1982 – Gloria Pitzer’s Better Cookery Cookbook – was written, illustrated and published by Gloria Pitzer (Gloria Pitzer’s Secret Recipes, St. Clair, MI). NO LONGER IN PRINT – this cookbook, having a 6” x 9” format with 400 pages, is a unique assembly of nearly 1,000 make-at-home, make-alike recipes of Gloria’s famous fast foods, restaurant dishes and grocery products collection. In addition, Gloria includes various historical information, illustrations and photographs along with her usual wit, food-for-thought and humorous stories.
This book was actually inspired from a much needed vacation that Gloria and Paul took from their business in 1979, after completing and publishing Book 5, taking their 2 minor daughters, Laura and Cheryl, with them. They stayed at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island where they just so happened to be filming “Somewhere in Time” with Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, and Christopher Plummer. The Pitzers were lucky enough to meet the three movie stars at breakfast one morning; and, while Gloria was smitten with Christopher Plummer, in the back of her mind she was already taking notes for what would become a special section of this cookbook – about the elegant dishes served at the Grand Hotel.
However, in 2015-2017, it was re-written by Gloria and her daughter, Laura Emerich, to bring it to a new generation. In January 2018, a few days before Gloria passed away, it was re-published under the name, Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective, which is available, for sale, at $20.99 each through the publisher, Balboa Press, at https://www.balboapress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001062252
Fun Facts:
- Sub-Title: “The Best of The Recipe Detective” and “Famous Foods from Famous Places”
- Printings: 10
- Years: May 1982 – December 1988
- Recipes: over 700 listed in the index
- Pages: 400
- Sizes: 6″ x 9″
- Price*: $15
- Used copies on eBay: $35.95
- Used copies on Amazon: $34.77
- ISBN: unknown
- NO LONGER IN PRINT – 1982-1988 versions
- However, it was re-published in January 2018 under the name, Gloria Pitzer’s Cookbook – The Best of the Recipe Detective; and is available, for sale at $20.99 per book, through the publisher, Balboa Press, at https://www.balboapress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001062252
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- E-Books of the latest version are also available for $3.99 at https://www.balboapress.com/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-001062253
Comments (as seen on Amazon): https://www.amazon.com/GLORIA-PITZERS-BETTER-COOKERY-COOKBOOK/dp/B002PPULKC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1548119009&sr=8-2&keywords=gloria+pitzer+better+cookery+cookbook#customerReviews
5 out of 5 stars – Better Cookery Cookbook – Bonnie Case – December 25, 2012 – “Bought this book 25 years ago, loved it so much when I spotted it on Amazon I bought one for my daughter and daughter in law. Favorite is Bob Evans Gravy. Now have another new daughter in law – would order again.”
