Emily (or Emilie) Scott Knapp of New Orleans, Louisiana, and at least one other author recorded recipes, household notes, brief diary entries, and financial accounts in this volume (roughly 72 pages) in the mid-19th century. Most of the recipes concern foods and beverages, including wines, baked goods, and dishes incorporating fruits, vegetables, or meats (pages 4-14, 25-59). There are also instructions for household cleaning and medicinal cures. Some recipes have attributions. There are brief undated diary entries focusing on cooking and household work (pages 13-25) and plans for the construction of a garden (pages 60-63).
James Spencer Knapp was born in Guilford, New York, around 1830. He and his wife, Emily (or Emilie) A. Scott of Bainbridge, New York, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1845, where he became a successful dentist. They had six children: Julia, James, Colby, Emily, Wilmot, and Samuel. Emily Scott Knapp died in 1871.
