The Joy of Cooking

A Celebration of the Iconic Cookbook  

In 1931, during the height of the Great Depression, recently widowed Irma Rombauer scraped together her assets to self-publish The Joy of Cooking, a practical, no-frills cookbook built from her personal collection of recipes and kitchen wisdom. Nearly a century and nine editions later, it remains one of America’s most cherished cookbooks with more than 20 million copies in print. Generations have learned to cook from its pages, folding corners to mark their favorite recipes, and returning to it for both time-tested meals and trusted advice.

This beautiful keepsake of the first edition facsimile celebrates the legacy of The Joy of Cooking, presenting Irma’s original instructions, commentary, and hundreds of recipes alongside a brand-new introduction from Chef José Andrés that explores the importance of Irma’s work in the American culinary canon. Also included are personal reflections from contemporary culinary tastemakers, award-winning chefs, legendary bakers, bestselling authors, and leading food journalists such as Jeni Britton, Caroline Chambers, Roy Choi, Maurizio Leo, Jim Meehan, Eric Ripert, Elly Ross, Bryant Terry, and Paola Velez, among others.

With colorful, vintage-inspired illustrations, this unique collectible edition offers both home cooks and food lovers a glimpse into how this classic American cookbook came to be—and its lasting impact.