I just buy the magazines for the pictures

What’s your literary infatuation? You know, the books or magazines that make you feel lost if you leave home without one tucked in your bag. The kind that if you forget one on an overnight trip, you’ll stop at even the trashiest gas station to buy one because you can’t fall asleep at night without flipping through at least a few pages. (Trashy gas station—not trashy magazines.)

For you it might be health and fitness or home remodeling and organizing publications. Me? I have a culinary reading addiction. Softcover or hardcover cookbooks, magazines, online recipes, it doesn’t matter. I have stacks of them all in almost every room in our home (I’m not old enough to need reading material in the bathrooms).

They take up a corner of the kitchen table.

Fill an old metal cabinet.

Tucked into a magazine rack.

On my desk.

The table by the couch.

Even on the floor by the couch.

Of course, on my night stand.

One of my current favorites is Back In The Day Bakery Cookbook. Their second book, Back In The Day Bakery Made With Love is full of great recipes too. If I ever get to Georgia, you can bet I’ll stroll into their neighborhood bakery and possibly never leave.

I recently bought a cookbook and leafed through it front to back—twice. I sniffed the thick paper and caressed the heavy, textured cover. Later I realized I hadn’t even read the recipes! I couldn’t tell you if I’d actually make or enjoy eating the food, but the photography sure is appealingly artistic. Don’t get me wrong. I use my fair share of recipes from cookbooks and magazines but as often as I am reading a cookbook, you’d think I prepare meals for a frat house of football players.

And the most valuable book that I don’t leave home without—Will Write For Food by Dianne Jacob. (I now own three different editions of this book, including her newest edition.) Because someday, my own cookbook will be added to the piles.

Sweet literary wishes,