1979 – Gloria Pitzer’s Dieter’s Digest booklet was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this little booklet had a 24-page, 5.5″ x 8.5″ format filled with dieting information, inspirational and humorous stories and healthy recipes. It sold for $1 per issue.
1979 (Sep) – Gloria Pitzer Presents Top Secret Recipes Al’a Carte
1979 – Gloria Pitzer Presents Top Secret Recipes Al’a Carte cookbook was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI). Some of the art work in this book was also done by 2 of Gloria’s 5 children, Mike Pitzer & Debbie Pitzer (now, Hamilton). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this cookbook, sometimes referred to as “Book 4” or the “Orange Book”, had a 52-page, 8.5″ x 11″ format and sold for $5 per copy. The recipes in this book were uniquely laid out like an encyclopedia, in alphabetical order; so, there was no index included in the 1st printing. However, one was added in later printings with over 370 index listings. Over the many years and various printings, the cover was changed slightly, but the title always remained the same, along with the original masthead, “Cookbook”.
1978 Sep – Gloria Pitzer Presents: Eating Out at Home
1978 – Gloria Pitzer Presents: Eating Out at Home a cookbook written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this cookbook, sometimes referred to as “Book 3” or the “Yellow Book”, had a 52-page, 8.5″ x 11″ format filled with her famous make-at-home recipes for imitating fast foods, restaurant dishes and grocery products. In addition, Gloria includes background information along with her usual witty & humorous stories, food-for-thought and over 240 index listings. It sold for $5 per copy. Over the years of various printings, the cover changed slightly, but the title remained the same. The masthead originally read “Secret Recipe Report”, but it changed to “Cookbook Secrets” in later printings, The sub-title, “A Recipe Portfolio”, was also added in the later printings.
1977 (Jul) – The Second Helping of Secret Recipes by Gloria Pitzer
1977 – The Second Helping of Secret Recipes was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (National Homemakers Newsletter, St. Clair, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this cookbook is sometimes referred to as “Book 2”, “2nd Helpings” or “The Green Book”. Over the many years and various printings, the cover changed slightly, as did the size and price of the book. The size changed from the original 80-page, 5.5″ x 8.5″ format with 178 recipes listed to a 52-page, 8.5″ x 11″ format with 209 recipes listed. The original title remained the same, but the sub-titles also changed over the years (as seen in the various cover photos shown above and below); while the masthead of “Secret Recipe Report” was added in 1978 and, later, changed to “Cookbook”. Starting in 1978, Gloria’s son, Michael Pitzer, illustrated many of the later printings of this book.
1978 Nov – 2nd Helping of Secret Recipes by Gloria Pitzer1981 May – 2nd Helping of Secret Recipes by Gloria Pitzer
Fun Facts:
Sub-Titles: “Book 2”, “Of Fast Foods & Other Favorites, Imitated by Gloria Pitzer”, “The Junk Food Junkie Rides the Range Again”, “The Fast Food Cookbook, Taking the Junk Out of Junk Food”
Printings: 12+
Years: July 1977 – August 1981+
Recipes: 178 listed originally; 209 listed in the larger size
Pages: 80 originally; 52 in the larger format
Size: 5.5″ x 8.5″ originally; 8.5″ x 11″ shortly after the 1st printing
Cover: Paperback
Price: Originally $3.00 for the small format; the larger format sold for $5 each
1976 Aug – The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book by Gloria Pitzer
(The picture above is from an ad. I can’t find any available pictures of the original cover from the 1st printings in 1976-1977, using the 5.5” x 8.5” format – they may have originally sold for $3 per copy, as “Book 2” did in 1977.)
1976 – The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this cookbook, sometimes referred to as “Book 1” or the “Blue Book”, was actually a revised edition of her original cookbook, The Better Cooker’s Cookbook (1973). Although this version wasn’t Gloria’s first cookbook, it was her first true “commercial success”.
Note: So far, I have yet to find any copies of the original, August 1976, small format of this book. I would love to know if anyone still has one – it would be over 42 years old now! Please write to us at: therecipedetective@outlook.com
Over the many years of various printings, the cover design, title and subtitle changed slightly, as did the size and price of the book. The size changed from the original 80-page, 5.5″ x 8.5″ format to a 42-page, 8.5″ x 11″ format in 1977. The masthead, “Secret Recipe Report” was added in 1979 and changed to, simply, “Cookbook” in 1981. These changes can be seen on the various cover photos shown below.
