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The Joy of Cooking
- Year
- 1931
- Era
- 20th century
- Origin
- USA · Americas
- Language
- English
- Category
- American
The Joy of Cooking, first issued in 1931, began as a self-published volume produced in St. Louis by Irma Rombauer, a recently widowed homemaker who arranged the printing at her own expense through a local firm. Surviving copies of this original imprint are exceptionally scarce. The work later became one of the most widely circulated American cookbooks of the twentieth century, establishing a conversational, action-based recipe format that influenced subsequent domestic culinary writing.
Cooking from this book
Chicken à la King
Signature dishFew dishes capture the comforting, mid-century American spirit of Irma Rombauer's beloved compendium quite like Chicken à la King. A creamy affair of poached chicken bound in a sherry-touched sauce with mushrooms and pimientos, traditionally served over toast points or in pastry shells, it became emblematic of the home cookery Rombauer championed: unfussy, sociable, and quietly elegant. Its presence in successive editions speaks to the book's role in shaping the American domestic table.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
