 2008 centenary edition | |
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication place | New Zealand |
| Media type | |
| 641.5 | |
The Edmonds Cookery Book is a recipe book by Edmonds that focuses on traditional New Zealand cuisine. It was first published as The Sure to Rise Cookery Book in 1908 [1] as a marketing tool by baking powder manufacturer Thomas Edmonds (today part of Goodman Fielder), but it is now known as a Kiwi icon.
Before the cookery book was created, Edmonds put recipes in the lids of the baking powder tins. [2] The book was first published in 1908, originally named the Sure To Rise Cookery Book with 50 pages. [3] Only two copies of the first edition are known to survive. [1] Over the years, the cookbook has gone through numerous editions and reprints, evolving with changing tastes and kitchen technology.
In 1930 the first edition with photos was released. [4] Originally, housewives could write a request to Edmonds to get a free copy. [5] Couples in the 1940s who announced that they had become engaged in the newspaper would receive a free cookbook. [4]
The first "De Luxe" edition appeared in 1955, and since then, the book has become a paid product. [4] [6] The same year, the front cover began featuring the iconic Edmonds factory in Linwood, Christchurch (demolished in 1990). [6] The 1971 book was dedicated to gas cooking. [5] The 1976 edition introduced spiral binding to allow the book to stay open and flat, as well as dual imperial and metric measurements to coincide with metrication in New Zealand. [7] A microwave baking section was added in 1988, while international foods and nutritional information was added in 1993. [4]
The 69th De Luxe edition was released in 2016. [8] The 2012 edition has over 500 recipes. [3]
With over three million copies sold by 2015, it is the best-selling New Zealand published book as of 2019, [3] [6] [9] [10] and has been described by Ron Palenski as "much a part of New Zealand kitchens as a stove and knife". [3] It has also been called a New Zealand icon, Kiwiana, [10] and has appeared on a 2008 stamp series featuring national icons for each letter of the alphabet. [3]