1977 Jan – The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book by Gloria Pitzer1978 Apr – The Secret Restaurant Recipes Book, Revised by Gloria Pitzer1979 Jan – The Secret Restaurant Recipes Cookbook, Revised by Gloria Pitzer1981 Aug – The Secret Restaurant Recipe File Cookbook, Revised by Gloria Pitzer
In 1982, Michael Pitzer (Gloria’s son, who illustrated many of the printings of this book) was working at Wells Rich Greene in Los Angeles on the Jack-in-the-Box® advertising account. During one of their creative presentations, then President of JIB, Barry Krantz asked if he could get a complete set of Gloria’s cookbooks for their “test kitchen”. Now, we wouldn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but shortly thereafter Jack-in-the-Box was not only back in the burger business, but they also began introducing fresh-baked cookies and wonderful chicken sandwiches. Coincidence? Maybe…
Fun Facts
Sub-Titles: “Book 1”, “Fast Foods and Other Favorites”, “The Junk Food Junkie Rides the Range Again” and “The Original Junk Food Book”
Printings: 25+
Years: Aug 1976 – Aug 1981+
Recipes: unknown for original, smaller format; 290 listed in the larger size format
Pages: originally 80; larger format had 52
Size: originally 5.5″ x 8.5″; later format was 8.5″ x 11″
Cover: Paperback
Price: original (possibly) $3 per copy; later printings were $5 per copy
1976 (July) – Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook
1976 – Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook was a bi-centennial edition written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI), having a 5.5” x 8.5” format of 46 printed pages with 200 index listings. NO LONGER IN PRINT – this Limited Edition cookbook boasts a collection of 200 years of recipes, humor, history and hints selected from each of the 50 states of the U.S. and sold for $2 each.
We’d love to hear from anyone who still has old copies of Gloria Pitzer’s The American Cookery Cookbook! Please write to us at: therecipedetective@outlook.com
Fun Facts:
Sub-Title: “Random Notes”, “Economical Receipts from Colonial Times to Present”, Native Cooking from the Heart of America”
1975 – Gloria Pitzer’s Snow Thyself was a sort of “self-help” book written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this book was sub-titled “The 1975 Happiness Handbook” and had an 8.5” x 11” format with 16 pages full of feel-good stories, quotes and meditation. No information could be found regarding the price for which it sold.
1974 – Gloria Pitzer’s The Better Cooker’s Christmas Cookbook Collection
1974 – Gloria Pitzer’s The Better Cooker’s Christmas Cookbook Collection was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI), having a 5.5” x 8.5” format of 128 pages with over 150 index listings. NO LONGER IN PRINT – Gloria described this book as a small, “unsophisticated” collection of perfectly reliable recipes, interesting customs, Hanukkah foods and some history about this December holiday; as well as humorous readings tucked in here and there to prove that cookbooks needn’t make dull reading. The 3-ring binder-style books were printed on salvaged paper and sold for $2 each.
1974 – The Big-Little Cookbooklet was a small-sized booklet written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features, Pearl Beach, MI) & was part of a limited series called “Dumb Little Cookbooks – Reliable Recipes for Reluctant Cooks” from Gloria’s Homemaker’s Newsletter. NO LONGER IN PRINT – This book has a 5.5” x 4.5” format of 48 pages with 22 recipes for low & no sugar dishes, desserts, main dishes, salads and side dishes. The booklet also has 15 “write-your-own-recipe” pages, plus extra “cook’s notes” pages. The booklets were assembled and decorated by hand and sold for $1 each.
1973 – The Better Cooker’s Cookbook by Gloria Pitzer
1973 – The Better Cooker’s Cookbook was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Happy Newspaper Features; Algonac, MI), having a 5.5” x 8.5” format of 53 pages, filled with humorous quips, tips and cartoons; plus, over 150 index listings. NO LONGER IN PRINT – This is a collection of recipes that Gloria originally published in Cookbook Corner, a recipe column she syndicated to many newspapers for over 5 years. The recipes were all “reluctant-cook-budget-tested” by Gloria and her family of seven! The books sold for $1.50 each, plus $0.25 postage.
This cookbook was part of Gloria Pitzer’s “Laughable Books”™ series, which were free-lanced in newspapers and magazines, previously included Reliable Recipes for Reluctant Cooks, Helpful Hints for Helpless Housekeepers (or Housework has its Hang-Ups), Shakespeare: Wherefore Art Though? (or It Could be Verse), What Dr. Spock Left Out (or Bringing Up Parents), Full House as Kept by Gloria Pitzer and Woman’s Lip as Ms-Pronounced by Gloria Pitzer.
Fun Facts:
Sub-Titles: “Budget Recipes”, “Over 200 Simple Sensible Suggestions from and for Semi-Gourmets”