Place of Origin

England

Date of Composition

1791-1792

Description

The inside front cover of this book is signed by Elizabeth Hardy and dated December 14, 1791. The inside back cover is inscribed "E. Hardy, 1792" in a large, calligraphic hand, above an engraved card of arithmetic tables ("Sold by P. Sandford, Bookseller & Stationer, Shrewsbury. Price 2d"). The book contains seventy pages of culinary recipes, which are written from the front of the notebook, and sixteen pages of recipes for medicines and dyes, which are written from the back. Each section is preceded by a two-page table of contents. There are approximately eighty-five culinary recipes altogether, including "mock turtle," "curry the Indian way," "pickled peaches," "catchup of oyster," "milk punch," "Bath cakes," and "yellow pickle floating island."