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    American Cookery
    American Cookery
    American Cookery
    Ebook70 pages47 minutes

    American Cookery

    By Amelia Simmons

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    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 that Simmons was from the Hudson Valley region. The book first appeared in 1796 to popular reception, as all cookbooks being printed and used in the United States prior to this were British, and it was reprinted and pirated for the next thirty years. 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.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherDigireads.com Publishing
    Release dateJan 1, 2011
    ISBN9781420943535

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    Reviews for American Cookery

    3.5/5

    27 ratings3 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Interesting to read as history, not very practical for recipes unless you want to reenact Colonial times.
    • 5/5
      Not quite done...I am reviewing a digital version of this book so cannot comment on the physical properties. I can however say that it's a wonderful edition. Karen Hess is a scholar of food and cookery and her introduction goes far to putting the value of Amelia Simmon's "American Cookery" in perspective.The potential buyer and/or reader should understand that this is THE first American cookbook. The recipes may be very like the ones from England, but some are made over to include 'Indian', or Indian Corn. And in any case, this is an American voice you hear throughout talking about being an orphan and the struggles that results from that condition; talking about hanging on the pot.Applegate, the publisher, was no doubt interested in this unique American book. But it was Hess who wisely convinced Applegate to publish the second edition, rather than the first. The reason for this is that apparently there was a bit of fraud involved with the publication of the first edition. Amelia Simmons herself says as much, giving readers notice that the recipes in the first edition were written down wrong; and that the entire first portion of the book, which talks about how to purchase meat and buy the best sorts, was not her idea but was added by another. And while I was interested in the first American cookbook, reading her own disavowment of the work convinced me that I wished to avoid the first edition. However if you are curious, you might look for at Gutenberg.What follows the Karen's introduction is a facsimile of "American Cookery". So you will see it as it was read centuries ago. And you will no doubt have to struggle with the long 's' of that period and the quirky spelling. Thus you will learn to 'ferve your mutton' and learn to 'broil your beef stake'. Don't panick though. You will soon become accustomed to these slight differences.One of the additional merits of this particular version of the book is that Ms. Hess has added an Index and a Glossary at the end. I particularly appreciated the latter as it saved me much time searching the web looking up definitions of words like: gill, emptins, and tumbles. And without that aid I would have no doubt misunderstood what a 'mango' was meant to be -- a method of preserving various fleshy fruits and veggies so that they resembled a pickled mango from India -- and it's entirely likely that for some words -- like 'long pepper' and 'grown flour' -- I would have found no answer at all. All-in-all "American Cookery" is an interesting read. It's not the sort of book you go through in one setting. You could, but what would be the point. It's a cookbook after all. It's a book to be savored over coffee or late at night. If you read it too fast you miss out on details like the sheer number of herbs that are used in this short list of recipes. Not to mention the copious amounts of butter and eggs. It staggers the mind at points. And if you are going to purchase a copy of Simmon's book, I can't see buying one without the introduction. To do so would leave most readers without an appreciation of a remarkable little volume it is.Enjoy.Pam T~pageinhistory
    • 2/5
      I love to cook. I love to eat. No, no, I'm not fat - it's genetic with me. Anyway, this book is a reprint of one from the late 1700s. I've learned a lot from this work but mostly how good a roast becomes when you dust it with flour. That's the only way I do any roast from now on. Other than that trick, we've pretty much adapted the techniques and recipes in this book.

    Book preview

    American Cookery - Amelia Simmons

    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 PLUMB TO PLAIN CAKE.

    ADAPTED TO THIS COUNTRY, AND ALL GRADES OF LIFE.

    BY AMELIA SIMMONS

    A Digireads.com Book

    Digireads.com Publishing

    Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4239-2

    Ebook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-4353-5

    This edition copyright © 2012

    Please visit www.digireads.com

    PREFACE

    As this treatise is calculated for the improvement of the rising generation of Females in America, the Lady of fashion and fortune will not be displeased, if many hints are suggested for the more general and universal knowledge of those females in this country, who by the loss of their parents, or other unfortunate circumstances, are reduced to the necessity of going into families in the line of domestics, or taking refuge with their friends or relations, and doing those things which are really essential to the perfecting them as good wives, and useful members of society.

    The orphan, tho' left to the care of virtuous guardians, will find it essentially necessary to have an opinion and determination of her own.

    The world, and the fashion thereof, is so variable, that old people cannot accommodate themselves to the various changes and fashions which daily occur; they will adhere to the fashion of their day, and will not surrender their attachments to the good old way—while the young and the gay, bend and conform readily to the taste of the times, and fancy of the hour.

    By having an opinion and determination, I would not be understood to mean an obstinate perseverance in trifles, which borders on obstinacy—by no means, but only an adherence to those rules and maxims which have flood the test of ages, and will forever establish the female character, a virtuous character—altho' they conform to the ruling taste of the age in cookery, dress, language, manners, &c.

    It must ever remain a check upon the poor solitary orphan, that while those females who have parents, or brothers, or riches, to defend their indiscretions, that the orphan must depend solely upon character. How immensely important, therefore, that every action, every word, every thought, be regulated by the strictest purity, and that every movement meet the approbation of the good and wise.

    The candor of the American Ladies is solicitously intreated by the Authoress, as she is circumscribed in her knowledge, this being an original work in this country. Should any future editions appear, she hopes to render it more valuable.

    CONTENTS

    PREFACE

    HOW TO CHOOSE FLESH

    FISH: HOW TO CHOOSE

    POULTRY: HOW TO CHOOSE

    HARES AND RABITTS

    BUTTER, CHEESE & EGGS

    POTATOES

    CULTIVATED ROOTS

    VEGETABLES

    BEANS

    PEAS: GREEN PEAS

    HERBS: USEFUL IN COOKERY

    FRUITS

    VIANDES

    PIES

    PUDDINGS

    PASTES

    CUSTARDS

    TARTS

    SYLLABUBS

    CAKE

    RUSK

    PRESERVES

    MISCELLANEA

    ADVERTISEMENT

    ERRATA

    The

    PROCURING

    of the

    BEST VIANDS, FISH, &c

    Or

    DIRECTIONS

    for

    CATERING

    HOW TO CHOOSE FLESH

    Beef, The large stall fed ox beef is the best, it has a coarse open grain, and oily smoothness; dent it with your finger and it will immediately rise again; if old, it will be rough and spungy, and the dent remain.

    Cow, Beef is less boned, and generally more tender and juicy than the ox, in America, which is used to labor.

    Of almost every species of Animals, Birds and Fishes, the female is the tenderest, the richest flavour'd, and among poultry the soonest fattened.

    Mutton, grass-fed, is good two or three years old.

    Lamb, if under six months is rich, and no danger of imposition; it may be known by its size, in distinguishing either.

    Veal, is soon lost—great care therefore is necessary in purchasing. Veal bro't to market in panniers, or in carriages, is to be prefered to that bro't in bags, and flouncing on a sweaty horse.

    Pork, is known by its size, and whether properly fattened by its appearance.

    To make the best Bacon. To each ham put one ounce saltpetre, one pint bay salt, one pint molasses, shake together 6 or 8 weeks, or when a large quantity is together, baste them with the liquor every day; when taken out to dry, smoke three weeks with cobs or malt fumes. To every ham may be added a cheek, if you stow away a barrel and not alter the composition, some add a shoulder. For transportation or exportation, double the period of smoaking.

    FISH: HOW TO CHOOSE

    Salmon, the noblest and richest fish

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