Manuscript Location

Michigan State University Libraries, Special Collections

Place of Origin

United States ➔ Massachusetts

Date of Composition

1790-1815

Description

This 58-page recipe book includes culinary, medical, and household recipes. Some of the recipes are attributed to English sources, but many more are clearly American in origin, such as directions for making varieties of Election Day cake and cranberry jellies. It appears that two different authors compiled this book concurrently: Edward August Holyoke, M.D. (1728-1829!) and a younger person writing in a more stable hand. Dr. Holyoke ran a medical practice and contributed to advances in smallpox vaccinations. In addition, he was a president of Harvard, a charter member and a president of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a founder and president of the Massachusetts Medical Society.