• Classic Junior League cookbook with 500+ San Francisco recipes. 21st printing, VG condition, Tastemaker Award winner. Hardcover with dust jacket. Cover image.
  • Classic Junior League cookbook with 500+ San Francisco recipes. 21st printing, VG condition, Tastemaker Award winner. Hardcover with dust jacket. Back cover.
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The Junior League of San Francisco

San Francisco à la Carte Cookbook – Junior League of San Francisco

San Francisco à la Carte Cookbook – Junior League of San Francisco

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$18.00 USD
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AT A GLANCE

Title:
"San Francisco: à la Carte"
Publisher:
Doubleday, New York
Type:
Cookbook
Style:
Community & Fundraising Cookbooks; Seafood & Diverse Cuisines
Author:
Junior League of San Francisco
Era:
Late 20th Century (1970–1999)
Date:
Late 1980s (1979 copyright; 21st printing)
Origin:
San Francisco, California
Condition:
Very Good (VG)
Location:
San Francisco, California USA
Cover:
Hardcover with dust jacket
Pages:
512
ISBN:
9780385417723
Book genre:
Community & Junior League
Notes:
RT French Tastemaker Awards
🏆 R.T. French Tastemaker Award Winner

Substantial, beautifully produced cookbook of featuring of the finest recipes of San Francisco.

A celebrated classic from the Junior League of San Francisco, San Francisco à la Carte blends old traditions with fresh, modern ideas, showcasing the city’s culinary heritage through more than 500 recipes. Recognized by the RT French Tastemaker Awards as the best cookbook of its year, this volume remains one of the most beloved regional cookbooks ever published.

R.T. French Tastemaker Award

Established in 1966, the R.T. French Tastemaker Awards recognized excellence in culinary publishing and helped lay the foundation for what later became the James Beard Foundation Book Awards. These honors celebrated books that deepened readers’ understanding of food, cooking, and the broader culture surrounding the table.

For collectors, this designation marks a cookbook or food title of notable distinction—one recognized for the quality of its writing, presentation, and contribution to culinary literature.

Chapters open with charming illustrations of iconic San Francisco neighborhoods—Union Square, North Beach, the Mission District, Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, and more—each paired with a short narrative. The first chapter features the Civic Center and includes pages of thoughtfully curated menu suggestions.

Inside, you’ll find a rich variety of approachable, high‑quality recipes such as Fettuccine al Pesto from North Beach, Deviled Dungeness Crab and California Cioppino from Fisherman’s Wharf, Fluffy Omelets from Cow Hollow, and of course, the city’s famous San Francisco Sourdough French Bread.

This copy is in very good to excellent condition. The interior is pristine and appears unused; the dust jacket shows mild paper discoloration but remains clean and intact.

Browse our complete Community & Junior League Cookbooks collection for more fundraising cookbooks and recipes.

Just a quick heads‑up: the photos reveal details far better than text alone, so they’re worth a close review.

We share as much accurate information as possible about each item—from provenance to condition—but the images often show the nuances best. If you ever need more details, we’re always happy to help.

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The Legacy of Community Cookbooks

Community cookbooks are valued for their historical significance, their role in fundraising, and their ability to preserve culinary traditions. Often passed down through families with handwritten notes on time-worn pages, they reveal an intimate look into American culture and social norms—particularly the role of women.

Naming conventions like "Mrs. John A. Smith" reflect the hierarchy and identity of women during an era of limited societal power; while the recipes reflect food trends, kitchen technologies, and patterns of cultural assimilation. These cookbooks trace the larger story of America as it was reshaped by immigration, urban growth, and industrial change.

The tradition began during the Civil War with Maria J. Moss's, A Poetical Cookbook (1864), which raised funds for soldiers' families. Junior League organizations are major publishers, first publishing The Junior League Recipe Book (1930). Many have maintained popularity through the generations—like Charleston Receipts (1950), the oldest community cookbook that is still in print today.

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