A Selective List of Editions of Historical Texts

Fourteenth Century
Fifteenth Century
Sixteenth-Seventeenth Century
Eighteenth Century
Nineteenth Century

Fourteenth Century

Curye on Inglysch: English culinary manuscripts of the fourteenth century, edited by Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler. (London and New York: Published for the Early English Text Society by Oxford University Press, 1985). JFD 96-9367. A collection of 14th-century English manuscript recipes, with an introduction on their context, a select bibliography, extensive notes, glossary and index. One of the Forme of Cury manuscripts examined is Whitney MS. 1 in the Manuscripts and Archives Division.

The Goodman of Paris (Le ménagier de Paris): a treatise on moral and domestic economy by a citizen of Paris (c. 1393), now first translated into English with an introduction and notes by Eileen Power. (London: G. Routledge & Sons, 1928.) VSB.

Mén agier de Paris. French & French (Middle French). Le Mesnagier de Paris, edited by Georgina [sic] E. Brereton and Janet M. Ferrier, translation and notes by Karin Ueltschi. ([Paris], Livre de poche, c1994). JFE 92-87. A scholarly edition of the ca 1394 anonymous text which includes a treatise on cookery.

Taillevent, 1326-1395. The Viandier of Taillevent, Terence Scully, ed. ([Ottawa] University of Ottawa Press, c1988). JFE 94-7557. An edition of the four extant manuscripts of the 14th-century collection of recipes known as Viandier of Guillaume Tirel ("Taillevent"), with introduction, commentary, English translation, select bibliography and glossary.

Fifteenth Century

An Ordinance of pottage, edited by Constance B. Hieatt. (London, Prospect Books, 1988). JFD 93-1478. A scholarly edition of the culinary section of a 15th-century manuscript (the "Wagstaff Miscellany") in the Beinecke Library at Yale, taking into account other similar collections, with 189 Middle English recipes, and a "Culinary Commentary and Adapted Recipes."

Sixteenth-Seventeenth Century

Martha Washington's booke of cookery and booke of sweetmeats, transcribed by Karen Hess with historical notes and annotations. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1981). *R-VT 94-8151. A scholarly and engaging work on the history of cooking, of language, and much else. The manuscript was in the possession of Martha Washington from 1749 to 1799, but the recipes are mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The Sensible cook: Dutch foodways in the Old and the New World, translated and edited by Peter G. Rose. (Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 1989). JFE 92-1932. A translation, with introduction, bibliography, and glossary, of the 1683 Dutch classic De Verstandige Kock.

Eighteenth Century

[Glasse, Hannah]. The Art of cookery made plain and easy, by a lady. (London, Prospect Books, 1983). *KC+ 1747 (Glasse, H.) 85-177 (Rare Books and Manuscripts Division). First published 1747. A facsimile of the first edition, supplemented by recipes added up to the fifth edition; with introductory essays by Jennifer Stead and Priscilla Bain, glossary by Alan Davidson, notes, and index.

[Simmons, Amelia] American cookery. The first American cookbook; a facsimile of "American cookery," 1796. (New York: Dover Publications, 1984, c1958). JFD 94-13020.

Nineteenth Century

Fisher, Mrs. What Mrs. Fisher knows about old southern cooking: soups, pickles, preserves, etc.: in facsimile, with historical notes by Karen Hess. (Bedford, Mass: Applewood Books, 1995). JFC 95-1728. Presumably the first cookbook by an African-American woman, published in 1881.

The Jewish manual: or practical information in Jewish and modern cookery with a collection of valuable recipes & hints relating to the toilette, edited by a lady. (New York: NightinGale Books, 1983). *PVR 84-143 (Jewish Division). Original edition 1846. A facsimile, with an introduction by Chaim Raphael, of the first Jewish cookbook in English.

Lea, Elizabeth E. A Quaker woman's cookbook, edited with an introduction by William Woys Weaver. (Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania Press, 1982). JFE 94-8657. A facsimile of the 1853 edition of Elizabeth Ellicott Lea's Domestic cookery, useful receipts, and hints to young housekeepers; with a glossary and bibliography of published and unpublished sources.

Levy, Esther Jacobs. Jewish cookery book, on principles of economy. ( New York: Arno Press, 1975). *PVR 75-1037 (Jewish Division). Reprint of the 1871 edition of the first Jewish cookbook published in America.

Molokhovets, Elena. Podarok molodym khoziaikam. English. Classic Russian cooking: Elena Molokhovets' A gift to young housewives, translated, introduced and annotated by Joyce Toomre. (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, c1992). JFF 93-2334. First published in 1861.

Randolph, Mary. The Virginia house-wife, Historical notes and commentaries by Karen Hess. (Columbia, S.C., University of South Carolina Press, c1984). *KF 1824 86-57 (Rare Books and Manuscripts Division). "A facsimile of the first edition, 1824, along with additional material from the editions of 1825 and 1828, thus presenting a complete text."