Russ Parsons and his cookbook collection

The rare and the signed

By Culinate staff

January 27, 2012

In mid-January, Los Angeles Times food editor Russ Parsons published a meditation on his cookbook collection, focusing not on the cookbooks he used the most but on those he treasured the most — the rare, the unusual, the funky, and above all, the signed first editions that had serendipitously made their way onto his shelves. Whose autographs does Parsons cherish the most? James Beard, Richard Olney, and Paula Wolfert, among others. Later, Parsons asked readers to add their own favorites in comments on a blog post. Check ‘em out for even more obscure suggestions and vintage treasures.