The other day David was off and we stopped by Ollies Bargain Basement to look for a Sandwich Maker. I can not go into Ollies Bargain Basement without stopping by the decoration and then meandering to the book section.
The book section is one of my favorite places in the store because not only can I find books I can’t find anywhere else they are cheaper and sometimes they have books on clearance I want. Or books that would make a nice gift for someone I love.
When waling down there aisles a cookbook may catch my eye because I need something for dinner. I may pick up a cookbook because I loved the recipes. And sometimes I may see a cookbook at Ollie’s Bargain Basement and immediately think of my best friend.
That is exactly what happened when I found Happy Days: The Official Cookbook which I found at Ollie’s Bargain Basement for just $5.99. My first thought was, “This would be perfect for Debbie.”
My best friend Debbie has always been obsessed with Fonzie, so when I realized I had completely forgotten to get her something for her birthday on August 12, I thought I had found the perfect belated birthday present.
There was just one little problem. The more I looked through the book, the more I wanted to keep it for myself. And now I have a feeling I may need to go back and buy another copy. Thank the Lord they don’t cost that much because David will not fuss at me.
This Cookbook is perfect for a Happy Days fan. Happy Days: The Official Cookbook is written by Christina Ward and published by Insight Editions. It is the first officially licensed Happy Days cookbook and contains more than 90 recipes inspired by the television series.
The book is 175 pages, and I love that it isn’t simply a collection of recipes with a Happy Days name slapped on the cover. The recipes are connected to the world of the show, and the photographs make the whole experience much more fun.
Each recipe has an actual photograph, and throughout the book there are photographs and references to the show itself. So while you’re looking at food, you’re also getting those little reminders of Richie, Fonzie, Mrs. C., the Cunningham family and Arnold’s.
And yes, I said Mrs. C. because this is what Fonzie called Mrs. Cunningham and those little details are exactly what make a cookbook like this fun for someone who actually remembers the show.
The cookbook covers a lot more than I expected. There are breakfast recipes, salads, sandwiches, snacks, lunchbox treats, drinks, side dishes and vegetables, dinners, recipes inspired by eating out, and desserts. Then there are holiday and celebration menus.
That means this isn’t a cookbook that gets pulled off the shelf once and forgotten. There are recipes that could fit into everyday family meals, recipes that would be fun for a themed dinner, and recipes that could come back out during different holidays throughout the year.
I especially love the idea of the “out to eat” section. There are times when going to a restaurant is fun, but there are also times when I’d rather save the money and make something at home.
Recipes inspired by the kind of food you might have ordered at Arnold’s Diner sound like exactly the kind of family cooking I enjoy. And then I found the recipe for French fries. OMG. I love French fries. So somebody apparently knew exactly how to get my attention.
There are already several recipes I can’t wait to try. The chocolate layer cake immediately caught my attention. I also noticed Arnold’s cherry lemonade, which I already know David is going to be interested in. And then there is Mork’s red, white and blue gelatin. How funny is that?
I love when a cookbook doesn’t just give you generic recipes but pulls in those little pieces of television history and pop culture that make you stop and smile. The cookbook even has holiday menus, including a Fourth of July cookout and Christmas.
For Thanksgiving, there is a wine-soaked roast turkey and gravy, Kelp family chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce, green beans almondine, Anytime pumpkin pie and holiday cider punch.
I know there are people in my family who would immediately have opinions about some of those recipes. And I already know that whole-berry cranberry sauce is not going to be one of mine.
One of my favorite discoveries in this cookbook may actually have nothing to do with cooking. It has trivia. I have always loved trivia, and I immediately started thinking about how much potential there is here for homeschool families.
You could use a cookbook like this to talk about television history, the 1950s and 1960s, family life, food history, geography, measurements, recipe math, reading comprehension and research.
You could look at what food was popular during different eras. You could compare a family meal from Happy Days with what families eat today. You could study Milwaukee, where the show is set. You could even use the trivia questions as a starting point for a research project.
That makes this much more than something to put on a kitchen shelf. It can become a conversation starter. I especially love that Happy Days gives us opportunities throughout the year.
The show had holiday episodes, including Halloween and Christmas, and this cookbook includes holiday and celebration menus. That means I don’t have to put this book away after summer.
It can be part of our Summer Gift Guide because Happy Days carries so many summer and nostalgic television memories. It can become part of our Back-to-School Gift Guide, especially with the lunchbox recipes, family cooking and homeschool possibilities.
It can come back out for Halloween. It can be part of our Thanksgiving content. And it can absolutely return for the Christmas Gift Guide. That is a lot of life for one cookbook all the while giving us new recipes to share with our friends and family.
There is another reason this cookbook caught my attention. Some books aren’t really about the book. They’re about the people you think of when you see them. I thought of Debbie because of Fonzie.
And when I came across the idea of a Joanie teenage dream birthday party, I couldn’t help but think about Suzanne. There are some things that immediately make you think about the people you wish were still here to enjoy them with you.
That’s one of the reasons I love nostalgia. It gives us a way to remember Happy Days which ran for 255 episodes from 1974 to 1984, and I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve watched every one of the episodes at least once if not more.
That is a lot of television history packed into one show. And now someone has taken that world and turned it into recipes. But Am I Really Giving This to Debbie? So here is my problem.
I bought this cookbook for Debbie. Her birthday was August 12. She’s a Fonzie fan. It seemed perfect. But then I started looking through it. And now I’m thinking about chocolate layer cake, cherry lemonade, French fries, Arnold’s Diner, holiday menus and trivia.
I’m thinking about homeschool possibilities I can share with other parents. I’m thinking about Christmas. I’m thinking about Thanksgiving. I’m thinking about all the recipes I want to try.
And I’m thinking that $5.99 was a really good price. Amazon lists the hardcover at a much higher price, and there is also a Kindle edition. So finding this one at Ollie’s Bargain Basement for $5.99 was definitely a bargain.
Now I just have one question. Am I actually going to give this cookbook to my best friend Debbie, or am I going to have to go back to Ollie’s and buy another one for myself? Aaaay!I think we may already know the answer.
About the book:
Aaaaay! Celebrate 50 years of Happy Days with the first official collection of recipes inspired by the beloved television sensation.
Relish in nostalgia and relive the pop culture of the 1950s and ’60s with Richie, Fonzie, and friends from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with Happy Days: The Official Cookbook. From the Cunningham kitchen to popular “greasy spoon” diner, Arnold’s, this cookbook’s more than 90 recipes draw their inspiration from the beloved sitcom and act as a guide to the familiar flavors of mid-century America.
Happy Days: The Official Cookbook offers a variety of recipes for chefs of all levels. From appetizers to main courses and from drinks to desserts, each chapter includes delicious show-focused food for fans to enjoy with family.
90+ RECIPES INSPIRED BY HAPPY DAYS: More than 90 recipes of appetizers, main courses, desserts, and drinks inspired by the long-running sitcom
STUNNING PHOTOS: Includes gorgeous full-color photos of recipes to help ensure success, as well as beloved moments from the series
THE FIRST OFFICIAL HAPPY DAYS COOKBOOK: Created in partnership with Paramount Consumer Products & Experiences, this is the first and only officially licensed Happy Days cookbook
RECIPES FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS: With accessible step-by-step instructions and helpful cooking tips, Happy Days: The Official Cookbook is a great guide for fans of any age and skill level, from kitchen novices to seasoned chefs
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Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates