In another blow to the culinary world (previously I mentioned the Berkeley Scharffen Berger plant closing), the Los Angeles Times reports that Cook’s Library’s will close its doors for good on April 30. Though the store does sell books online (by request), a woman I spoke to says that staff has no plans to move to an online store format.

For those who have never been, it’s a mecca for cookbooks and culinary literary works — it was the only place I knew of that carried Ferran Adria’s early El Bulli tomes, which were printed only in Spanish. Just last year, Adria stopped into the store (his only West Coast tour stop) to sign his latest, “A Day at El Bulli.” He joins other culinary greats like Nigella Lawson, Nancy Silverton, Eric Ripert, Alice Waters and Jacques Pepin, all whom have visited the store to sign books within the past two years. The store had been open for 20.

I can’t imagine it not being there. It really is an unrivaled source for chefs and cooks in Southern California. In the future when I drive by its old location, it will really be hard to look at it without feeling a void.

The Cook’s Library, 8373 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles. 323-655-3141. www.cookslibrary.com

– Cynthia Furey

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