Martha Stewart's Favorite Cookbook Of All Time Is Hands Down A Classic

Martha Stewart has written over a hundred books covering every subject from entertaining and crafting to holiday guides and gardening. The cook and TV star has been most prolific in the recipe book realm in particular, producing an array of titles on making elaborate dinners, quick canapes, casual desserts, and more. However, when it comes to selecting a cookbook for her own kitchen, Stewart recommends the 1931 classic "Joy of Cooking" instead of recommending one of her works.

It was during a keynote at a tradeshow in Las Vegas that the author was asked which cookbook she'd select if she could only choose one to keep in her kitchen. According to Rolling Stone, Stewart replied that the "Joy of Cooking" was the one book that she still refers to when cooking and researching, which is a real testament to its staying power and impact.

Written by Irma Rombauer, this beloved collection of recipes runs the gamut from appetizers, stocks, and soups to pasta and noodles, shellfish, sauces, ice creams, and more. There are even chapters devoted to egg dishes, pickles, and canning, highlighting its breadth of content. Rombauer self-published the first edition of the "Joy of Cooking" with 300 recipes and purposefully used the word joy in the title to remind women who had suffered through the trials of the depression that cooking could still be a delight.

It cost Rombauer $3000 to self-publish the book, which equated to half her inheritance. Eventually, the manuscript was taken on by a traditional trade publisher, and that first edition sold over 50,000 copies in the six years up to 1942. Written in a witty but casual style that differed from other cookbooks released during the same period, a further better than 60,000 copies of the publication were sold in the following year alone. Indeed, the comprehensiveness of the book, coupled with its simple instructions, is one of the reasons why Alton Brown highly praises the Joy of Cooking, too. 

Several editions of the "Joy of Cooking" have been published over the years, featuring new recipes and revisions by Romabauer's children, Marion and Ethan Becker, and it has since become a reference point for newbie cooks and experienced chefs. The 2019 edition of the book includes 600 new and over 4000 revised recipes. This is perhaps why Stewart, who has invested years in honing her culinary craft, still keeps a copy in her kitchen.