Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cookbook Review - Collectibility

Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cover

Cookbook Title: Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book
Author: Miss Fu Pei-Mei (Taiwanese TV Chef)
Copyright: 1960
Format: Hard cover with dust jacket
Specialization Categories: Chinese Cookbooks, Asian Cookbooks
Average Price: $10-$25; $75-$100 for the set of three (I haven't seen signed copies of this book so one would be extremely rare)

Noted Recipes: Cantonese Roast Pork, Chicken with Dry Red Pepper, Dry Shredded Beef, Paper Wrapped Chicken, Abalone with Oyster Sauce, Stir Fried Rice, Candied Banana Fritter

COOKBOOK COLLECTIBILITY RATINGS RATINGS EXPLAINED

Availability: 5.0
Popularity: 3.0
Investment Outlook: 4.0
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Final Collectibility Factor: 4.0

What's interesting about this cookbook is that the recipes are in both Chinese and English. Most often they are translated or in their native language. The author - Miss Fu Pei-Mei, was often referred to as "Culinary Grandmother," and played a large role in promoting Chinese food internationally. Her Taiwan culinary TV show, Fu Pei-Mei Time, was aired for 40 years.

What's nice about this book is that the book is divided into 4 styles of Chinese foods - Shanghai, Canton, Szechuan and Peking with 25 recipes for each group and an additional twenty snacks and desserts. There are also photos of some of the finished dishes. Fu Pei-Mei published 3 volumes of her Pei Mei's Cook Book. The book shown here is the first volume.

Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cookbook - Availability Rating - 5.0
This cookbook is not widely available online with usually only a handful of the individual volumes for sale at any given time on each of the main online book sites. The three volumes are rarely for sale as a set, though the individual books can be found and put together as a set as no slip case exists (that I know of).

Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cookbook - Popularity Rating - 3.0
I rated this book a 3.0 for popularity only because it is definitely not a mainstream or widely known book--though it does have a small following. The popularity factor is in the fact that it is Chinese/English and is a more traditional Chinese cookbook.

Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cookbook - Investment Outlook - 4.0
If you have the possibility to collect all three sets than you have a nice investment on your hands. I've seen the set go in the neighborhood of $75 - $100 which brings the individual books up to their higher potential of $25 per book. This book is unique and as far as recipes go--are first rate and authentic.

Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book Cookbook - Final Collectibility Factor Rating - 4.0

Overall, Pei Mei's Chinese Cook Book rates a 4.0. If you can get the set, the final collectibility factor rating shoots up to a 7.0.