Putting the joy back in the Joy of Cooking

One afternoon in April 1950, the late Mary Blue, former food editor of the Southeast Missourian, was browsing in the book department of the downtown St. Louis Famous-Barr store. She was approached by an elderly lady seeking advice about certain titles.

As they chatted it became apparent that both women shared a love of cooking, and so the lady offered to send Mary a favorite recipe. A few days later it arrived. Handwritten on personal stationery it was for Rombauer Jam Cake, for Mary Blue had struck up an acquaintance with Irma S. Rombauer -- the author of the "Joy of Cooking."

Mary treasured that recipe, as well she should have. Though a fixture of earlier editions of the cookbook, the cake does not appear in the much ballyhooed "all new" "Joy of Cooking" that came out 10 years ago. But with the release of this year's new edition -- what Julia Child called "the one book of all cookbooks in English that I would have on my shelf if I could have but one" -- is back. And therein lies a tale.

The "Joy of Cooking" began inauspiciously enough as a vanity book. In 1931, Rombauer was recently widowed and looking to generate some income. She took half her life savings to have printed what she subtitled, "A Compilation of Reliable Recipes with a Casual Culinary Chat," and sold it from her apartment.

Though a complete novice, she produced a book that culinary historian Anne Mendelson observes aroused among readers as "a love and loyalty surpassing the common attachment of cooks to cookbooks."

The reason -- Irma treated her readers not as pupils, but as friends. Writer Molly Finn said it best when she declared, "The best thing about the 'Joy of Cooking' ... is the voice of its author."

This unique perspective saw the book through eight editions, selling more than 15 million copies. Ultimately, Irma's daughter, Marion, took over the book, expanding it and making it more encyclopedic, but always keeping Irma's friendly voice. Her last edition was in 1975, and it became the most popular Joy ever.

A facsimile of the first edition of The Joy of Cooking. (Fred Lynch)

More than 20 years went by before another revision appeared. Though the book sold well, many felt it wasn't authentic. Kim Severson of the New York Times said it was the "new Coke of cookbooks."

So this year, yet another version has been released, coinciding with the book's 75th anniversary. This time Irma's grandson, Ethan Becker, was in charge. Among other things, he included recipes that used canned soup (a dubious improvement if you ask me), sections on canning and pickling, a dish called shrimp wiggle, and, of course, the jam cake.

Most importantly, Becker told us at the national launch of the new book in St. Louis, after battling New York editors who couldn't comprehend that a little, old St. Louis housewife knew more about cookbook writing than they did, he restored the jovial voice of Irma S. Rombauer, putting, as he termed it, the joy back in "Joy."

Listen to A Harte Appetite Fridays at 8:49 a.m. on KRCU, 90.9 on your FM dial. Write A Harte Appetite, c/o the Southeast Missourian, P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699 or by e-mail to tharte@semissourian.com.

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Rombauer Jam Cake can be frosted with either butterscotch or chocolate icing.

Rombauer Jam Cake

This recipe, adapted from the latest edition of the "Joy of Cooking," was sent by Irma Rombauer to Mary Blue in 1950. She recommended a chocolate frosting, though the current edition of the cookbook suggests a butterscotch icing.

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup dark brown sugar

10 tablespoons butter

3 eggs

1/4 milk

2/3 cup seedless raspberry jam

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, spices and salt, and set aside. Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then the milk.

Stir in flour mixture until just blended. Stir in jam and nuts and bake in a greased and floured tube pan at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, until tester comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Cool completely and frost with butterscotch or chocolate icing.