Early American Cookbook

Additional Details

Description: America has always been known as a land of plenty, and throughout our years Americans have always eaten extremely well. For this we have to thank the generosity of our land, the contributions of many nations, and the remarkable ingenuity of our cooks. Working at first under extremely difficult conditions, our earliest cooks -- colonial women -- created a distinctly American cuisine. The Early American Cookbook displays their achievements. From the simple to the elegant, always hearty and satisfying, their creations are as American as the political ideals also fashioned in colonial times, and ones that have endured as long. 

Here are recipes typical of the food prepared and eaten throughout the thirteen colonies -- traditional dishes and lesser-known favorites. Some are simple and basic -- Clam Chowder and Johnnycakes -- and have been enjoyed in American homes since the earliest settlers first prepared them. Some are unexpectedly elegant -- such as Charleston Chicken Pilau -- from the wealthy 18th-century homes of the South and North. The recipes have been adapted for the modern cook from original colonial sources. Precise measurements, temperatures, and cooking times have been added, but the traditional cooking methods and ingredients have been retained. 

The book includes a fascinating introduction sketching in the historical background on what foods were available, what people cooked with, and how they ate. It is illustrated with delicate watercolors by Joan Blume and with a number of original recipes reproduced in facsimile. Hyla O'Connor has gathered the recipes from original colonial manuscripts and rare printed cookbooks. 

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Condition: Good condition.