Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

1818-ca. 1860

Description

Mrs. A.Y. Bird inscribed this recipe book on the inside front cover of the notebook, with the date October 18, 1818. She continued the book at least as late as 1860, the latest date written in the book (on page 161). The book is in two parts: a collection of mostly culinary recipes written from the front of the volume, on pages 1-168, and a collection of mostly household and medical recipes, written upside down in relation to the front and possibly starting from the back of the notebook, on pages 169-192. (Mrs. A.Y. Bird numbered pages 1-108; the remaining pagination was supplied by the cataloger.)

The culinary recipes include Northumberland pudding (page 23), walnut catchup (page 43), Poor Knights of Windsor [a pudding] (page 67), Wiltshire cure [for ham] (page 93), carrot soup (page 131), mock turtle soup (page 132), Shrewsbury biscuits [a cookie] (page 136), and cheese straws (page 138). Some of the recipes are attributed to various individuals, including Anne Bird (page 151), Jane Bird (page 146), Mrs. Amphlett of Kidderminster (page 153), Dr. Kennison (page 174), Mrs. Thomas Lord (page 93), and Sir George Parker (page 171), among numerous others.