Yuan Mei – China Cookbook Author Yuan Mei was born in 1716 (in the famous lakeside city of Hangzhou) and died just short of the end of the century in 1798. He is regarded as one of China’s great poets, but he also spent much of his life (especially from […]
The Compleat Housewife – Introduction The Compleat Housewife by Eliza Smith was first published in England in 1727 and went on to become one of the most enduring cookbooks on both sides of the Atlantic. Because this is the first review we have posted on an 18th Century cookbook (the […]
Bones – Recipes, History and Lore – Introduction Jennifer McLagan is an Australian-born chef who has plied her trade in Australia, England, Europe and Canada. Her books follow an idiosyncratic path, cleverly concentrating on topics that most other writers avoid. The topics of her books include Bones, Fat, Bitter, Odd […]
The Colonial Cookbook – Introduction The Colonial Cookbook was written by Edward Abbott under the pseudonym The Australian Aristologist. It was the first Australian cookbook published (1864) even though it was printed in London. The full title was the unwieldly “The English and Australian Cookery Book. Cookery for the Many, […]
Classic Russian Cooking – Introduction Classic Russian Cooking – A gift to young housewives by Elena Molokhovets is a significant book in the history of Russian cuisine and one of the great utilitarian cookbooks of the world ranking alongside Stephanie Alexander’s The Cook’s Companion, Eliza Acton’s Modern Cookery for Private […]
Joy of Cooking: Introduction Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer was first published by Irma Rombauer in 1931. It soon became the cookbook of choice throughout the United States. It is somewhat derivative of Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management in that it is not just a recipe book […]
Recipes of All Nations: Introduction Recipes of All Nations by ‘Countess Morphy’ is a fascinating tour of recipes from all around the world that was very popular in the United Kingdom in the 1930s. It has some flaws and the author wasn’t a countess, but it is still an interesting […]
Ottolenghi The Cookbook – Introduction Ottolenghi The Cookbook is a beautiful book full of delicious recipes that you immediately want to try out. It is authored by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi (Yotam is an Israeli and Sami a Palestinian who both now live in London). Both were born in […]
Crescent City Cooking: Introduction Crescent City Cooking by Susan Spicer surveys the recipes of her native (from the age of 7) New Orleans and beyond and is an excellent book to add to your cookbook collection if you are interested in the cuisine of this fascinating city. We have eaten […]
Middle Eastern Cookery: Introduction Middle Eastern Cookery by Arto der Haroutunian is one of the classics of Middle Eastern cooking. It is a thoroughly researched, clearly written classic that is worth returning to again and again whenever you feel inspired to cook any of the great dishes of this region. […]
