The Brown Derby Cookbook Forward by Robert H. Cobb

The Brown Derby belonged to an era when movie stars dressed for dinner, studio deals shared the table with lunch, and a restaurant could become almost as famous as its clientele. Its name promised good food, familiar faces, and the possibility that someone worth watching might settle into the next booth. Published in 1949, The Brown Derby Cookbook brings the culinary side of that glamorous world into your own kitchen.

Written by the restaurant staff, this engaging volume gathers more than 500 recipes from the celebrated Brown Derby restaurants. A foreword by restaurant president Robert H. Cobb introduces a collection shaped by the professionals who kept Hollywood well fed. Charming line drawings accompany the recipes, giving the book the personality of a period piece with plenty of practical life left in it.

The famous Cobb Salad takes its rightful place here, alongside such confidently named fare as Hamburger de Luxe. These are recipes from a time when lunch could stretch into the afternoon and dinner deserved a little ceremony. For the home cook, they offer an invitation to revive the pleasures of a restaurant meal at home: a thoughtfully chosen menu, a properly set table, and something delicious worth lingering over.

For collectors of vintage cookbooks and admirers of old Hollywood, the appeal extends beyond the kitchen. Here is a taste of the city’s social history, preserved through the dishes it ordered. Keep it on the cookbook shelf, display it beside the bar, or give it to the host who understands that a memorable evening requires both good food and a good story.

Doubleday & Company, Garden City, New York, 1949. 272 pages.  Previously Owned.