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Comprising Information for the
ALSO, SANITARY, MEDICAL, & LEGAL MEMORANDA;
Nothing lovelier can be found
In Woman, than to study household good.—MILTON.
Published Originally ByS. O. Beeton in 24 Monthly Parts1859-1861.
First Published in a Bound Edition 1861.
I must frankly own, that if I had known, beforehand, that this bookwould have cost me the labour which it has, I should never have beencourageous enough to commence it. What moved me, in the first instance,to attempt a work like this, was the discomfort and suffering which Ihad seen brought upon men and women by household mismanagement. I havealways thought that there is no more fruitful source of familydiscontent than a housewife's badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways. Menare now so well served out of doors,—at their clubs, well-orderedtaverns, and dining-houses, that in order to compete with theattractions of these places, a mistress must be thoroughly acquaintedwith the theory and practice of cookery, as well as be perfectlyconversant with all the other arts of making and keeping a comfortablehome.
In this book I have attempted to give, under the chapters devoted tocookery, an intelligible arrangement to every recipe, a list of theingredients, a plain statement of the mode of preparing each dish,and a careful estimate of its cost, the number of people for whom itis sufficient, and the time when it is seasonable. For the matter ofthe recipes, I am indebted, in some measure, to many correspondents ofthe "Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine," who have obligingly placed at mydisposal their formulas for many original preparations. A large privatecircle has also rendered me considerable service. A diligent study ofthe works of the best modern writers on cookery was also necessary tothe faithful fulfilment of my task. Friends in England, Scotland,Ireland, France, and Germany, have also very materially aided me. I havepaid great attention to those recipes which come under the head of "COLDMEAT COOKERY." But in the department belonging to the Cook I havestriven, too, to make my work something more than a Cookery Book, andhave, therefore, on the best authority that I could obtain, given anaccount of the natural history of the animals and vegetables which weuse as food. I have followed the animal from his birth to his appearanceon the table; have described the manner of feeding him, and of slayinghim, the position of his various joints, and, after giving the recipes,have described the modes of carving Meat, Poultry, and Game. Skilfulartists have designed the numerous drawings which appear in this work,and which illustrate, better than any description, many important andinteresting items. The coloured plates are a novelty not without value.
Besides the great portion of the book which has especial reference tothe cook's department, there are chapters devoted to those of the otherservants of