The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy

The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, published in 1747, stands as one of the most influential cookbooks in English culinary history. The book dominated the market for over a century, running through more than 40 editions and reaching audiences across Britain, Ireland, and America. Author Hannah Glasse wrote the text in straightforward language, aiming to make it accessible to household servants. The book contains recipes ranging from traditional British fare to exotic dishes featuring imported ingredients like cocoa, cinnamon, and pistachios, as well as early English-language instructions for curry and Hamburg sausages. Notable figures including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington owned copies of the book, cementing its status in both British and American cooking. The text underwent multiple revisions during Glasse's lifetime and after her death, with later editions featuring added illustrations and frontispieces. The Art of Cookery represents a crucial pivot point between aristocratic and working-class cooking traditions, marking a shift toward more practical, accessible culinary instruction in the English-speaking world.

Readers appreciate this book as a historical record of 18th century British cooking methods and ingredients. Many note its value in understanding how cooking techniques and tastes have evolved. Readers liked: - Clear instructions compared to other cookbooks of the era - Includes common measurements rather than vague quantities - Shows creative uses for leftovers - Contains household management tips beyond recipes - Reflects authentic middle-class cooking of the period Readers disliked: - Recipes assume prior cooking knowledge - Instructions can be hard to follow for modern cooks - Many ingredients are no longer available - Some recipes seem impractical or unsafe by today's standards Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (127 ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (98 ratings) "A fascinating window into Georgian-era cooking" - Goodreads reviewer "Difficult to use as an actual cookbook but invaluable for food history" - Amazon reviewer "The 18th century equivalent of Joy of Cooking" - LibraryThing reviewer

The Experienced English Housekeeper by Elizabeth Raffald A comprehensive 18th-century household management guide that provides instructions for cooking, preserving, and running an English home.

The Virginia Housewife by Mary Randolph The first regional American cookbook documents traditional Southern cooking methods and recipes from the early 19th century.

The Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Child This practical guide from 1829 focuses on economical cooking and household management for American families of modest means.

A New System of Domestic Cookery by Maria Eliza Rundell This 1806 cookbook serves as a complete guide to British household management and cookery for middle-class families.

Modern Cookery for Private Families by Eliza Acton This 1845 work introduced the practice of listing ingredients and precise cooking times in recipe writing.

🍳 The book remained in print continuously for over 100 years, with at least 40 editions published between 1747 and 1885 📖 Hannah Glasse originally published the book anonymously "By a Lady," possibly to avoid the stigma of a woman writing for profit in Georgian England 🌟 It contains the first known printed recipe for ice cream in England, as well as one of the earliest English recipes for curry 🏰 Despite writing a book aimed at household servants, Glasse herself faced financial difficulties and was briefly imprisoned in debtors' prison in 1754 🌍 The book was so influential that Benjamin Franklin owned a copy, and Thomas Jefferson had two copies in his personal library at Monticello