Description
This English cookbook is inscribed at the front: Anne Deane Feb y
e 12 : 1749. The book contains approximately 46 recipes, all of which are culinary except for two recipes for surfeit water and one recipe "For a Horse's Cold." The recipes are written on 37 consecutively numbered leaves, a few of which continue the recipes on the versos, and six unnumbered leaves that follow the numbered leaves. The recipes on the numbered leaves are in the handsome hand of the inscriber, except for the recipes on leaves on leaves 18 and 19 and a recipe inserted at the end of leaf 37. Two of the recipes on the six unnumbered leaves are also in the hand of the inscriber; the rest are in other hands. All of the recipes on the numbered leaves and the first recipe of the unnumbered leaves are entered in an index at the back.
The book contains approximately five recipes for meats (including one for a ham cure), five for puddings, six for custards and creams, five for cakes, seven for sweet wines and other drinks, and five for preserves. In addition, there are recipes for meat and fish sauces, "Crocante Paste" (a very crisp tart paste), vegetable pickles, collared eels, and wiggs. The book includes a surprisingly early recipe for "Jaune Manger" (digital image 9) and an uncommon recipe for "Carrott Patties" (digital image 11), which are lightly sweetened carrot fritters that appear to have been served as a side dish in the principal courses of the meal. The "Orange or Lemon Cake" (digital image 13) is actually a yolk-heavy almond sponge cake flavored with citrus. "Pippin Liquor" (digital image 33) is made by boiling chopped apples (including the peels and cores) in water or milk until the "liquor" becomes thick and lightly jelled and then straining out the solids. When prepared with miilk, the drink makes "Pippin Posset," which is described as "cooling and very pleasant."
A PDF of the images of this book is available
here. Click on "18th Century Cooking Manuscript" in the list.