National Network for Equitable Library Service

Published in New York in 1856, Every Lady’s Cook Book was revolutionary in its time for being written “for all classes of people” as well as for “those who desire rich, well-seasoned dishes, and for those who prefer more plain diet.” The preface of this best-selling cook states that over 200,000 copies have been sold, and confidently asserts, “These receipts may be followed to the letter, and success insured.” The well-received cookbook has over 350 recipes covering everything from almond macaroons, cocoa-nut cupcakes, honey cake, and strawberry ice cream to corned beef, black fish, pig’s feet pie, and mussels to pickled cucumbers, mock turtle soup, rabbits and hasty pudding. Besides the extensive list of recipes, Every Lady’s Cook Book also contains quaint line drawings and detailed carving instruction, all of which combine to create a historically informative and valuable tome from the mid-19th century. This edition of Every Lady’s Cook Book was reproduced by permission from the volume in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society, Worcester, Massachusetts. Founded in 1812 by Isaiah Thomas, a Revolutionary War patriot and successful printer and publisher, the Society is a research library documenting the life of Americans from the colonial era through 1876. The Society collects, preserves and makes available as complete a record as possible of the printed materials from the early American experience. The cookbook collection includes approximately 1,100 volumes.