And one more thing - it's so funny you mention The Fannie Farmer Cookbook (and that Ennis bought it for you as a joke). I learned to cook on that sucker - it was the only one we had in our house when I was a kid, so like the Joy of Cooking you found, I took to it like white to rice.
Well, now that's a funny story.
Ennis got the idea to buy me a new cookbook that first Christmas--sorta as a joke since I'd be using the
Joy of Cooking like my bible, as I said. He told me that he went into the bookstore thinking he'd buy a book, that's it. Well, that was the first time he ever set foot in the cookbook section of a bookstore and needless to say, he couldn't believe his eyes! He had no frigging clue what book to buy and high tailed it out a that store like a cat being chased by a hound dog.
He called our friend Jeanie Campbell and she was the one who suggested Fannie Farmer. Ennis went back to the store, found the book, and bought it...all the while thinking this was going to a be a great joke gift.
The joke was on him because like you, that book was a godsend. There's stuff in there that isn't in the
Joy of Cooking and vice versa. Even though Ennis has given me dozens of cookbooks since then, this is still the one that is the most special to me and I use it often.
Hugs to you,
Jack
LazyL Farm
Quanah, TX