Hey there, lovely reader!
The author of this blog has taken a well-deserved week day off, so guess who’s stepping in to chat with you? That’s right—it’s me, PJ’s Bookshelf! And let me tell you, it’s an absolute delight to be in the spotlight for a change.
Now, I must say, I occupy a very special spot in PJ’s home and heart, so it’s only fitting that I brag a little about how much she adores me and all the content I hold.
PJ’s love affair with recipes started way back when she was just 15 or 16. She would scribble down recipes in one of her long-sized school notebooks, ones that were supposed to be for her studies, mind you!
Her college-going neighbor was quite the enabler, too! She’d borrow books from the library and sneak them over to PJ, who would then meticulously jot down vegetarian recipes. And despite a certain kesari mishap that’s still a bit of a sore spot, PJ never let that stop her from collecting and trying out new recipes. She stuck to the simple stuff like bhel puri and other goodies at first...
Oh, and Sunday newspapers? They were a goldmine! PJ would eagerly clip out the recipe sections and paste them into yet another notebook.
This little tradition continued for quite some time. When PJ made it to college, she could often be found in the Reference section, drooling over cake recipes while her friends were buried in study materials. Just because she was in that section doesn’t mean she didn’t ace her studies, though- just saying!
PJ also subscribed to a few magazines, but let’s be real, she was only really interested in the cookery sections.[Shhh..Don't tell her I said this!]
Instead of keeping the magazines intact, she would tear out the recipe pages and have them bound into a neat little book. Talk about resourceful!
And then, my friends, was the beginning of my existence when she started buying actual cookbooks!
Tarla Dalal was her first love...
Then came Sanjeev Kapoor
and Nita Mehta....
Let me add something here... What you see is just a fraction of the cookbooks PJ owns. The last time I checked, there were around 150+ cookbooks!! So clicking all of them would be a huge task!!!
If you are wondering if all she does is collect cookbooks, then you are mistaken. She has recreated a lot of recipes from these books and has a section - Cooking from Cookbooks in her blog. She has added her own twists and tweaks to the cookbook recipes, customising them to suit the family's taste buds.
Now, continuing with the story....
Then the blog came into being, and with it, some beautiful books won through various events!
But, oh, the online shopping bug also bit her hard! She didn’t realize the dent in her purse until she reviewed her collection. But hey, I bet she doesn’t mind, because last I checked, she was browsing for more books on her mobile!
Now, let me tell you about those glossy magazines she’s so fond of. She’s head over heels for the pictures, the handy tips, and the home styling ideas. Unlike her other books, which often got the scissors treatment, these magazines remain intact and cherished.
And then there are the regional magazines with their little recipe booklets, 30 recipes of a certain genre in each. She has quite a stash, stashed up at her mom's place too!
Knowing her love for books and especially cookbooks, her friends used to gift her some that kept adding to the collection...
But if you think that’s all, let me tell you, when it comes to buying books, PJ can get seriously carried away! During a brief stay [6 years] in China, she missed English books and found a few Chinese cookbooks at a book sale that caught her attention. She promptly got them and had a local friend translate most of the recipes!
And somewhere in between, she got bitten by the eBook bug, and her Kindle has more books than I hold!
And her most treasured cookbook is a diary filled with recipes in her mother's handwriting. She often looks it up for traditional recipes and still discusses some of the recipes with her mom.
There are quite a few cookbooks that are literally brand new! She hasn't even removed the packaging they came in! I guess she is keeping those to gift them to someone. I'm not really sure...
So there you have it, a tiny peek into PJ’s world through my eyes. Thanks for listening. I had a blast sharing our story!
Maybe I should come back again and 'brag' about the other treasures I hold... Or maybe not. I can't decide.
Anyways, until we meet again,
**********
This post is a part of the Blogchatter Half Marathon 2026 Version 2.0, where I will be sharing 7 posts between September 15th and September 30th
Such a lovely post. I too have a diary where I have written and also pasted many recipes. I love trying new recipes from magazines though these days I stick to the general food because I have very little time.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sweet post Padmajha and yes, bookshelves too, deserve to be in the spotlight. This post reminds me of all the magazine cuttings I used to cut and paste in my scrapbook.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! That's such a collection of cookbooks, and the way you wrote it from the POV of the bookshelf is so cute! By the way, your handwriting is just as cute. ;) I used to cut/tear/print many recipes. Still have a few, but I mostly stopped doing it now. Google for them every time instead, lol.
ReplyDeleteOh, wow! That's such a collection of cookbooks, and the way you wrote it from the POV of the bookshelf is so cute! By the way, your handwriting is just as cute. ;) I used to cut/tear/print many recipes. Still have a few, but I mostly stopped doing it now. Google for them every time instead, lol.
ReplyDeleteI think I should envy you, my friend. My bookshelfs and everything else are in such order that I envy anyone who can leave books or anything for that matter stacked up just somehow. Too much orderliness makes life boring.
ReplyDeleteAnd that diary too - looks so rich with a lot of writing.
Amazed with this blog and this brought so many of my Nani’s memories. Sanjeev’s Khana khatana and a Kannada cooking show called vogaranni dabbi was my Nani’s favorite and she introduced me to cooking. Love the way there’s so many details in this blog❤️
ReplyDeleteI am a booknerd and hoarder of fiction, but this is the first time I've seen such an impressive collection of cookbooks. Loved the history and anecdotes behind each collection, especially the neatness of your handwritten books, they are soothing to the eyes. PS: Are you a great cook/chef? The foodie in me is literally licking her lips.
ReplyDeleteI kept smiling reading through this blog. Such a cute take through the bookshelf and cookbook. This gave me an idea about creating a reel on what if my bookshelf could talk, ofcourse that will not be this cute but funny one.
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun read. I love the thought that cookbooks can become more than just recipes and end up carrying memories, stories, and little pieces of our lives.
ReplyDeleteI loved this idea! The bookshelf gossiping about you was such a fun way to tell the story. And the way you showed your cookbooks made it even more interesting!
ReplyDeleteI loved this idea! The bookshelf gossiping about you was such a fun way to tell the story. 😂 And the way you showed your cookbooks made it even more interesting!
ReplyDelete