I often peruse old cookbooks in used bookstores. It’s an entertaining glimpse into history. The following collections are almost over-the-top, though: 808 English-language Chinese cookbooks at University of California-Davis. And that is surpassed by a 2,600-book collection at Stony Brook University. I just can’t imagine that many people having a book’s worth of material about Chinese cooking, especially since many of these volumes are from decades ago. But it is quite impressive. Stony Brook’s collection was donated by nutrition professor Jacqueline M. Newman who received her first Chinese cookbook as a wedding gift more than 50 years ago. Perusing the titles in the UC Davis catalog reveals a number of specific topics: Chopsticks, Chinese-Kosher cooking, herbs, rice, gruel, and the ever-popular dim sum.