Manuscript Location

University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Kislak Center for Special Collections - Manuscripts

Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

begun ca. 1775-1820, continued to ca. 1830-1840

Description

This collection of approximately 120 pages was written by at least four different individuals. The inside front cover is inscribed, "Grandmama Lady Frankland's Receipt Book." In a different hand, a note on the inside back cover reads, "Dear Grandmama's book Several persons have written in it as well as myself - RW." The author of this note, R.W., was presumably a grandchild of Lady Frankland. The front half (or so) of the book was clearly compiled several decades before the back half. The library believes that the earlier recipes date from the second half of the eighteenth century, which is possible, as all were current then. However, it is also possible that the earlier recipes were written in the early nineteenth century, for they were still current at this time. This would be in sync with the dates 1821 and 1823 written on the inside front cover. The book was certainly continued until at least 1830 and likely into the 1840s or beyond. The recipe for brioche on leaf 38r likely dates from the second quarter of the nineteenth century, as do the recipes for "Irish Cake" (leaf 46v) and Ginger Cake (leaf 49v), which call for carbonate of soda.

The book contains a mix of culinary, household, and medical recipes in no particular order. There are at least six recipes for curries, as well as one for pillau. "Dry Pancakes" (leaf 13r) are meant to "eat crisp and short." "Potatoe Pastry" (15v) is promised to "resemble the finest puff pastry." The uncommon recipe "To make Tuffy" (16v) calls for boiling butter, treacle, lemon peel, flour, and brown sugar until thick, after which "you may make it in any shape or Fancy you like." Perhaps this mysterious foodstuff is a confection (like taffy?). Near the end is copied "A famous receipt for salad," in verse by Rev. Sydney Smith.

Many of the recipes are attributed. Among the contributors credited are Lady Fagg, Lady Monson, Lady Roche, Miss Colville, Miss Bedingfeld, Miss Bowles, Richard Jebb, Mrs. Cowslade, Baroness Philetsen, Dr. Addington, Dr. Bateman, Dr. Reynolds, and Dr. Darwell.