Manuscript Location

New York University Bobst Library, Fales Special Collections

Place of Origin

United States

Date of Composition

ca. 1830-1860

Description

This book contains twenty-three recipes, mostly for cakes and gingerbreads. The manuscript's recipe for soft sugar gingerbread (a cakelike gingerbread made without molasses) goes by the unusual title "Dutch Gingerbread." Likewise, the manuscript calls the cake commonly referred to as loaf cake (bread dough enriched with sugar, butter, and egg) by the unusual name "Poor Man's Pound Cake." Also of interest is the recipe for Quince Cordial, which is made in a unique way. Although the book contains a date of 1821, the date is in a different hand from that of the recipes, which are somewhat later.