Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

ca. 1765

Description

This 184-page English recipe book, written in multiple hands, contains approximately 150 culinary and medical recipes. The inside front cover is inscribed "Reiecipt book. Catherine Simpson. Febry: 8th 1765" and contains the bookplate of John Hodgkin Sr., who is believed to have been a contemporary of Catherine Simpson. The library has ascribed authorship of the volume to her. The book includes recipes for wines, pastries, preserves, and meat dishes. Many of the recipes are attributed, such as "To cure an ague, Mrs. Berens," "To make pickle for sturgeon, Mrs. Sambrook," and, no. 61, "To make a cacke with plumbs" which is credited to Mrs. Walpole.