Shopping & Reviews

SAVEUR Gift Guides: Classic Books for the Cookbook Obsessive

Celia Sack of San Francisco’s Omnivore Books shares her ten favorite cookbooks

By Craig Cavallo


Published on December 9, 2015

Celia Sack has been collecting cookbooks and books on food for 20 years. She opened Omnivore Books in San Francisco seven years ago, "because I ran out of room at home," she says. "That's the problem with being a collector. You find these roads to go down that you weren't expecting. But your library is full." These roads open up thanks, in large part, to eBay, university libraries, and private collectors, all sources for her cookbook obsession.

Sack grew up around books. Her mom was a hand bookbinder and, before opening Omnivore, she worked at an auction house as a rare book specialist. So while two-thirds of her shop's stock is new releases, the rest is dedicated to antiquarian books. "I love finding treasures of rare antiquarian books," Sack says. That's where she discovers books from the Depression era with gems like tips on roadside marketing, as in, pile your melons high if your farm is at a dip in the road.

If you're looking for tips on the best cookbooks to gift this holiday season, look no further. Here are Celia Sack's ten favorites.

Franny's: Simple Seasonal Italian
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    Franny's: Simple Seasonal Italian, around $24 from Amazon

    Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook
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      Bromberg Bros. Blue Ribbon Cookbook, around $7 from Amazon

      The Art of Simple Food
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        The Art of Simple Food, around $21 from Amazon

        My Bombay Kitchen
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          My Bombay Kitchen, around $23 from [Amazon}(http://amzn.to/2FH5hcR){rel= nofollow}

          This is Camino
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            This is Camino, around $25 from Amazon

            Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys
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              Mad Hungry: Feeding Men and Boys, around $19 from Amazon

              Salade: Recipes from the Market Table
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                Salade: Recipes from the Market Table, $29.95 from Amazon

                The Sunset Cookbook
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                  The Sunset Cookbook, around $5 from Amazon

                  The Taste of Country Cooking
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                    The Taste of Country Cooking, around $20 from Amazon

                    The Zuni Cafe Cookbook
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                      The Zuni Cafe Cookbook, around $27 from Amazon

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