The Company's Coming cookbook series started by Jean Pare is a real Canadian success story. A woman named Jean Pare from a small Alberta community started publishing her recipes in 1981 in this cookbook. By the time they printed my copy in 1993 it was on it's 28th edition. Mine says "Over 1 million in print" but on some of the newer ones it mentions over 10 million! I just looked online at their web site and found a list of over 166 cookbook titles in their collection so Jean at age 80+ has been busy.
Jean Pare (pronounced "PAIR-ee") had been a caterer for 18 years preparing meals for up to 1000 people. She was always being asked for her recipes so the idea of creating a cookbook was born. She also had the brilliant idea of posing in a blouse of the same color as the cookbook cover, for the back page. So for book after book, there's Jean on the back in a matching outfit. I can just image how boring and tedious this must have gotten after the first 40 or 50 books. They would have soon run out of the more popular PMS printing colors, they were already down to a washed out gray for Company's Coming Barbecues. Her closet would have been over flowing with the stuff in not very flattering colors. Plus she had to have her hair and makeup done for every shot and a professional photographer on call. I can't help thinking she must have come to regret this little idea that probably seemed so cute in the beginning. That is until someone had a brilliant idea! I just noticed that on some of the newer ones they learned how to use just one picture and photo shop in the different colors of blouses, thank goodness!
Anyway, I always wondered if that was why she never seemed very happy in her pictures. It turns out she did have a rather unhappy life up until about 1968 when she married her second husband. The first one ran off leaving her with 4 kids and lots of bills. She even lived in a tent for awhile. Still life has been pretty good since her cookbook business took off. She has had retail sales of up to $18 million a year, they have a beautiful corporate office building in the city, and she was awarded the Order of Canada in 2004. So I think she should put the past behind her and SMILE :-). Jean also had a short lived TV show, now that was sad, she was no Rachael Ray. Still she does own most of Domino's Pizza here in Canada so these things balance out.
Jean included one other cute touch in all the early books, which I'm not sure if she still does. It's called a "Pare Pointer" and they're scattered through out the recipes. A few examples, "Always buy a thermometer in the winter. It is a lot lower then" or "A sure way to get bronc-itis is to ride wild horses". Gee maybe I should add a "Mindy Memo" to each of my posts, no, if I had to think up one of those every day, I wouldn't be smiling either. I will borrow one last one from Jean just for today, "In some countries elephants call each other on the elephone". I bet you cracked a big smile with that one, Jean. So cookbook #18 is Company's Coming 150 Delicious Squares by Jean Pare.
Fasinating reading beginning to end. I was wondering if you could exhibit a photo of one favorite recipe from each book. in turn, all the fans could make said meal, send a picture and you could judge and award e-ribbons to the winner?
ReplyDeleteThank you so much! I thought about posting recipes but then I worried about copyright laws. I really need to check into this, you have a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI would LOVE to see any pictures of any food! If anyone has a dish that fits in any of these topics send it in. Also if anyone has a favorite food or cookbook, I'll be happy to try and feature it.