American Cookery was the first cookbook in America. Reproduced here is the rare second edition printed in 1796. We have added a new introduction by noted food historian Karen Hess.
Exact reproduction of the first American-written cookbook published in the United States. Authentic recipes for colonial favorites — pumpkin pudding, winter squash pudding, spruce beer, Indian slapjacks, and more.
American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons, was the first known cookbook written by an American, published in 1796. Until this time, the cookbooks printed and used in what became the United States were British cookbooks, so the importance of this book is obvious to American culinary history, and more generally, to the history of America. The full title of this book was: American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life. This book was quite popular and was printed, reprinted and pirated for 30 years after its first appearance. Only four copies of the first edition (Hartford, 1796) are known to exist. From the Historic American Cookbook Project of Michigan State University: "The importance of this work cannot be overestimated. Its initial publication (Hartford, 1796) was, in its own way, a second Declaration of American Independence...
Unique copy of America's very first cookbook from 1796! Not only will you receive a Facsimile copy of the American Cookery First Edition as written in 1796 by Amelia Simmons, you'll also get American Cookery translated into modern language. This easy-to-read format allows you to enjoy the amazing story of America's first cookbook. You'll love reading how our colonial ancestors cooked and served their food. This historic document was discovered in our nations archives. AND by special permission also included in this one-of-a-kind volume is an essay by Mary Tolford Wilson from 1796. Truely a treasure!
A facsimile of the first American cookbook, published in 1796, featuring recipes for tarts, puddings, pastes, syllabubs, fish, pies, custards, roasts, cakes, rusk, and preserves. Accompanied by parallel text in modern type for easier reading.
American Cookery, by Amelia Simmons, was the first known cookbook written by an American, published in 1796. Until this time, the cookbooks printed and used in what became the United States were British cookbooks, so the importance of this book is obvious to American culinary history, and more generally, to the history of America. The full title of this book was: American Cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry, and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plum to plain cake: Adapted to this country, and all grades of life. This book was quite popular and was printed, reprinted and pirated for 30 years after its first appearance. Only four copies of the first edition (Hartford, 1796) are known to exist. From the Historic American Cookbook Project of Michigan State University: "The importance of this work cannot be overestimated. Its initial publication (Hartford, 1796) was, in its own way, a second Declaration of American Independence...
Little is known of Amelia Simmons, the author of the first American cookbook, except that she was probably a domestic worker and lacked any formal education. Some assumed that she was a New Englander based on the location of the first editions; however, later editions published around the Hudson River Valley, and the inclusion of several Dutch words in the book, reinforce the belief that Simmons was probably from the Hudson River Valley region. The book first appeared in 1796 to popular reception, as all other cookbooks being printed and used in the United States prior to this were British. Simmons presents the best methods of picking, preparing, and cooking a variety of ingredients, and her recipes do not shy away from generous use of herbs and wine. This is the first cookbook known to use pearlash, the precursor to modern baking powder, and it contains the first known printed recipe for turkey with cranberries. A classic of early American culinary literature, "American Cookery" gives a wonderful insight into the cuisine of early America. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper.
An early colonial classic, "The First American Cookbook" is a reflection of America itself, which was and continues to be a giant melting pot of cultures and cuisines. "The First American Cookbook" is a book of firsts. It was the first cookbook published in American, the first book of "receipts" written by an American, and the first cookbook containing uniquely American food options. First published as "American Cookery," "The First American Cookbook" also contains the first published recipe for cakey gingerbread, the first publication of the word "cookie", and the first documented use of pearlash as a leavening agent. Many recipes call for immense amounts of flour, shortening, and sugar, sometimes more than 5 lbs., with measures such as "a teacup full" and "a slow oven". Author Amelia Simmons helpfully provides instructions about how to decide whether to acquire beef from oxen or dairy cattle and how to "dress" a turtle. The amount of information contained in this brief little volume is amazing. "The First American Cookbook" is worth a careful perusal even if none of the recipes catches your fancy. This is a great, fun little look at the past of American cooking. Though it's clear from the recipes in "The First American Cookbook" that our pioneers didn't fret over calories or cholesterol, this fascinating little book does provide an interesting peek into the daily life of the early American housewife, plus a great guide for experiencing some of what our ancestors ate.
An early colonial classic, this little but comprehensive book contains some fascinating historical insights into the origins of many traditional American recipes. It is interesting to learn that there are some strong links to England and English culinary traditions.
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.