Manuscript Location

Vassar College, Archives and Special Collections Library

Place of Origin

United States

Date of Composition

1820s or 1830s

Description

This recipe book is written in a handsewn oblong fascicle measuring 3.5 x 6.5 inches (L/W). The book, which is in extremely fragile condition, has a stiff crinkled-paper cover, now detached, and eight unpaginated leaves. The leaves are written on both sides, in brown ink, in the hand of Sally Bailey, who has inscribed her name on a recipe for sponge cake that is written on the inside back cover. The library has determined that Sally Bailey died in 1843.

The use of pearl ash leavening suggests that the book is of the 1820s or 1830s. Most of the recipes are for cakes popular at that time, such as "Queen cake," "Cookeys," "Cup Cake," "Rusk", "Soft Gingerbread," "Sugar Gingerbread," and "Loaf Cake." There are also a few recipes for pickles and sweet wines, and one for "Clove Water."