Edmonds Cookery Book

{{Short description|Iconic cookery book in New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}{{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox book

| name = Edmonds Cookery Book

| image = Edmonds Cookery Book.jpg

| caption = 2008 centenary edition

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| country = New Zealand

| language = English

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| media_type = Print

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| dewey = 641.5

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File:Edmonds 'Sure to Rise' Cookery Book, 3rd Edition, 1914.pdf

The Edmonds Cookery Book is a recipe book by Edmonds that focuses on traditional New Zealand cuisine. It was first published as The Sure to Rise Cookery Book in 1908{{cite web|url=http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/edmonds-cookbook|title=The Edmonds Cookbook|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage|accessdate=17 February 2009}} as a marketing tool by baking powder manufacturer Thomas Edmonds (today part of Goodman Fielder), but it is now known as a Kiwi icon.

The cookbook has been through many editions and reprints, adapting to changing tastes and new technology. Only two copies of the first (1908) edition are known to survive. In 1955, the first "De Luxe" edition was introduced. The 69th De Luxe edition was released in 2016.{{Cite web|date=28 September 2016|title=Iconic Edmonds cookbook given mouthwatering makeover|url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/84779453/iconic-edmonds-cookbook-given-mouthwatering-makeover|access-date=25 March 2021|website=Stuff |language=en}} The 2012 edition has over 500 recipes.{{Cite web |title=Edmonds cookery book |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/edmonds-cookery-book |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813003126/https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/edmonds-cookery-book |archive-date=13 August 2024 |access-date=13 August 2024 |website=New Zealand History}}

Since 1955, the front cover has featured the former Edmonds factory in Linwood, Christchurch (demolished in 1990). Spiral binding was introduced in 1976 to allow the book to stay open and flat.{{Cite web|last=Houlahan|first=Mike|date=2 January 2019|title=Edmonds' recipe for success|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/summer-times/edmonds-recipe-success|access-date=25 March 2021|website=Otago Daily Times |language=en}}

With over three million copies sold by 2015, it is the best-selling New Zealand published book as of 2019,{{Cite news |last=Houlahan |first=Mike |date=2 January 2019 |title=Edmonds' recipe for success |url=https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/summer-times/edmonds-recipe-success |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813002626/https://www.odt.co.nz/lifestyle/summer-times/edmonds-recipe-success |archive-date=13 August 2024 |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=Otago Daily Times}}{{Cite web |date=5 September 2013 |title=Cookbooks, magazines and television shows |url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/cooking/page-3 |access-date=3 December 2024 |website=Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand}}{{Cite web |title=Kiwiana |url=https://www.newzealand.com/nz/feature/kiwiana/ |access-date=4 December 2024 |website=newzealand.com |publisher=Tourism New Zealand}} and has been described by Ron Palenski as "much a part of New Zealand kitchens as a stove and knife". It has also been called a New Zealand icon, Kiwiana, and has appeared on a 2008 stamp series featuring national icons for each letter of the alphabet.

Before the cookery book was created, Edmonds put recipes in the lids of the baking powder tins.{{Cite news |last=Matthews |first=Philip |date=20 May 2023 |title=Edmonds: The rise and fall of a family factory |url=https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350013000/edmonds-rise-and-fall-family-factory |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241130190049/https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/350013000/edmonds-rise-and-fall-family-factory |archive-date=2024-11-30 |access-date=20 August 2024 |work=The Post}} The book was first published in 1908, originally named the Sure To Rise Cookery Book with 50 pages. In 1930 the first edition with photos was released,{{Cite news |last=Josie |first=Steenhart |date=29 September 2016 |title=Iconic Edmonds cookbook given mouthwatering makeover |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/84779453/Iconic-Edmonds-cookbook-given-mouthwatering-makeover |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240813002216/https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/84779453/Iconic-Edmonds-cookbook-given-mouthwatering-makeover |archive-date=13 August 2024 |access-date=20 August 2024 |work=Your Weekend}} and since 1955, the 'sure to rise' factory has been on the cover. The 1971 book was dedicated to gas cooking,{{Cite news |last=Forrester |first=Georgia |date=2 August 2019 |title=The Edmonds Cookery Book: How NZ's much-loved book has drastically evolved |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/food-news/114075996/the-edmonds-cookery-book-how-nzs-muchloved-book-has-drastically-evolved |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411032412/https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/food-wine/food-news/114075996/the-edmonds-cookery-book-how-nzs-muchloved-book-has-drastically-evolved |archive-date=11 April 2021 |access-date=13 August 2024 |work=Stuff}} and a microwave baking section was added in 1988.

Originally, housewives could write a request to Edmonds to get a free copy. Couples in the 1940s who announced that they had become engaged in the newspaper would receive a free cookbook. Since 1955 it has been a paid product.