 1936. More than 18 million copies have
sold since the Great Depression.
Irma Rombauer published her recipes and anecdotes
during that time in the hope of lifting America’s spirits.
Today, nine revisions later, the Joy of Cooking, selected by
The New York Public Library as one of the 150 most important
and influential books of the twentieth century, has taught
tens of millions of people to cook, helped feed and delight
millions beyond that, answered countless kitchen and food
questions, and averted many a cooking crisis.
Born in 1877, Irma Rombauer’s young life was
uniquely charmed. She was a member of the St. Louis
Deutschtum, an inner circle of wealthy German speaking
Americans. She spent her teenage years shuttling between her
hometown of St. Louis and the elegant port city of Bremen,
Germany, with her German born parents. Irma’s pride in her
German heritage also deeply influenced early editions of the
book. The first edition includes recipes for dishes such as
Blitzkuchen and Linzer Tortes and even a few quotes from
Goethe. Irma also exhibited an endearing frankness with her
readers. Unlike any other cookbook narrator at the time,
Irma admitted to her lack of expertise and joked about not
having time to cook. In one section, she wrote, “The
German recipe reads, ‘stir for one hour,’ but of course,
no high-gear American has time for that. As simply stated by
writer Tim Farrell, “Irma Rombauer knew her audience.”
|