Manuscript Location

University of Iowa Main Library, Special Collections, Szathmary Culinary Archive

Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

1850-1870

Description

This cookbook of approximately 82 pages contains an index at the front, 69 numbered pages of culinary recipes in English, and after a sizeable gap of blank leaves, eleven unnumbered pages of culinary and medical recipes, most of which are written in French but some in English. The index contains entries only for the recipes appearing through page 62. The first 43 pages of the book are in one hand, pages 44 through 69 mostly in a second hand, with possibly a few intrusions by the first. The mostly French recipes at the back of the book appear to be in the hands of both principal writers and perhaps one or two others. With the possible exceptions Perogees, or Russian Patties, Twelvemonth Biscuits, and Ale Jelly, most of the English-language recipes are fairly standard for the period. However, the recipes are nicely expressed and closely observed, which suggests that they were actually tried by their authors, giving them added interest. Both of the book's principal writers append exclamation marks at the end of some recipe titles, presumably indicating their favorites. One recipe so marked is Beet Root Potatoes, which turns out to be diced beets in an onion cream sauce served inside a border of mashed potatoes. The recipe contains a note that cream may be added to the sauce, followed by the French phrase, "Cela ne gate jamais rien," meaning that the addition of cream never spoils anything.