The First American Cookbook: A Facsimile of "American Cookery," 1796

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.

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.
History at your fingertips! Discover a piece of American history with this facsimile of the first American-written cookbook to be published in the United States. Explore early traditional American cooking. Step back in time and explore the origins of classic American recipes. Discover a rich variety of food that the Colonial Americans enjoyed. Enjoy a unique window to the tastes, cooking and eating habits of Colonial Americans. Find recommendations for choosing the freshest and most tender vegetables, even tips on judging quality of meats, poultry, and fish. Uncover authentic recipes for colonial favorites! Learn how to make pumpkin pudding, winter squash pudding, and Indian slapjacks! This cookbook is also packed with the first recommended uses of pearlash (the forerunner of baking powder) as well as seasoning and roasting instructions for beef, mutton, veal, and lamb. Get familiar with antiquated cooking terms such as pannikin, wallop, frumenty, emptins and more. Understand where popular words like "slaw" and "cookie" originated with their first published appearances in this book! A great gift for the kitchen cook, gourmet chefs, and history enthusiasts.