Art of Cookery
Frontispiece and title page in an early posthumous edition, published by L. Wangford, c. 1777
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| Author | "By a LADY" (Hannah Glasse) |
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| Country | England |
| Subject | English cooking |
| Genre | cookbook |
| Publisher | Hannah Glasse |
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Publication date
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1747 |
| Pages | 384 |
The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy is a cookbook by Hannah Glasse (1708–1770) first published in 1747. It was a best seller for a century after its first publication, dominating the English-speaking market and making Glasse one of the most famous cookbook authors of her time. The book ran through at least 40 editions, many of them pirated. It was published in Dublin from 1748, and in America from 1805.
Glasse emphasised in her note "To the Reader" that she used plain language so that servants would be able to understand it.
The 1751 edition was the first book to mention trifle with jelly as an ingredient; the 1758 edition gave the first mention of "Hamburgh sausages" and piccalilli, while the 1774 edition of the book included one of the first recipes in English for an Indian-style curry. Glasse expressed criticism of French influence, but included dishes with French names and French influence in the book. Other recipes use imported ingredients such as cocoa, cinnamon, nutmeg, pistachios and even musk.
The book was popular in the Thirteen Colonies of America, and its appeal survived the American War of Independence, copies being owned by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
The Art of Cookery was the dominant reference for home cooks in much of the English-speaking world in the second half of the 18th century and the early 19th century, and it is still used as a reference for food research and historical reconstruction. The book was updated significantly both during her life and after her death.
Early editions were not illustrated. Some posthumous editions include a decorative frontispiece, with the caption
The FAIR, who's Wise and oft consults our BOOK,
And thence directions gives her Prudent Cook,
With CHOICEST VIANDS, has her Table Crown'd,
And Health, with Frugal Ellegance is found.
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Wikipedia