Northern Cookbook

Illustrated Reference Vintage Cookbooks Canadian Cooking Regional & Ethnic Wilderness & Outdoor Cooking Self-Reliance & Homesteading Camping & Survival Food

Vintage Canadian cookbook collectors prize the 358-page paperback “Northern Cookbook” by Eleanor Ellis because it captures the hearty, self-reliant spirit of mid-century northern kitchens. From wild-rice hot-dish to Saskatoon-berry pemmican, every recipe is field-tested for cold-climate pantries and wood-stove ovens, making it still the go-to reference for campers, cabin owners, and modern homesteaders who want authentic northern flavour without fancy gadgets. The book’s practical tone—no-nonsense measurements, substitutions for hard-to-find ingredients, and make-ahead tips—keeps it useful rather than merely nostalgic.

What lifts this copy above later reprints is the charming line-work of veteran cartoonist James Simpkins, whose playful sketches of moose, Mounties, and camp kitchens appear throughout. Because Simpkins’ originals rarely survive in crisp form, illustrated editions in any condition have become scarce. This particular 1960s printing shows the usual wilderness wear—light scuffing, a few water marks from long-ago canoe trips, and a neatly handwritten gift inscription on the flyleaf—yet the binding remains tight and every page is perfectly readable, giving you a character-rich shelf piece that can still stand up to kitchen duty.

For collectors, campers, or anyone hunting authentic Canadian comfort-food classics, a vintage “Northern Cookbook” with original Simpkins art is a conversation-starting treasure. Grab this affordable, gently weathered copy and bring a true piece of northern culinary history back to life in your own cabin, condo, or college kitchen.

Refer to our eBay listing for a full condition report and many more high-quality pictures of this item.

Buy Now Questions