to dress a fatted calf ; but Esau is the first person mentioned that made any advances beyond plain dressing, as boiling, roasting, &c. For though we find indeed, that Re- becca his mother was accomplished with the skill of making savoury meat as well as he, yet whether he learned it from her, or she from hhn, is a question too knotty for me to determine. “ But cookery did not long remain a simple science, or a bare piece of housewifry or family ceconomy, but in process of time, when luxury entered the world, it grew to an art, nay a trade; for in 1 Sam. viii. 13. when the Israelites grew fashionists, and would have a king, that they might be like the rest of their neighbours, we read of cooks, confection- ers, &c. “This art being of universal use, and in constant practice, has been ever since upon the improvement ; and we may, I think, with good reason believe, is arrived at its greatest height and perfection, if it is not got beyond it, even to its declension ; for whatsoever new, upstart, out-of-the-way messes some 92 Cookery Books. humourists have invented, such as stuffing a roasted leg of mutton with pickled herring, and the like, are only the sallies of a capri- cious appetite, and debauching rather than improving the art itself. “ The art of cookery, &c., is indeed diver- sified according to the diversity of nations or countries ; and to treat of it in that latitude would fill an unportable volume ; and rather confound than improve those that would ac- complish themselves with it. I shall there- fore confine what I have to communicate within the limits of practicalness and useful- ness, and so within the compass of a manual, that shall neither burthen the hands to hold, the eyes in reading, nor the mind in con- ceiving. “ What you will find in the following sheets, are directions generally for dressing after the best, most natural, and wholesome man- ner, such provisions as are the product of our own country, and in such a manner as is most agreeable to English palates : saving that I have so far temporized, as, since we have to our disgrace so fondly admired the Cookery Books. 93 French tongue, French modes, and also French messes, to present you now and then with such receipts of French cookery, as I think may not be disagreeable to English palates. “ There are indeed already in the world various books that treat on this subject, and which bear great names, as cooks to kings, princes, and noblemen, and from which one might justly expect something more than many, if not most of these I have read, perform, but found my self deceived in my expectations ; for many of them to us are impracticable, others whimsical, others un- palatable, unless to depraved palates ; some unwholesome, many things copied from old authors, and recommended without (as I am persuaded) the copiers ever having had any experience of the palatableness, or had any regard to the wholesomness of them ; which two things ought to be the standing rules, that no pretenders to cookery ought to deviate from. And I cannot but believe, that those celebrated performers, notwith- standing all their professions of having 94 Cookery Books. ingenuously communicated their art, indus- triously concealed their best receipts from the publick.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

to dress a fatted calf ; but Esau is the first person mentioned that made any advances beyond plain dressing, as boiling, roasting, &c. For though we find indeed, that Rebecca his mother was accomplished with the skill of making savoury meat as well as he, yet whether he learned it from her, or she from hhn, is a question too knotty for me to determine. “ But cookery did not long remain a simple science, or a bare piece of housewifry or family economy, but in process of time, when luxury entered the world, it grew to an art, nay a trade; for in 1 Sam. viii. 13. when the Israelites grew fashionists, and would have a king, that they might be like the rest of their neighbours, we read of cooks, confectioners, &c. “This art being of universal use, and in constant practice, has been ever since upon the improvement ; and we may, I think, with good reason believe, is arrived at its greatest height and perfection, if it is not got beyond it, even to its declension ; for whatsoever new, upstart, out-of-the-way messes some Cookery Books. humourists have invented, such as stuffing a roasted leg of mutton with pickled herring, and the like, are only the sallies of a capricious appetite, and debauching rather than improving the art itself. “ The art of cookery, &c., is indeed diversified according to the diversity of nations or countries ; and to treat of it in that latitude would fill an unportable volume ; and rather confound than improve those that would accomplish themselves with it. I shall therefore confine what I have to communicate within the limits of practicalness and usefulness, and so within the compass of a manual, that shall neither burthen the hands to hold, the eyes in reading, nor the mind in conceiving. “ What you will find in the following sheets, are directions generally for dressing after the best, most natural, and wholesome manner, such provisions as are the product of our own country, and in such a manner as is most agreeable to English palates : saving that I have so far temporized, as, since we have to our disgrace so fondly admired the Cookery Books. French tongue, French modes, and also French messes, to present you now and then with such receipts of French cookery, as I think may not be disagreeable to English palates. “ There are indeed already in the world various books that treat on this subject, and which bear great names, as cooks to kings, princes, and noblemen, and from which one might justly expect something more than many, if not most of these I have read, perform, but found my self deceived in my expectations ; for many of them to us are impracticable, others whimsical, others unpalatable, unless to depraved palates ; some unwholesome, many things copied from old authors, and recommended without (as I am persuaded) the copiers ever having had any experience of the palatableness, or had any regard to the wholesomness of them ; which two things ought to be the standing rules, that no pretenders to cookery ought to deviate from. And I cannot but believe, that those celebrated performers, notwithstanding all their professions of having Cookery Books. ingenuously communicated their art, industriously concealed their best receipts from the publick.

Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine