From the Back Cover This facsimile of the first American-written cookbook published in the United States is not only a first in cookbook literature, but a historic document. It reveals the rich variety of food Colonial Americans enjoyed, their tastes, cooking and eating habits, even their colorful language.Author Amelia Simmons worked as a domestic in Colonial America and gathered her cookery expertise from firsthand experience. Her book points out the best ways of judging the quality of meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, etc., and presents the best methods of preparing and cooking them. In choosing fish, poultry, and other meats, the author wisely advises, "their smell denotes their goodness." Her sound suggestions for choosing the freshest and most tender onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots, asparagus, lettuce, cabbage, beans, and other vegetables are as timely today as they were nearly 200 years ago.Here are the first uniquely American recipes using corn meal—Indian pudding, "Johnny cake," and Indian slapjacks—as well as the first recipes for pumpkin pudding, winter squash pudding, and for brewing spruce beer. The words "cookie" and "slaw" made their first published appearance in this book. You'll also find the first recommended use of pearlash (the forerunner of baking powder) to lighten dough, as well as recommendations for seasoning stuffing and roasting beef, mutton, veal, and lamb—even how to dress a turtle.Along with authentic recipes for colonial favorites, a Glossary includes definitions of antiquated cooking terms: pannikin, wallop, frumenty, emptins, and more. And Mary Tolford Wilson's informative Introductory Essay provides the culinary historical background needed to appreciate this important book fully.Anyone who uses and collects cookbooks will want to have The First American Cookbook. Cultural historians, Americana buffs, and gourmets will find this rare edition filled with interesting recipes and rich in early American flavor. Read more
A**.
Neat book! But be aware...
I found this an interesting purchase.First, I'll warn you, the typesetting imitates what was used back then. So, the 's' & 'f' sometimes look the same; reading it takes some getting used to.Keep in mind too, that it is a facsimile, and the "receipts" are reprinted as they were in 1796. Measures are not the same as what we currently use.I'm not sure about actually using it to cook from. But it is a neat resource for seeing what was eaten in the country at the time, and how it was prepared and seasoned. I may once experiment though, and give a recipe a whirl. Out of curiosity.The essay at the beginning is worth reading too, in my opinion.
W**K
Historical cooking
This young woman/cook was illiterate and had to rely on others to write down her recipes. A pleasant surprise was the account of this young woman's struggle to get her cookbook published without others 1)stealing her idea, 2) plagiarizing her book ver batum, and 3) correcting inaccuracies in measurements.
G**S
Interesting bit of American culinary history
Interesting book for culinary and historical students. Shows how and what was the ingredients and availability of them, not like they could run down to the supermarket back then, you hunted it, skinned it, butchered it, cooked it following their recipe and enjoyed it, then hopefully you had one of your 8-10 children wash the dishes for you....
L**E
I am ordering more!!!
I used this book in combo with other items for an fundraising auction. There was a bidding war for it! I dont cook but this little gem of a book was a hit with my friends who cook and love history. I am ordering more for the next auction.
M**R
Very interesting and a fun read.
Just read the reviews. I am really into early 18th century recipes and cooking. Just know this really is a sort of transcript of early recipes. The English or grammar is of the time and harder to comprehend. Also terms of the time can be hard to translate into modern instructions. Very interesting and a fun read.
J**R
An important book for your cookbook collection.
How can a serious cooking enthusiast not love this book and want it for his or her collection? It contains the first cookbook manuscript written for cooks in this country when the US was in it's infancy. The cookbook contains recipes using the techniques and ingredients that are American instead of just merely trying to reproduce English dishes. A separate cuisine had to evolve for the US cook. Different ingredients, and new ways of cooking. And this is the first known manuscript to capture this . This manuscript stood as a beacon to all cooks in this country, and stands today as an important artifact in the history of world cookery. The comprehensive forward also is both interesting and descriptive, and sets the cookbook manuscript into it's context. Enjoy!
A**E
Good Guide for Colonial Recipes
More of a phamplet than a book. If you are looking for original recipes the Colonists made, this is a helpful guide.
H**T
It is very thin but interesting
I had seen this and put it on my wish list for Christmas, my husband ended up buying it for me. He was a little disappointed I think as it was so thin, I think he expected a big cookbook. I rather enjoyed it, and it made sense to me that the "first cookbook" was thin but it's very entertaining. The original "old" language is used so some parts are hard to read, but it's fun to have.
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