Manuscript Location

Pennsylvania State University, Paterno Library

Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

1772

Description

This recipe book is inscribed on the inside front cover: Mrs. Harris May 1st 1772. The identity of Mrs. Harris uncertain, but she may be Mary Greathed (born 1751), who married John Harris, in York, in April 1772. The book includes two recipes attributed to Mrs Greathed on pages 55 and 79.

The book comprises 127 written pages, including a 13-page table of contents, all written in the same hand, presumably that of Mrs. Harris. There are approximately 200 recipes. Some of the recipes are copied or paraphrased from printed sources. Many of the recipes are attributed, such as "Mock turtle from Lady Baker," "Potatoe pudding from Miss Sleech," or "from Mr Wardell fishmonger London."  Some recipes include locations, particularly around Oxford and Eton but other locations in England as well.