Ann Grieves was already known for her cooking by the time her recipe appeared in “Private Collection: A Culinary Treasure,” published by the Women’s Committee of the Walter’s Art Gallery.
The beautiful hardbound cookbook generated some press, and has enjoyed a relatively decent amount of longevity on Maryland bookshelves, if not Maryland kitchens. With an introduction by James Beard, and over fifty illustrations from the Walters’ collections (including eight color plates), the fundraising cookbook has become a cherished item for many, even with used copies available inexpensively.
“A small group from the Women’s Committee poured over more than a thousand recipes before deciding on a collection which they believe reflects the lifestyle of Marylanders,” write Martha H. Schoeps in the Baltimore Sun in 1973.
Nearly ten years later, in 1981, the Sun quoted Harborplace bookseller Arlene Gillis saying that “Private Collection,” was a bestseller at her store “Books for Cooks,” along with the 1963 Hammond-Harwood House fundraiser “Maryland’s Way.”
A few months before “Private Collection” was published, in July of 1973, the Sun ran a feature on a group called the “Clean Plate Club.”
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