Questions and answers
About the world's largest cookbook collection and the man behind it.
How many cookbooks are in the collection?
The catalogue now contains 14,561 cookbooks – from 1785 to the present day.
The collectionBrowse the whole collection ›How old is the oldest book?
The oldest book in the catalogue dates from 1785: «Carl Müllers nye Koge-Bog for den retskafne Huusmoder med Figurer», published by Gyldendal in Copenhagen. The copy in the collection is the 2nd edition, in Danish – from the time when Denmark and Norway were one kingdom.
The full title promises figures «som vise en net og ordentlig Serveri» – that is, how the dishes should be arranged and set out on the table.
Carl Müllers nye Koge-Bog for den retskafne huusmoder med FigurerSee the book in the collection ›The National Library of Norway has digitised the book, but it can only be read at their premises: see the book at the National Library of Norway.
Can I read the books here?
You can search and browse the entire catalogue. 228 old books that are free from copyright you can read in full – look for «Read the book» on the book page. There you can flip through page by page, zoom in and search the text.
Books you can readSee all the books you can read ›Is this really the world's largest cookbook collection?
Yes. Guinness World Records registered the collection as the world's largest cookbook collection on 4 March 2019, with 10,308 cookbooks. Since then, it has grown – the catalogue now contains 14,561 books.
How did the collection begin?
By a chance in 1996, I suddenly discovered that there were 200 cookbooks in the bookshelf in the living room.
Which book is Per most proud of?
Perhaps the 1st edition of the reference work Larousse Gastronomique, Paris, 1938. A classic that is still published worldwide today, also in languages other than French.
Can I visit the collection?
Yes, by arrangement with Per. See "Visits and contact".
Does Per accept books or gifts for the collection?
Yes, many of the books are gifts and donations from private individuals and others. I have limited capacity to collect individual books and collections.