Sunday, February 24, 2013

One of My Very Favorite Things



Although I am a self professed minimalist I still own a few small collections of things to be cherished. This antique cookery book was a gift from friends who owned a used bookstore that I worked at about fifteen years ago.  Someone in the past treasured it enough to pay for it to be rebound protecting it for the future(professional rebinding of antique books can sometimes help hold the value as in this case).  In the world of cookbooks few are considered collectible.  This is one of those few.  A New System of Domestic Cookery, 1839 Edition.

There is a whole section on how one should treat servants, on buying things from the butcher, buying cuts of meat, cuts of fish, meat, poultry and game.  A whole section on cookery for the sick.  A very interesting section on brewing.  Although it does contain recipes it is also a little glimpse into the past.



Apparently bread in the early 1800's was an expensive commodity. According to this article on Wikipedia there had been a very poor wheat harvest in 1799 that caused food shortages.  The British Parliament passed a law prohibiting the production of any other flour than wholemeal flour.  This caused the price of bread to rise astronomically.  Due to civil unrest against this unpopular law the Act was repealed two months later. 



 Two sample family dinners to serve.  They don't look too much different than today (I always remove my boiled fowl from the pea soup, doesn't everybody?).



Crackers way before the time of Triscuits (also known as plain and very crisp biscuits).


The sick cookery section is quite large - a sign of the times.  Tuberculosis killed one third of all of those who died in Britain between 1800 and 1850.  This was the time of the industrial revolution and other diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and smallpox were also rampant.  Almost everyone had someone sick in their family - even the rich.



Exact instructions on how to prepare Italian Beef-steak by iron stewpot and fire.

Raisin Wine from the brewery section.  I wonder what kind of measurement a hogshead of spring-water is. 

That is your history lesson via ancient cookery book today - and one of my very favorite things.  I am joining up with Claudia over at Mockingbird Hill Cottage.  Stop over and have a browse for her  Favorite Thing Party.  Cheers!


20 comments:

  1. That is an incredible edition! I love old books. We often scour old bookstores on our trips. We must look weird going thru security/customs with old books in our suitcases!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do the same thing! I can't wait to prowl old European bookstores one day.

      Delete
  2. I love the fresh laid egg comment!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hmm. raw egg, milk, nutmeg. I see eggnog myself.

      Delete
  3. What a fantastic book to own! I love looking into the lives of people who lived long ago.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree - I think that is why I collect old cookbooks in the first place!

      Delete
  4. A hogshead of spring water...fascinating! Sounds like something out of Harry Potter. What a great reference for writing a period novel.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't any of the recipes yet but when I do I will have to research what the measurements are. Life was a lot different back then!

      Delete
  5. Us modern cooks have it so easy. Did you also know that Typhoid Mary was a cook? She was sent into exile/isolation on an island off Manhattan because she was an asymptomatic carrier (Brother Island which is still unoccupied). When she was finally given a reprieve and told not to return to her former occupation, she did not listen and went back to being a cook. She was sent back into isolation.

    I really like the old style of writing too. Good find on that book!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I didn't know that about Typhoid Mary - no wonder she was so famous. Thanks for sharing that.

      Delete
  6. I have a few 'old' cookery and housekeeping books and dip into them occasionally. I might try the very crisp biscuit recipe.
    Love from Mum
    xx

    ReplyDelete
  7. It's fun (and eye opening) to browse through old cookbooks. I have one that belonged to my grandmother; though not as old as yours it's still an interesting read!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I would love to own one that my Grandmother had but unfortunately my Mom had seven Brothers and Sisters and others in the family got those. Cheers!

      Delete
  8. Amazing. What a find! I bet you can spend hours looking through this treasure trove of information!

    Thanks so much for joining in this week!

    xo
    Claudia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeah, I need to make a recipe out of it now. Your welcome, thanks for hosting!

      Delete
  9. I think I can help with the "Remove--boiled fowl" mystery. In 18th and early 19th century cooking, dinners were served in one or two great big "courses" (a course was a whole bunch of different dishes set out all at once, not what we think of as a course today). One course for a simpler family dinner, two courses if you were out to impress. And a "remove" was something you'd bring in and substitute for another dish on the table if you were really going all out. So, on p. 312 there, you'd take away the peas soup when people were finished with it and bring in the boiled fowl. Cluck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! A wealth of information. I have learned a lot with this post. Thanks for your comment!

      Delete
  10. This is an amazing find - full of information taking one back to the great country house kitchens of Britain (TV's Mrs. Patmore the cook at Downton Abbey would love it!).

    Under 'sick cookery' I was surprised to see cranberries mentioned - I didn't know we ever had cranberries growing in England - I never knew of them until coming to live in the US when they showed up on my first Thanksgiving dinner plate!
    AND......the addition of 1/4 pint of sherry would just about cure anything!!!!!

    Great post, take care of that fabulous book......hopefully you'll share more with us another time - just love it!

    Happy week - Mary

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "he addition of 1/4 pint of sherry would just about cure anything!!!!!" - I was thinking the same thing!

      Delete