Like the books in Joanne Hendrick’s shop, her store is a rare find. Located downtown, on Manhattan’s far west side, the tiny unique shop is filled with a variety of vintage cookbooks, menus, photographs and tableware. There isn’t a lot of foot traffic on this part of Greenwich Street and it’s easy to miss the store. Look for a small copper plaque that reads cookbooks, affixed to a very old and heavy wooden door.

Joanne opened the store in 1995 on the ground floor of her 1850’s brick faced townhouse, after working for over 20 years at Ruby’s Book Sale on Chambers Street, a used bookstore that no longer exists. She always loved how well written the cookbooks were, especially the historical ones with no pictures.

The first books she began collecting were the “Flavor of France in Recipes and Pictures” and the “Flavor of Italy in Recipes and Pictures” by Narcissa Chamberlain. She still has them both. Joanne does admit she hates to part with many of her books. Which is exactly why chatting with her is so interesting. She is passionate about what she finds and often seeks out used book stores whenever she travels, hoping to add to her collection.

Some of her rarest books are the ones that were never published. Like a cartoon cookbook from the 1930’s by Syd Hoff. Her favorite book is an Alice B. Toklas first edition. One of her more expensive books is the “Book of Bread,” filled with actual sized silver gelatin photographs which illustrates the do’s and don’ts of making bread. The book lists for $3,000.

The hardest books to keep in stock are the cocktail books, and since the release of the movie “Julie & Julia,” “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” by Julia Child has been selling out as well.

While many of her books are snatched up by knowledgeable dealers, she gets her fair share of foot traffic from professional chefs. April Bloomfield, from The Spotted Pig and the Breslin at the ACE Hotel, Jody Williams of Gottino, Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett of Gordon Ramsay’s Murano, and world class chef Alain Ducasse are just a few who have browsed the mounting stacks in her store.

In a time when recipes can be downloaded on thin paper and thrown in the trash after use, it’s nice to know that a place like this exists, one that pays homage to the art form that has been around for centuries.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Bookstore

West Soho

488 Greenwich Street

New York NY 10013 (map this)

T: 212.226.5731

Website:

www.joannehendrickscookbooks.com

Hours:

Most every day: 11:30am - 7:00pm

JOANNE’S RECS

TRAVEL TIPS

When she travels, she translates the words “antiquarian books” into the language of her destination and uses local phone books to seek out used bookshops.

BOOKSHOP

COOKS BOOKS

Run by specialist booksellers Mike and Tessa McKirdy from their home in Rottingdean, Sussex in England. They keep a record of the titles you are looking for and let you know when they have acquired them. Serious book collectors (and food writers) should make sure their name is on the mailing list of all the specialist booksellers.

BOOKS

LAROUSSE GASTRONOMIQUE

First published in 1938 and last revised in 1988, Larousse Gastronomique one of the culinary world's most familiar reference sources.

By Prosper Montagne, et al. Paris: Librairie Larousse. Larousse never distinguished the printings or editions.

CHASHTSU: ROOMS FOR TEA CEREMONIES

Printed before W.W.II, before all the tea houses were bombed. Wrapped and tied beautifully.

LOVELY FOOD

By Ruth Lowinsky (1931 Nonesuch Press)

Delightful line drawing decorations by Thomas Lowinsky. Suggestions for menus, tea, picnics, puddings and a few more pages for the Hostess.

FLUXUS CODEX

By Jon Hendricks (Joanne’s husband)

Genre: Architecture

Design / Large catalogue of art work done in the name of the Fluxus movement.

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