In the 1970’s, the George Eastman Museum, a Rochester, New York, institution named after the man who helped popularize camera film, reached out to small collective of photographers that were particularly close. Looking to publish a cookbook, the museum asked the group for their favorite recipes and food-themed images to accompany them.
The concept for the book stemmed from Eastman’s famous lemon meringue pie, and the possibility that talent in the darkroom extended to the kitchen. The museum believed they had a bestseller on their hands, equal parts photography and cookbook. For reasons unknown, the cookbook was never published.
Forty years later, the museum pulled the cookbook’s contents from its archives, and it’s finally releasing the book with additional contemporary entries. The Photographer’s Cookbook contains images and recipes from renowned photographers like Robert Adam (sugar cookies), Richard Avedon (royal pot roast), and Imogen Cunningham (borscht). It’s a time capsule of the photographers before the height of their careers, as well as a window into their depiction of food and family. The Photographer’s Cookbook features 50 never-before-seen pictures.
Enjoy a preview of the book below, including recipes from Ansel Adams and Robert Heinecken (spoiler alert: both involve alcohol). If you like what you find here, The Photographer‘s Cookbook is available for $29 through the Aperture Foundation here.
Ansel Adams’ Eggs Poached in Beer
1⁄4 cup (1/8 pound) butter
Mixed spices
Dash sherry
1 bottle dark malt liquor or strong ale (ordinary beer is not strong enough) 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 pieces toast Dash paprika
1) Melt butter in microwave oven, but do not allow to brown. Add a dash of mixed spices and sherry.
2) In a small bowl, microwave malt or ale with 1/4 teaspoon salt just to the boiling point. Carefully slide eggs into this hot liquid, cover with paper plate or glass bowl (to retain thermal heat), and cook as desired in microwave. (See note below on microwave cooking.)
3) While eggs are cooking in microwave, make two pieces of toast. Spread part of the butter-spice mix over the toast.
4) Serve eggs on the toast, and pour over the rest of the butter-spice mix. Add a dash of paprika.
Note on microwave cooking: “I like my eggs poached soft. I find that 1 egg in the hot ale or malt takes about one minute to cook, two eggs about two minutes, etc., all the way up to eight eggs about eight minutes. When working with as many as eight eggs, the bowl should be moved around every two to three minutes.”
Robert Heinecken’s Serious Martini
English Gin
California lemon
1) Take one bottle of either Tanqueray or Bombay gin. Beefeater should not be a substitute.
2) Take long stem crystal glass preferably with straight v-shaped sides, minimum capacity three ounces
3) Place both in freezer, five to six hours prior to intending imbibing.
4) For each serving, pour the desired amount (minimum three ounces) directly from the bottle into frozen glass. Use no ice, and avoid touching the bowl of the glass.
5) Add the juice of 1/8 California lemon. Remove any seeds and submerge the lemon slice rind in the drink.
6) Serve and repeat for maximum effect.
Note A: “An excellent companion to this drink is iced shrimp dipped to taste in cocktail sauce with lemon juice added.”
Note B: “This drink is not recommended before 11:00 a.m.”
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