Manuscript Location

Michigan State University Libraries, Special Collections

Place of Origin

England ➔ Kent ➔ Canterbury

Date of Composition

1834

Description

This cookbook was compiled in 1834, in Canterbury, Kent, England. It contains 450 recipes written on 167 pages. A 10-page index is arranged by category: fish, puddings, pies and cakes, pickles, wine, sauces, "made dishes" &c.&c. The recipes include pigeons in a hole; to turtelize calves head; everlasting syllabub; isinglass flummery; to candy angelica; artificial ape's milk; and black butter. There is also a "universal fish table" or seasonal calendar for 23 varieties of fish. Ten pages are devoted to wine and beer. The authors of many recipes are identified. Mrs. Hodges is the most frequent contributor, followed by "Mr. Hamilton, Barham Court" (a suburb of Canterbury) and "Mrs. Halford, Paddock" (an estate in Canterbury). This is an unusually fine manuscript cookbook: well planned, coherent, and complete, and remarkably clear with respect to provenance. It is also in excellent condition.